A Hanging Flashcards
Section 1 (lead up to the event)
-“It was in Burma, a sodden morning of the rains. A sickly light, like yellow tinfoil, was slanting over the high walls into the jail yard.”
“Burma” suggests a real life place(reminds the reader that the piece is non-fiction”
setting is clearly shown- dark/death like place- high walls make it impossible to escape.
Pathetic fallacy-symbolises new beginnings(opposite)- sets a very dull atmosphere
-“a puny wisp of a man, with a shaven head and vague liquid eyes”
This man in non-threatening and has possibly been ill-treated and starved during his incarceration.
-“(the guards) gripping him by an arm and shoulder, as though at once using and supporting him.”
The guards are ensuring he does not escape, while at the same show this is unnecessary as he is weak and non-threatening.
-“a row of sheds fronted with double bars , like small animal cages”
suggests the prisons are being treated inhumanely and emphasises they are trapped and there is no way of escaping
Section 2 (epiphany)
-“I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide”
first person narrative emphasises the reality of the situation, as Orwell is sharing his genuine thoughts and emotions. He cannot emphasise enough how appealed he is at the imminent death of a living person
-“all the organs of his body were working… all toiling away in solemn foolery”
suggests the organs didn’t know they were about to die.
organs were still in good working order. imposes a interesting and powerful image of the living body.
-“one mind less, one world less”
Repetition emphasises the waste of life in a concise and emphatic way.
Section 3 ( the main event )
-“(the gallows) overgrown with tall prickly weeds. It was like a brick erection like three sides of a shed, with planking on top, and above that two beams and a crossbar with rope dangling.”
Vivid description moves the reader onto the the next part of the story.
Description suggests the gallows is unkept, and reflect the lack of care of prisoners.
-“reiterated cry of “Ram! Ram! Ram!”, not urgent and fearful like a prayer or a cry for help, but steady and rhythmical, almost like the tolling of a bell.”
the effective simile of the tolling bell reminds the reader of death as this is what happens when people die. It creates a vice depiction of the scene by creating sound.
-“very slowly revolving, as dead as stone.”
this stresses that he is dead by using a simile of a lifeless object to compare to the corpse.
section 4 (the aftermath)
-“(the superintendent) blew out a deep breath. The moody look had gone out of his face quite suddenly.”
It is like the superintendent has been freed, although it was not his like that was taken. it is a relief to him that the man is dead.
-“he pissed on the floor of his cell.”
this suggests how scared he was when he was told he was going to be put to death. it was a poor attempt to humour to lighten the atmosphere after the hanging
-“The dead man was a hundred yards away.”
This contrasts to the happy scene, suggesting the inhumanity of filling the man, and emphasises how different the scenes are. the close proximity of the body of the body heightens the contrast effectively.
A Hanging
INTRO
George orwells thought provoking essay “A Hanging” successfully explored the theme of capital punishment, and clearly conveys orwells disgust concerning this unethical issue. Through the use of a variety of techniques such as word choice, repetition and imagery, Orwell vividly describes a horrifying incident he witnessed while working in Burma.
“Sodden morning of the rains”
-pathetic fallacy
“Morning”
-supposed to symbolise new beginnings but it is the opposite as the man will be soon taken to his death
=creates a v dull atmosphere
“A row of sheds fronted with double bars like small animal cages”
Simile
-makes the prisoners seem SUBHUMAN and TRAPPED within the cages, just like the animals would be
“Puny wisp of a man”
Word choice
Makes him Seem weak/fragile, and that he might just waste away/ disappear
May be a result of the lack of care he receives
makes is feel SYMPATHY for him
Allows Orwell to force his views on us
“A dreadful thing had happened- a dog comes goodness knows whence”
Cynical
The hanging of the man should be the dreadful thing, not the surprise appearance of a dog
Dog runs up to the men(excited)
=doesn’t differentiate between the prisoner and the army of guards surrounding him
“Jumping up tried to lick his face”
Symbolism
-The dog doesn’t see him as any different and treats all men equally
Orwell uses this to portray his disgust at what is about to happen, and shows us that he thinks the men should be more like the dog and not discriminate against the prisoner who is in reality just like them
“He stepped slightly aside to avoid a puddle”
TURNING POINT
Orwell finally sees how morally wrong what they are about to do really is
“The unspeakable wrongness of cutting a life short when it is in full tide”
Imagery
-just as the water is at its highest point, so is the mans life, yet they are putting an end to it
WORD CHOICE
-highlights his disgust/ outrage and his very clear opinion on capital punishment
This suggests that he sees it as being awful and that it is wrong in any circumstance, as no human has the right to take another’s life
Highlights the strength of his argument and therefore makes us agree with him
“As dead as stone”
Cliché
He doesn’t know how to react in this situation (uncomfortable)
Also highlights the lack of individuality and respect for the prisoner as he is being compared to the previous prisoners that have been hanged and the prisoners still waiting to be hanged in their “condemned cells”
Suggests that it is just like any other day( hangings are a regular occurrence)
“I’ve got a bottle of whiskey in the car. We could do with it”
Irony
Suggest that the warders/ superintendent have been the real victims here as they all feel relieved it is over, but in reality, they are just being selfish as a man has just lost his life at the hands of them.
They therefore feel the need to indulge in alcohols and cigarettes to settle their nerves.
Their selfish act shocks the reader and ultimately makes us agree with his view
A Hanging
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, Orwell successfully makes his views on capital punishment clear to us by effectively portraying the inequalities that these men are facing through the use of descriptive techniques. This highlights his disgust at the brutality that surrounds the issues of capital punishment, and he therefore ensures that we share his outrage on the topic.
