Point of View

The Examination is told primarily from the point of Lao Hong, a young boy whose older brother, Lao Chen, is a "Flowering Talent," a title given to promising young scholars expected to advance into public service after passing a series of grueling examinations. Lao Hong is a practical and wary boy who feels he must help his highly-intelligent but naive older brother. His point of view is of a loyal brother who respects his sibling for his intelligence but is sometimes exasperated at his trusting and innocent nature. Hong's fairly narrow point of view is broadened as he travels with his brother and meets people outside his small home village.

A second point of view in the narrative is that of Lao Chen, the nineteen-year-old Flowering Talent who is preoccupied with the teachings of Confucius and ancient poetry. His point of view is also broadened during...