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the importance of his views about the wrongness of capital punishment and the fundamental failure of Imperialism. Immorality of capital punishment What it means to be human The fragility of human life Enslavement of others; enslavement of self ● What's The Point? ● Structure is a technique tension/foreboding • Set the scene - create • The prisoner and others described The journey to the gallows - EPIPHANY The moments before the hanging The hanging itself - ANTI-CLIMAX • The moments after the hanging - CATHARSIS Essays •Setting • Theme/Message/Insight/ • Persuasive/skilful/convincing/suc cessful argument •Techniques/style •Impact/Power Key structure (linear, epiphany); • attention to detail, •word choice, Techniques •tone/stance (mainly objective stance and matter of fact tone) ● The Opening The opening introduces the bleak setting and sets the tone and mood for the essay. Say what the mood is and show how it is created. Weather is 'sickly', 'sodden', 'like yellow tinfoil'. Comment on what these words suggest - gloomy, sombre, morose, oppressive, melancholy, foreboding, something not right Description of the yard very specific – give a couple of examples and comment on effect e.g. 'condemned cells' 'like small animal cages' suggesting basic and inhumane conditions and prisoners treated as animals, subhuman. Depending on the question it might be relevant to say why the prisoners were dehumanised. How tone is set up for rest of essay - opening is very matter of fact which allows us to experience the event for ourselves while also subtly manipulating us into a reaction of revulsion and horror, it is more shocking The Prisoner • The prisoner is described in great detail in order to gain maximum sympathy ● How is the prisoner described? What does the quote suggest? How does it help to create sympathy for the prisoner? E.g. 'puny wisp of a man', 'vague liquid eyes', no mention of any crime, 'unresisting, yielding his arms limply' = feeble, vulnerable, pathetic, defenceless, life force already gone, weak, submissive, surrendered, helpless etc. • Comment on how the warders react: contrast of 1 to 6 and effect; Why is everything so formal? What does they way they hold him 'careful, caressing grip' (oxymoron) suggest about their feelings? Compassion, guilt, fear? • What picture is created of the superintendent: stands apart, complains, keeps his distance from everybody, actions carried out 'moodily prodding the gravel', refers to it as 'this job', 'The man ought to have been dead by this time. How can his words/actions be considered ambiguous? ● ● Journey to the gallows The prisoners journey to the gallows marks the key moment in the essay • Incident with dog interrupts - Effect? - Example of black humour - Why?; antithetical to the event and therefore points up its absurdity - quote and explain; connection with prisoner in description. Why? 'a dreadful thing', 'bounding', 'wagging', 'pranced', 'wild with glee', 'danced and gambolled' Then Orwell has epiphany - mention the reason for his epiphany; simple, instinctive action Now say how effective the turning point is - this paragraph really stands out. Why? What effect does this have? Pick out at least 2 quotes from this paragraph and say how each one persuades you to see and share Orwell's point of view. You could refer to imagery, tense, hyperbole and effects. Remember the change in tone makes it clear that this man is deserving of life. w the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, utting a life short when it is in full tide', use of ent tense to describe body's actions, 'one mind one world less' ● ● ● ● Moments before the hanging The detail in the lead up to the hanging itself sheds light on the effect it has on everybody Orwell reverts to the plain prose style again. Why? Effect 'It was a brick erection like three sides of a shed' 'The hangman, a grey haired convict' The dignity of prisoner is then made clear - how is he described and why? Acceptance of death? Meditation? Preparation? 'not urgent and fearful like a prayer or a cry for help but steady, rhythmical like the tolling of a bell' Responses Reader response to prisoner's actions? - sympathy, respect What is Orwell's opinion of/response to the hanging? Is it clear or ambiguous? 'Everyone had changed colour' 'The Indians had gone grey like bad coffee, and one or two of the bayonets were wavering' 'the same thought was in all our minds: oh kill him quickly, get it over, stop that abominable noise!' The Hanging Ironically the prisoner's death is perhaps the least detailed section • 2 brief sentences - Effect? Quick and anticlimax after all the build up Techniques to present death as clumsy - onomatopoeia - 'clanking', pun - 'dead silence', simile- 'as dead as a stone' • Reader response - Shock? Realisation? We are reminded of the epiphany, how much is going on in his body and how quickly it is gone 'sudden snap' SNAP! ● After the hanging In the description of the moments after the hanging Orwell's matter of fact description gives maximum impact to his purpose The officials actions - comment on effect of poking him with the stick and account for the laughter. Try to give a couple of possible reasons why there is laughter and effect 'One felt an impulse to sing, to break into a run, to snigger. All at once everyone began chattering gaily' 'Several people laughed - at what, nobody seemed certain' 'I found that I was laughing quite loudly. Everyone was laughing.' Closing line: They drink together as 'The dead man was a hundred yards away.' Quote and comment on the different effects created by the powerful conclusion. Choose a Question 1. Choose a non-fiction text in which vivid description is an important feature. Explain in detail how the vivid impression is created and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole. 1. Choose an essay or piece of journalism which successfully presents an argument or a point of view. By close reference to the text, show how the author makes his/her argument convincing to you. 1. Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer's use of structure makes a significant impact. Describe the important structural features of the text and show how these enhance the impact of the writer's message. Choose a piece of journalism in which the writer persuades his or her reader to a point of view by effective use of language. Briefly explain the writer's point of view, and then discuss how the writer's use of language is effective in persuading the reader. 1. Choose a work of non-fiction which seems to you to have literary merit. Say why the style appeals to you, and show what techniques the author used to create this appeal. Underline the keywords and plan out some relevant ideas Essay A hanging Point of view wrongness of cp failure of Imperialism Imperialist's dilemma Burma 1920s Imperialist rule Show how structure word tone detail Now write an introduction using the 3 part formula 'A Hanging' by George Orwell is an essay that successfully presents a point of view. In the essay Orwell reflects on his time as a policeman in Burma in the 1920s to present his views about the wrongs of capital punishment and of ending a human life as well as more generally on the fundamental failure of Imperialism as a system of rule. Orwell makes effective use of a linear structure, word choice, selection of detail and tone to convince us to share his point of view. George Orwell's essay 'A Hanging' is a work of non-fiction in which vivid description is an important feature. Orwell vividly describes his experience helping to oversee the hanging of a Hindu man in Burma under Imperialist rule. He describes not only the prison and prisoner but also the reactions of those in the hanging party including his own IN ORDER TO persuade us to see the importance of his views about the wrongness of capital punishment and the fundamental failure of Imperialism. Orwell creates his vivid impression of the event through.... Critical Essay Preparation Write an introduction using the three-part formula. □ Text, author, word of the question □ Answer to the question - get key themes into your thesis statement □ Outline techniques used by Orwell - structure, detail, word choice and tone Now write or improve a paragraph. Question Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer persuades his or her reader to a point of view by effective use of language. Briefly explain the writer's point of view, and then discuss how the writer's use of language is effective in persuading the reader. Orwell begins to persuade readers to believe his opinion when he opens the essay with a description of the jail yard. He describes the weather as 'sickly', 'sodden' and 'like yellow tinfoil'. These descriptions convey a sombre, melancholy and oppressive atmosphere. Orwell also makes use of pathetic fallacy by using this bleak description of the weather to reflect his own feelings on what he is about to witness, the hanging of a prisoner. Orwell then describes the cells as 'condemned'. His expert use of transferred epithet portrays the great number of prisoners that enter and leave the cells, always condemned to death. In addition, the simile, ‘like animal cages' illustrate the subhuman treatment these prisoners face. Seeing them as animals allows the officials to distance themselves from the humanity of these men, making it easier to execute them. The writer's use of language in the opening convey the bleak and depressing surroundings the prisoners must live with, helping them to see the inhumane treatment they face, which begins to persuade the readers that imperialism and capital punishment are wrong. Evaluative comment Implied link to thesis - immorality of capital punishment Building argument Specific comment linked to theme Orwell begins to persuade readers to his point of view subtly but powerfully from the very opening paragraph in his description of the jail yard. He describes the weather as 'sickly', 'sodden' and the light as 'like yellow tinfoil'. This description creates a sombre and bleak mood. Together these details about the weather give the impression of a desolate place and a feeling of oppression and foreboding, that something is not quite right. The use of the pathetic fallacy not only reflects his own feelings but he is already persuading us to see- the following events in a particular way. Orwell reinforces this mood when he describes the cells as 'condemned'. This transferred epithet suggests the great number of prisoners who enter and leave the cells, condemned to die in this same way. In addition, the simile, 'like animal cages' illustrates the subhuman treatment these prisoners face. Treating them as animals already points towards Orwell's criticism of an Imperialist regime - that in order to carry out such a brutal act of punishment - one must dehumanise one's victims. Orwell's matter of fact and detailed use of language in the opening paragraph creates the perfect