A Hanging

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

George Orwell’s 1931 essay ‘A hanging’ carefully examines the ethics and morality of capital punishment and colonialism. Set in 1920’s colonial Burma, Orwell insightfully reflects on his role in the colonial police force while the hanging of an indigenous prisoner for an unspecified crime unfold before him. Orwell’s ideas are skilfully expressed through use of irony, characterisation, contrast, sentence structure, imagery, symbolism, and word choice which challenges the reader’s own views on the issues of capital punishment and colonialism.

Question 2

Conclusion

Answer 2

By the conclusion of the essay, the reader is undoubtedly convinced that Capital punishment is a form of immoral dehumanisation that symbolises the brutality colonial regimes and proves how power the corrupts the oppressors. From the outset of the piece, with the description of the prison of a place of disease and solace, through to the events of journey to the gallows, Orwell’s epiphany, and the hanging itself it, is certain the actions of colonial power are wrong. It becomes clear the powers at be no only have a detrimental effect on the prisoner, but also harms all those involved. The blunt and shocking nature in which Orwell puts forward his ideas leaves a lasting impression upon anyone who reads it, and leaves them to dwell on the ethics and morality of execution and colonialism.

Question 3

Setting Evidence

Answer 3

sickly light, like yellow tin foil - pathetic fallacy
‘condemned cells, a row sheds like small animal cages - metaphor
Condemned men -
Puny wisp of a man - word choice, characterisation
simile ‘a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water’.

Question 4

Dog Evidence

Answer 4

A dreadful thing happened - irony, short sentence
The dog then made a dash from for the prisoner and jumping up tried to lick his face’ symbolism
Incuriously - word choice

Question 5

Puddle Evidence

Answer 5

The prisoner stepped slightly aside to avoid a puddle’ - symbolism
the unspeakable wrongness of cutting a life short when it is in full tide’. - metaphor
bowels digesting … tissues forming - list
one mind less, one world less.’ - anaphora

Question 6

Hanging Evidence

Answer 6

RAM RAM RAM’. - repetition
The Indians had gone grey like bad coffee’ - simile

Question 7

Aftermath Evidence

Answer 7

He’s alright - irony
Talking garrulously- word choice
The dead man was hundred yards away symbolism

Question 8

Setting Conclusion

Answer 8

Overall, the poor conditions of the prison make the reader reflect the maltreatment of those under colonialism and the lack of humanity prisoners are treated with prior to their deaths.

Question 9

Hanging Conclusion

Answer 9

The hanging creates a stark image of the consequences and violence of colonial oppression, disturbing the reader.

Question 10

Aftermath conclusion

Answer 10

The maltreatment of the body and leisurely behaviour from the guards disgust the reader while synthesising that colonialism is oppressing and degrading to both victims and enablers.

Question 11

Puddle conclusion

Answer 11

Overall, witnessing the prisoner avoid a puddle reminds Orwell and the reader of the prisoner’s thoughts and experiences, again implying that killing him goes against nature.

Question 12

Dog conclusion

Answer 12

His lack of reaction makes the reader feel empathy towards the situation as he has lost all humanity and the dog is clearly the only character who views as an equal.

Question 13

Setting pathetic fallacy quote

Answer 13

‘sickly light, like yellow tin foil

Question 14

setting Simile cells quote

Answer 14

‘condemned cells, a row sheds like small animal cages

Question 15

Setting word choice men quote

Answer 15

Condemned men

Question 16

Setting characterisation man

Answer 16

Puny wisp of a man

Question 17

Journey to gallows similes quote

Answer 17

A fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water

Question 18

Dog short sentence quote

Answer 18

A dreadful thing happened

Question 19

Dog symbolism quote

Answer 19

r, ‘The dog then made a dash from for
the prisoner and jumping up tried to lick his face

Question 20

Dog word choice quote

Answer 20

Incuriously

Question 21

Puddle symbolism quote

Answer 21

‘The prisoner stepped slightly
aside to avoid a puddle’

Question 22

Puddle metaphor realisation quote

Answer 22

‘the unspeakable wrongness of cutting a life short
when it is in full tide’.

Question 23

Puddle list quote

Answer 23

bowels digesting … tissues forming

Question 24

Puddle anaphora quote

Answer 24

one mind less, one world less

Question 25

Hanging repetition quote

Answer 25

RAM RAM RAM’

Question 26

Hanging simile quote

Answer 26

The Indians had gone grey like bad coffee

Question 27

Aftermath irony quote

Answer 27

He’s alright

Question 28

Aftermath word choice quote

Answer 28

Taking garrulously

Question 29

Aftermath symbolism quote

Answer 29

The dead man was a hundred yards away

Question 30

The dead man was a hundred yards away

Answer 30

The reader’s final impression of the story and its events is the body left hanging, while the guards indulge in jovial drinking and laughter. This leaves a sick image in the readers psyche, highlighting the complete absence of respect for the indigenous population and the contrast between the lives of the oppressed and the oppressors. The guards are left unconcerned by the close presence of a corpse, again illustrating the corrupting and desensitising effect of being surrounded by death and unjust power has on the guards.

