Critical essay (A Hanging) Flashcards
Quote that gives the impression on unhygienic living conditions for the prisoners
“Sickly…Like yellow tinfoil”
What quote creates an unhealthy and ominous mood
The morning as “Sodden” and the light as “Sickly… like yellow tinfoil” thus the living conditions seem miserable, unsanitary and depressing.
Why is it so important of the terrible conditions for these prisoners?
Because as orwell describes it this is where they are due to spend their last days
How are the cells described (Quote)
“Like small animal cages” implies they are treated like vermin, they are also described as “bare” with only “a plank bed” showing they are allowed no comfort, amenities or basic human rights
How are the prisoners themselves described as?
“Silent” this creates an eerie uneasy atmosphere, their silence could be a result of them knowing the futility of speaking or their oppression
Whats the really cheesy thing to say at the end of paragraph no.1/no.2 including intro
Despite Orwell’s factual tone this fantastic and immediately engaging use of descriptive language already hints that Orwell is sympathetic to the condemned and therefore against the unnaturalisic nature of capital punishment
Order of the critical essay
- Introduction (short and sweet)
- In the first paragraph how does Orwell create sympathy for the prisoners
- Contrast with the guards
- Symbolism of the dog
- Symbolism of puddle
- Climax (the hanging itself)
- Irony and misplaced humour for the aftermath of the hanging
- Conclusion
What is the main theme of paragraph number 3
Contrast (Especially between prisoners and guards)
On the theme of contrast firstly how is the prisoner described and secondly how is the head jailer described
- “Puny wisp of a man”
2.”Fat… in a white drill suit and gold spectacles” suggesting he is well fed and looked after.
What does the jailer have that the prisoner doesn’t?
A name, suggesting that the jailer is worthy of one and the prisoner isn’t this dehumanises the prisoner and his identity is stricken
what does the jailer refer the hanging to/ compare it to?
a “job” to add he wants it to be over quickly so the other prisoners can get their breakfast
How are the guards that escort the prisoner to the gallows described?
“Six tall indian warders” (remember these men are escorting the “puny wisp of a man”)
What over the top thing is used to keep the prisoner contained?
Heavy chains are strapped to the prisoner showing the over the top and unnecessary oppression and assertion of dominance over the prisoner and the locals
When they crowd around the prisoner what’s the quote used to describe how they treat him?
They are described as holding him in a “Careful, caressing grip” this image makes the reader feel sorry for him and uncomfortable because “Caressing” reminds us of unwanted touching or molestation.
Another word for contrast which describes the difference between the guards and the prisoner?
The unfair DICHOTOMY between foreign guards and weak native prisoners
What does the narrator use the dog to symbolise/
the merging of cultures and how its successful for the dog and unsuccessful for humans despite our so called superiority
How is everyone treated as different/how are they described?
“Black, brown, ect”
what has the dog done a better job of than us as humans?
colonialism
what does the dog do to the human that the guards don’t?
treat him as equal
the reaction of the prison guard officials to the appearance of the dog demostraits their underlying discomfort of having to take a life what’s a quote that shows this?
“everyone stood aghast…” the fact that a primal and inferior animal treats the prisoner better than the guards treat him shows the poor and harsh conditions the prisoner undergoes
What is your conclusion?
In conclusion, through creating sympathy, interesting word choice, imagery, contrast, symbolism and using factual tone Orwell explores (Link back to the question, if memorable event or shows his opinion on issue, etc) through the prisoners sympathy and his contrast against the guards Orwell factual describes this (Link to question) if memorable event talk about hanging taking place and if issue (capital punishment)
Introduction
‘A hanging’ a short essay written by George Orwell, isa 1931 short essay about the execution of a prisoner. Orwell served as a member of the british imperial police forece in the 20s’ and it is assumed he is the narrator this likely true event. Through the use of setting, contrast, symbolism, irony and factual tone. Orwell successfully…(Insert question here)
What quotes are in paragraph number 1?
r”Like yellow tinfoil” - unhygienic conditions
“Sodden” - Describing the morning as
“Sickly… like yellow tinfoil” - how he describes the light thus the conditions seem miserable, unsanitary, unhealthy and deppressing. This comes from the colour yellow
“Like small animal cages” - treated like vermin
“bare” - cells with only a “plank bed” - showing they are allowed no amenities/human rights
prisoners described as “silent” - eerie atmosphere (result of futility or their oppression)
What quotes are in paragraph 3?
“wisp” of a prisoner contrasted with “Fat… in a white drill suit and golden spectacles”
“job” - what the jailer refers the hanging to
“six tall indian warders” guarding the “puny wisp of a man” with heavy chains
“Careful corresing grip” uncomfortable image
What quotes are in paragraph 4?
People described as “Brown, Black<”
“Everyone stood aghast…”
Whats the theme of paragraph 5?
The symbolism of a puddle and how it causes the narrators sudden epiphany of the wrongdoing
Quotes for paragraph 5?
Stepping “Slightly aside to avoid a puddle on the path” - This very simple automatic reaction sparks in the narrator a complete change in tone and view of the nature of capital punishment, for the first time the narrators neutral tone disappears as he then describes the hanging as a …
…“Unspeakable wrongness” - as an act of destruction. The puddle symbolises the prisoners humanity, his identical existence to the narrator and the guards, but it is the irony of a simple avoidance of getting wet, just before he’s due to be murdered that allows the narrator to finally see this. This realisation of the “unspeakable wrongness” and how we see the prisoner is human creates sympathy for him as we see they are not just a prisoner but a human being.
What happens in paragraph 6?
The prisoner is hanged and we learn more about the wrongdoing and underlying discomfort of everyone
Quotes in paragraph 6?
“Ram! Ram! Ram! never faltering” this shows the prisoner is speaking in a steady robotic tone which is nerving for the reader as its sounding unnatural.
in addition “The Indians had gone grey like bad coffee”. This implies that the Indian guards feel sick and maybe fear gods judgement, they are controlling lifee and death something only a god should do, this makes them reflect and question also the guards believe in the same god this humanise the prisoner.
through this careful word choice, it shows just how wrong capital punishment is and that the system makes us all monsters and murderers. (we are no different to the criminals we hang)
Something to note in paragraph 6 that shows the unjust system
The hangman is also one of the prisoners, this is ironic and it shows the hypocrisy of the system and how the system makes everyone a murderer. The only thing that shows sympathy for these prisoners is a dog who whines at him.
Theme of the final paragraph?
The aftermath of the hanging and how characters misplaced humour and irony is used to leave the reader feeling sickened and ashamed of the atrocity.
