Model Essay (Poverty) Flashcards
Introduction
Written in 1939 by George Orwell, “Marrakech” is a non-fiction piece of travel writing that shines a light on evils of colonialism, and by doing so makes an important point about the intrinsic deception at the heart of European Imperialism. Marrakech is seen to be a cramped, unhygienic city that is blighted by poverty to such an extent that even natives who work for the Colonial Administration are destitute and close to starving. Orwell’s vivid description forces the reader to (think differently about the important social issue of poverty and) reconsider the historical narrative promoted by countries like Britain and France and examine the racist reality that inflicted poverty and suffering millions of people. Through his use of literary techniques, such as imagery and tone, Orwell engages the readers interest by demonstrating that this destitution is the result of colonial exploitation of the land, people and culture of other nations in order to make a profit.
Para 1
In the opening lines of the essay, Orwell demonstrates the unsanitary conditions in Marrakech through his initial impressions of the city. He wrote:
“As the corpse went past the flies left the restaurant table in a cloud but they came back a few minutes later.”
Orwell opens the essay with a strong short paragraph. This effective use of structure instantly captures the readers attention and heightens the dramatic impact. By using impersonal language, for instance ‘corpse’, his powerful use of word choice dehumanises the deceased person, highlighting how worthless the native people are in the eyes of the colonisers. Even Orwell, who sought to expose the injustice caused by colonialism misreads the situation rather than recognising that this is a traditional funeral. Through his vivid use of a metaphor, by depicting the flies as ‘in a cloud’ Orwell emphasises the number of flies. This striking use of imagery illustrates the lack of hygiene in Marrakech and give the impression that the people here are living in squalor. The overall cold and detached tone suggests that this is the norm here, making the reader feel disgusted by conditions. This effect opening paragraph paints the readers first impression of Marrakech as a city where poverty and death are prevalent.
