A hanging

• Introduction


  'A Hanging' is a harrowing memoir by British essayist George Orwell which skilfully explores the social issue of capital punishment through the recounting of a "Hindu man" being taken to his death in a British-run prison in Burma. Orwell effectively weaponises the chilling experience as an argument for abolishment campaigning and to convince the reader of the bizarre nature of killing a fellow human while their life is in full swing. The essayist explores the disturbing nature in which the social issue arises through characterisation and symbolism along with the turning point to appeal to the readers sympathetic side and persuade us of his abolitionist views.
• 1)Firstly, Orwell's powerful use of language...


  Describes the condemned man as such a pitiful figure, the reader can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of sympathy for the prisoner. Also, by illustrating him so clearly to the reader Orwell effectively gives us a taste of the discomfort he must've felt bringing him to his death and thus the discomfort he feels with taking anyone to their death convincing us of his anti capital punishment stands.
• Orwell describes the prisoner as having


  "Vague liquid eyes".
• this is extremely upsetting to the reacher as


  it demonstrates the condemned mans vulnerability. His eyes being "vague" let "liquid" begins to develop the idea of the prisoner being too distraught to process his emotions, which ?Orwell continues to weave throughout the essay, as it creates the image of his eyes filling with tears yet being too numb to allow himself to weep. This sparks compassion in the reader and able to relate to Orwell's hopelessness to save him from such a tragic death. Orwell's ability to do this reflects the strength of his abolitionist feelings. These feelings are heightened even further by Orwell's powerful choice to keep the prisoner and his crime nameless. By doing so, Orwell relays that it could be anyone or any crime yet his feelings would not change, instilling his belief that taking any life is wrong, thus forcing the reader to contemplate their own view on the social issue of capital punishment.
• 2)Later in the essay, as the prisoner is being led to his death, Orwell describes a dog "bounding amongst us with a loud volley of barks".


  "bounding amongst us with a loud volley of barks".
• This description of the dog creates a shocking contrast to


  the mood of the scene as it's clear joy emphasises the sombre atmosphere it ran into. The reality of the social issue is fully inculcated when the dog starts to pay a particular affection to the condemned man as it symbolises that the prisoner is still a human being and, therefore, taking his life is wrong.
• The dog cannot see

  Evil or guilt when he runs to the prisoner begging for affection, only a human man with hands to clap him.
• Orwell skilfully includes this to allow the situation to be understood by the reader as it is by him,


  The man sentenced to be killed still being a human with life left in him, shows that to murder him is a sinful task. The innate wrongness of this forces the reader to understand Orwell's view on the social issue effectively.
• 3)Moreover, the turning point is r the essay is found when the Prisoner


  "Steps aside to avoid the puddle".
• Orwell's skill as a writer is made prevalent by his seizing upon this telling detail as the reader cannot help but ask themselves,


  why does he care about getting his feet wet is he is about to die? Orwell, of course, has already embedded his answer throughout the text, highlighted especially well by the dog; because he is hum. That is why he avoided the puddle.
• It is our human nature that tells us to avoid getting our feet wet by sidestepping a puddle,


  which once again reminds the reader that the condemned man is still a human being. This fact that Orwell constantly refers back to, throughout the piece, is used as a desperate attempt to appeal to the readers sympathetic side. Orwell believes we should not be extinguishing lives as that still have things they could do or see or feel, no matter what the circumstance.
• This compassionate, emotional stance that Orwell takes


  Effectively demonstrates the raw truthfulness of his feelings. Clearly, his stance also us an effective one, as it forces the reader to contemplate whether punishment by death us ever fully justifiable.
• In conclusion, "A Hanging" by George Orwell is a

  Powerful essay that forces the reader to explore their own views on the social issue of capital Punishment, along side Orwell. The essayist does not use facts or statistics to divulge his views. Rather, he evokes a strong emotional response in the reader to persuade us it is wrong to take another life, which is arguably more effective.
• Orwell crates the image of a person we cannot help


  But pot and continues to relay that said person is,of course, still a human throughout the text. Orwell uses a range of techniques to explore this, most notably, his powerful symbolism to persuade us of his views on his chosen social issue; Capital Punishment