Question 31

Talking garrulously

Answer 31

The word choice of ‘garrulously’ offers connotations of rambling endlessly, nervousness, chatting with no purpose. The connotations suggest that those witnessing the hanging are deeply emotionally affected but due to the constraints of the colonial regime are unable to truly express their shock and guilt, resulting in the guards nervously taking the morning away about nothing substantial. The guards reaction furthers the reader’s understanding that capital wrong as it can emotionally destroy those who are exposed to it. It also proves to readers that colonialism doesn’t only have a detrimental impact on those colonised but also has a powerfully corrupting influence upon those who enable it.

Question 32

He’s alright

Answer 32

This ironic piece of dialogue highlights the disrespect and humiliation of the execution as the the Superintendent believes he is ‘alright’, as the hanging was swift and the the prisoner did not struggle. This attitude contrasts with the readers outburst of sympathy towards the prisoner as he is clearly not ‘alright’ having been subjected to a cruel and premature death

Question 33

RAM RAM RAM

Answer 33

This chant reflects the apprehension and stress amongst the guards, contrasting with control and prayer of the prisoner. Repetition symbolises the passing of time and the growing anxiety of those watching for it be over. The peace of the prisoner proves how his death acts as a release from the torture within the prison and wider colonialism. His peace highlights how his humanity has been ground away to an extent that he isn’t even distressed by the proximity of his own death.

Question 34

Indians had gone grey like bad coffee

Answer 34

Despite the prisoner’s acceptance, the guilt of the guards begins to seep into the story. After the prisoner is finally killed ‘The Indians had gone grey like bad coffee’. This illustrates that the hanging has evoked a deep physical and emotional reaction of those witnessing the events as they have changed physical colour. It creates a horrific image of the hanging and leaves the reader feeling sickened by the people enabling the death.

Question 35

One mindless one world less

Answer 35

This use of anaphora emphasises that it is irreversible to remove a sentient human from the world. His short sentence demonstrates that they are experiencing the same environment but due to the unchecked power of capital punishment enabled by colonialism, the prisoner’s entire world will collapse. The reader is deeply affected by the idea of the loss of life and is angered by the systems that allow this to happen.

Question 36

Bowels digesting tissues forming

Answer 36

list emphasises the number of ways is in which the prisoner is full of life and that he should not be anywhere near death as the body is working. The many ways in which his body is active again evokes that it is against nature to take the life of a healthy being. The reader is reminded that the man’s body is far from death, but the impact of colonialism has worn down his soul.

Question 37

Unspeakable wrongness

Answer 37

Orwell realises that he is experiencing the same environment as the prisoner, and he is not dying, thus it is unnatural to destroy his life. The metaphor demonstrates that the man is at the peak of his life and the actions of the colonial regime has ripped this from him. The word choice ‘unspeakable wrongness’ highlights that the regime of colonialism and capital punishment is fuelled by repression and silence and allows these barbaric acts to continue.

Question 38

The prisoner stepped slightly aside to avoid a puddle

Answer 38

this symbolises his human survival instinct and makes Orwell understand that it his wrong to take his life as he would do the same. It creates a sense of contrast as his body has taken over to avoid a very minor and short term discomfort despite the fact that he is moments from death.

Question 39

A dreadful thing happened

Answer 39

This shows that the dogs appearance itself is not a dreadful event but the way in which it makes the guards consider their role in the hanging. The short sentence stuns the reader as they anticipate something violent or unexpected to happen. However, the benign nature of the dogs appearance juxtaposes with this to highlight the horror of the situation. This irony makes the reader consider their own views on capital punishment as they wonder how they would react in the scenario and if they would also be corrupted by the morally bankrupt nature of colonial influence. The dogs representation of happiness and innocence makes the reader frustrated by the guards lack of empathy and understanding towards the prisoner

Question 40

The dog then made a dash from for the prisoner and jumping up tried to lick his face’,

Answer 40

symbolises that unlike the rest of the onlookers the dog views the prisoner as any other human, showing that is unnatural and immoral to take his life.

Question 41

Incuriously

Answer 41

implying that the prisoner has been completely removed of any emotion of humanity and doesn’t react to the dog’s representation off joy and peace, due to the way he has been treated.

Question 42

sickly light, like yellow tin foil

Answer 42

This pathetic fallacy makes it clear the jail is a place of ill health and suffering. The yellow light offers connotations of betrayal and cowardice, which makes the reader view fact of confining an indigenous population to these conditions before sentencing them to death as spineless and against nature

Question 43

condemned cells, a row sheds like small animal cages’.

Answer 43

The simile uses the comparison of the prison accommodation to the conditions in which we would expect to house animals. This exposes the inhumanity and unethical nature of colonial power.

Question 44

A puny wisp of a man

Answer 44

This abruptly portrays the man as withered and malnourished as a result of the horrendous conditions he has been kept in. The word choice of ‘wisp’ makes it seem as he is both physically and spiritually little compared to what he once was. This underlines the fact that his personality and humanity has been bleached from him due to the unethical nature of the way colonial power has treated him

Question 45

‘a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water’.

Answer 45

. By again likening the treatment of the prisoner to the treatment of animals, the brutality and barbarity of the colonial regime the prisoners angers the reader. It also highlights that he is still full of life and has been artificially brought close to death by the horrors of the regime.