How does the short story ‘The Test’ make you feel great sympathy for a character? Briefly
outline the situation in which the character finds himself or herself and show by what
means you are made to feel sympathy.
“The Test” by Angelica Gibbs is a short story that provokes a feeling of sympathy from me
towards the main character, Marian. Gibbs does this by using dialogue, characterisation and
plot. The story is about, a young woman named Marian who is attempting to sit her driving
test for the second time after failing her first attempt. However, the story takes place in the
US in the 1940s, a time when black woman, like Marian, are treated unjustly and unfairly.
Thus, leading her to experience racism. In this story, racism takes the form of a driving
inspector, a driving inspector that purposely fails Marian because she stood up against the
racist remarks that he stated. The story is meaningful because Gibbs wants the reader to feel
sympathetic towards Marian by placing her in confronting situations between the other
characters in the story. There are a plethora of cases presented in the story where the
readers, like myself, are provoked to show sympathy towards Marian.
One of the first reasons we feel sympathy towards Marian is that throughout the story she
shows us that she is worthy of a drivers license and she deserves to pass her test.
Progressing throughout the story there are several indications that show that Marian is a
careful and considerate driver. On their way to the test centre, we are told that Marian, “drove
slowly through the shady suburban streets.” A suburban area is usually a place where
families and their children are playing on the streets. The fact that Marian adjusts her speed
and is being cautious and considerate when she drives around the area is a gesture that she
is a good driver. In addition to this, her ability to drive is also commented on by her employer.
Mrs Eriscson comments that Marian, “drives beautifully.” This is of course more evidence
that Marian is worthy of a license and skilled at what she does. Moreover, we feel sympathy
when Marian fails her test because we know that it is due to something other than her
ability, the only thing that she should be tested on.
When Marian encounters her driving inspector, Gibbs makes it obvious for the reader to feel
extra sympathetic towards Marian. At first, when we are introduced to the inspector we are
misled with the word “genial”, we would hope for this inspector to be more friendly and
kinder than Marians first inspector that had failed her. However, as soon as he starts talking
to Marian we soon come to realise the type of person he really is. Without ever meeting
Marian before he immediately starts calling he “Mandy” which shows that he doesn’t have
the propriety to call her by her actual name. This small action also has a racist undertone as
it relates back to the days of slavery when plantation owners changed the names of their
black slaves. He then continues on making even more racist assumptions about Marian. He
states that she only wants to drive so that she can, “sneak out nights to meet some young
blood.” Here he implying that Marian is a type of woman that would meet and even possibly
sleep with young men. He only says this confidently only due to the fact that Marian is black,
he would not be able to get away with saying this to a white woman. The inspector seems to
outline the situation in which the character finds himself or herself and show by what
means you are made to feel sympathy.
“The Test” by Angelica Gibbs is a short story that provokes a feeling of sympathy from me
towards the main character, Marian. Gibbs does this by using dialogue, characterisation and
plot. The story is about, a young woman named Marian who is attempting to sit her driving
test for the second time after failing her first attempt. However, the story takes place in the
US in the 1940s, a time when black woman, like Marian, are treated unjustly and unfairly.
Thus, leading her to experience racism. In this story, racism takes the form of a driving
inspector, a driving inspector that purposely fails Marian because she stood up against the
racist remarks that he stated. The story is meaningful because Gibbs wants the reader to feel
sympathetic towards Marian by placing her in confronting situations between the other
characters in the story. There are a plethora of cases presented in the story where the
readers, like myself, are provoked to show sympathy towards Marian.
One of the first reasons we feel sympathy towards Marian is that throughout the story she
shows us that she is worthy of a drivers license and she deserves to pass her test.
Progressing throughout the story there are several indications that show that Marian is a
careful and considerate driver. On their way to the test centre, we are told that Marian, “drove
slowly through the shady suburban streets.” A suburban area is usually a place where
families and their children are playing on the streets. The fact that Marian adjusts her speed
and is being cautious and considerate when she drives around the area is a gesture that she
is a good driver. In addition to this, her ability to drive is also commented on by her employer.
Mrs Eriscson comments that Marian, “drives beautifully.” This is of course more evidence
that Marian is worthy of a license and skilled at what she does. Moreover, we feel sympathy
when Marian fails her test because we know that it is due to something other than her
ability, the only thing that she should be tested on.
When Marian encounters her driving inspector, Gibbs makes it obvious for the reader to feel
extra sympathetic towards Marian. At first, when we are introduced to the inspector we are
misled with the word “genial”, we would hope for this inspector to be more friendly and
kinder than Marians first inspector that had failed her. However, as soon as he starts talking
to Marian we soon come to realise the type of person he really is. Without ever meeting
Marian before he immediately starts calling he “Mandy” which shows that he doesn’t have
the propriety to call her by her actual name. This small action also has a racist undertone as
it relates back to the days of slavery when plantation owners changed the names of their
black slaves. He then continues on making even more racist assumptions about Marian. He
states that she only wants to drive so that she can, “sneak out nights to meet some young
blood.” Here he implying that Marian is a type of woman that would meet and even possibly
sleep with young men. He only says this confidently only due to the fact that Marian is black,
he would not be able to get away with saying this to a white woman. The inspector seems to
