0 оценок0% нашли этот документ полезным (0 голосов)
258 просмотров4 страницы
In the short story "A Hanging" by George Orwell, the narrator witnesses the execution of a Hindu man in Burma. Through the use of mood, characterization, symbolism, and literary devices, Orwell explores the theme of human immorality. The condemned man remains calm as he walks to the gallows, while the jailor is anxious and wants the execution over quickly. A dog tries to comfort the prisoner, representing the narrator's view that execution goes against human morality. The superintendent treats the prisoner's death casually, showing his lack of regard for human life. Descriptions of the prisoners' cells and treatment liken them to animals, highlighting the inhumane nature of capital punishment.
In the short story "A Hanging" by George Orwell, the narrator witnesses the execution of a Hindu man in Burma. Through the use of mood, characterization, symbolism, and literary devices, Orwell explores the theme of human immorality. The condemned man remains calm as he walks to the gallows, while the jailor is anxious and wants the execution over quickly. A dog tries to comfort the prisoner, representing the narrator's view that execution goes against human morality. The superintendent treats the prisoner's death casually, showing his lack of regard for human life. Descriptions of the prisoners' cells and treatment liken them to animals, highlighting the inhumane nature of capital punishment.
In the short story "A Hanging" by George Orwell, the narrator witnesses the execution of a Hindu man in Burma. Through the use of mood, characterization, symbolism, and literary devices, Orwell explores the theme of human immorality. The condemned man remains calm as he walks to the gallows, while the jailor is anxious and wants the execution over quickly. A dog tries to comfort the prisoner, representing the narrator's view that execution goes against human morality. The superintendent treats the prisoner's death casually, showing his lack of regard for human life. Descriptions of the prisoners' cells and treatment liken them to animals, highlighting the inhumane nature of capital punishment.
The short story A Hanging by George Orwell is a wake-up call to show the inhumane and racist treatment prisoners sometimes undergo. It was initially published in 1931. This story took place in Burma and it describes the situation in which Orwell had a chance to witness an execution of the prisoner. He mainly focuses on one Hindu man and his journey walking from his cells to the gallows. However, the narrator does not reveal the mans crime to the reader. The reader does not know what did the man do wrong? Does he have family or child that are waiting for him to be back? The reason is because he wants to convince the reader that execution is the crime against nature, and it is not on the humans morality to do that even the mans punishment fits his crime. In this short story, Orwell explores morality through the use of mood, characterization, symbolism, and literary devices. Orwell depicts irony mood about the condemned mans emotion and the jailors emotion toward the execution. The difference between the jailors idea and the condemned mans idea about capital punishment are directly shown toward the story. The condemned man who is about to be hung acts very normal and calm as the narrator states that When I saw the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle, I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide. (p. 1). The condemned man still has a capability of avoiding a puddle which shows that he does not feel panic or anxious about his upcoming death. Even he has guards surrounded him, he can step a side the puddle otherwise he will get wet. Additionally, he still has an instinct to avoid the puddle and does not think like life is ended. On the contrary, the jailor who witnesses the execution says oh, kill him quickly, get it over, stop that abominable noise! (p. 2). This shows the jailors feeling that he is fear and anxious about the death of the condemned man. Orwell shows the opposite that instead of the condemned man should be afraid of death but the jailor is afraid
Napat Parapat (NAM) 5761059
about it instead. On the other hand, the condemned man is calm and gradually die. Lastly, the use of irony is effective in the way to show the jailors feeling and the Hindu mans feeling about death are totally different. The man is calm even though he is going to die while the jailor is nervous about the execution. Published a lot of good short stories, Orwell refers to the immoral characterization of superintendent to emphasize his action toward the prisoner. The narrator presents the character of superintendent that The superintendent of the jail, who was standing apart from the rest of us, moodily prodding the gravel with his stick, raised his head at the sound (p. 1). His action can be interpreted that he is a leader and he has power in this jail. He also has his own ego by not assembling with other jailors. He is just standing and prodding the gravel with his stick, this seems that he is bored on his life and works on this is just for the job. After the prison is hung, the superintendent said Eight minutes past eight. Well, thats all for this morning, thank God. (p. 2); it indicates how the superintendent feels toward his work and he just wants to complete as quick as possible and move to other responsibilities. He never cares about the prisoners life and treats him badly. In the last paragraph, the superintendent invites the narrator to have a drink together, both of them walk to the car and laugh as the narrator states that At that moment Franciss anecdote seemed extraordinarily funny, we all had a drink together, native and European alike, quite amicably. The dead man was a hundred yards away (p. 3). The superintendents mind can be analyzed as an animal mind because he does not recognize the value of human life. He can be happy and party while the dead man was a hundred yards away. Finally, characterization is used by the author in order to emphasize the superintendent that his feeling toward the condemned man is not only inhumane but also against the human morality. As the story continues, the appearance of a dog is the meaningful scene which presents the narrators point of view. In this story, it can be implied that the dog represents the
Napat Parapat (NAM) 5761059
narrators conscience. At the beginning of the story, when the condemned man was taken out from jail and was walking to the gallows, the dog runs up to him and tries to lick his face as the narrator describes: it had made a dash for the prisoner, and jumping up tried to lick his face (p. 1). This action of acceptance shows how the dog does not know the mans crime that he is sentenced to death penalty. The dogs acceptance mirrors the narrators thought toward the condemned man that he is his friend as a human in the world, and it is not right to take away other peoples life before time. Moreover, when the condemned man is being executed, the narrator states The prisoner had vanished and the rope was twisting on itself. I let go of the dog (p. 2). As he lets go off the dog, it does not mean that he lets the real dog goes, but it can be interpreted that the narrator lets his conscience goes after witnessed the execution. Another scene which the dog can represent narrators conscience is after the death of Hindu man, the dog is running to the dead man and when it got there it stopped short, barked, and then retreated into a corner of the yard (p. 2). The dogs behavior was shock and fear which also expresses the narrators feeling that even he is fear but he cannot help the man to avoid the execution. However, dog as a symbol used by the Orwell can give a deep meaning to the story which acts as a bridge to connect the theme and the story. Equally important, the story would not be completed if Orwell did not describe about rhetorical technique of similes to compare the prisoner with an animal. In the beginning of the story, he narrates the environment where the prisoners live. The cells that prisoners live like small animal cages (p. 1) which is one of the example to show that all the prisoners who are waiting for death will live here in this small animal cages. All the prisoners are treated inhumanely as the narrator notes on page1 passed a chain through his handcuffs and fixed it to their belts, and lashed his arms tight to his sides (p. 1), the jailors handcuff the prisoners comparing them with animals which will be lost in the field if they do not pay attention on them. In addition, the inhumanity toward the prisoner is shown in the way the
Napat Parapat (NAM) 5761059
prisoners are compared as a fish. On page 1, It was like men handling a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water., the narrator mirrors the action of fish after they are caught out from the water with prisoners. This literary device is a contrast to show the nature of prisoners. Orwells description shows that the jailors seem not worthy to care for the man and compare all the prisoners as an animal. All the ideas in A Hanging by Orwell relates to the theme of morality which understandable mood, significant characterization, relevant symbolism, and meaningful similes are some techniques that the narrator uses to enhance the theme of morality. First, the irony mood describes the opposite feeling of the superintendent and the Hindu man. Second, characterization of the superintendent expresses in the inhumane way. Third, dog as a symbol is interpreted as the narrators conscience toward the execution. Last, simile is used to show the comparison between the prisoner and animal. However, in the human world, it is not right to take away other people or treat human like an animal. Finally, good becomes bad, peace turns into violence and capital punishment makes the end of many lives.