Chapter 4: Costume Party
Ugh. I hate exams.
They really, really suck. i don't think I've ever met a kid ever who doesn't completely despise exams. It's kind of like going to the dentist to get a filling. You really don't want to and it's really painful, but your parents make you.
After that party at the roller derby last week, my social life ended, as did almost the entire school's. The exams at our school were simple. You either passed, or you didn't. If you got anything over a C, then the computer registers it as a pass. No letter grades, no number grades, just Pass. And if you don't get above a C.... well then it sucks to be you.
So, naturally, everyone studied crazy hard. They were pretty challenging, but they all involved basically the same thing. You were given a small blue book with blank, unlined pages. The teachers gave you a test and you wrote your essays in it. Except for math, all the exams were essays. Like I said, it really, really sucks.
Right now I'm in my literature exam. It's pretty tough, but then again so is Mrs. Stephens. She's the kind of lady that smacks your hand with a ruler if you're talking. I have the scars to prove it. During exams, we all sit in the same room, the lunch room. It's big enough to hold the whole school, so the whole school takes the same exam at the same time. Of course, for each grade and class it's a different test, but each of the teachers is there to help. And like I said, today is Literature.
#17. Describe Steinbeck's message about man's core personality in his novel, OF MICE AND MEN.
Hm... God I wish this exam were over. Come on, one more question. I can do this. I know I can. I'd studied this last night. This is the last question, on the last exam. I just have to remember.
Focus.
John Steinbeck portrays man as being inherently evil in his novel, "Of Mice and Men." It can be shown in the character of...
Crap!!! What was that character's name... let's see. The good guy was Ralph. The bad guy was... JACK!
It can be shown in the character of Jack. Jack takes over the tribe because of his own evil ambitions. He kills mercilessly and sacrifices his fellow man to maintain his power and authority. Most of the other characters followed and looked up to Jack, playing into Stienbeck's view that all men are evil. As Steinbeck shows, all men-"
"That's it! Exam's over! Finish your sentences, dot your I's, cross your T's, and put your pencils down> Have a great summer, everyone!" Mrs. Stephens calls from the front of the room. I quickly scribble "all men are in it for themselves." and rush out the door.
"Hey, Connor! What'd you think of the exam?" Jerry walks up behind me and pats me on the back. I give him a smile.
"Pretty easy, I thought. That last question almost had me, though. Number seventeen?"
Jerry's face blanches. "There was a number seventeen?! You've gotta be kidding me."
I laugh and slap him on the back. "You'll be fine, dude."
He shakes his head. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure I bombed it. But whatever, you know? It'll be fine. You got any plans tonight?"
"Yeah. Kim's costume party, aren't you going?"
Jerry nods. "Yeah, I guess. It's a stupid costume, party, right?"
"Yes. Could be kind of fun, though, right? What are you gonna wear?"
"Psh, I don't know! I'll wear my McDonald's shirt or something. Who even cares anyway? All anyone's gonna be looking at is the girls in those fine costumes. It's gonna be like Macy Courworth's Halloween party all over again."
YOU ARE READING
The Girl in the Yellow Dress (ON HOLD!)
Humor**Prequel to An Arranged Marriage to a Jerk** Connor Danielson may seem like the high school player, but underneath that cool facade is a guy longing for a girl he saw years ago on the first day of high school. It was love at first sight; she was in...