atmosphere in which to convince readers that neither Imperialism nor capital punishment are right. Words of the question Extra context Link to question Specific link to second theme- failure of Imperialism Zoom out comment about way he uses language throughout Qn: persuades by effective use of language Orwell persuades us through effective use of language from his opening paragraph. He describes the prison cells as 'sheds' and as being like 'small animal cages' 'sheds' suggests they have been hastily put together and implies a makeshift prison yard where the dignity of the prisoners is of little importance. The simile suggests that the prisoners are treated inhumanely and as no better than animals. This, of course, creates sympathy for the prisoners who have their humanity and dignity stripped from them as part of their punishment. Perhaps they are also dehumanised so that it is easier for those in charge to dispose of them if they do not consider them to be human. Not only does Orwell immediately persuade us that such punishment is inhumane the fact that they are treated as subhuman also points towards Orwell's criticism of an Imperialist regime - that those in control must behave like the barbarians over whom they must rule. The prisoner is next described in great detail in order to gain maximum sympathy from the reader. The prisoner is described as 'a puny wisp of a man' with 'vague liquid eyes'. This gives the impression he is a feeble and vulnerable man. 'puny' suggests he is weak and 'wisp' implies he is not there, as one who has already surrendered his life. This evokes sympathy in the reader for this poor, pathetic man, a reaction which is adeptly reinforced by the omission of any crime, since this would diminish the reader's compassion. Instead the exclusion of any detail about his crime forces us to concentrate on his treatment at the hands of the party of officials. Orwell's tone and word choice is effectively used to persuade us to his point of view. The paragraph containing his epiphany is the only one which has a plethora of emotive language, contrasting the previous plain prose style. When talking about the prisoners avoidance of the puddle "I had never realized what it meant to destroy a healthy, conscious man" The highly emotive language of 'destroy' along with the mention of 'I' for the first time in the text gives the reader a sense of what Orwell is feeling, tugging at their heart strings to turn their view towards Orwell's. His passion for his hatred of this particular topic overflows in this paragraph. However, in keeping with his complacency he doesn't speak out, making a subtle stab at the imperialist system on how it makes the people under its umbrella feel controlled and all one in the same. In the description of the moment after the hanging Orwell's matter of fact description gives maximum impact to his purpose. This is seen when the superintendent pokes at the dead body and comments "He's all right", despite him being dead. The comment on the body displays how in comparison to the hanging corpse, the superintendent is feeling terrible regret to the extent where he feels worse than the prisoner hanging limply. Furthermore, this use of word choice also reinforces the idea that the superintendent is battling with a guilty conscious. Orwell later describes the atmosphere of the party of people in the camp mere moments after the hanging, "One felt an impulse to sing, to break into a run, to snigger." This is a natural coping reaction to deal with the stress and a way to break up the tense situation, a moment of catharsis. These situations are used effectively persuade us by not only showing the horrendous outcome for the prisoners but also for the warders that carry out the action. Improved Orwell's tone and word choice effectively persuades us to his point of view in describing his epiphany, the only paragraph which is emotive, contrasting starkly with the previous plain prose style. When talking about the prisoners avoidance of the puddle he states, "I had never realised what it meant to destroy a healthy, conscious man" The highly emotive word choice of 'destroy' along with the personal 'I' for the first time in the text gives the reader sense of what Orwell is feeling, tugging at their heart strings to turn their view towards Orwell's. His passion for his hatred of this particular topic overflows in this paragraph. However, in keeping with his complacency he doesn't speak out, making a subtle stab at the Imperialist system and how it makes the people under its umbrella feel controlled and all one in the same. Hyperbole is also used to describe the "the unspeakable wrongness" of taking the man's life. This exposes the writer's emotions by stressing how hard it is for him to even begin to think about the act. This again attacks Imperialist rule as well as the wrongs of capital punishment, by showing these men know how cruel and barbaric the action is but cannot make a stand against it. Improved In the description of the moments after the hanging Orwell's matter of fact description gives maximum impact to his purpose. The word choice suggests that the wardens are trying to forget about what they have just done as they are 'laughing' and ‘chattering gaily'. This suggests not only their relief that the punishment is over but their desire to try to forget about what has happened. The final line is perhaps the most powerful description. They all drink whisky together while 'The dead man was a hundred yards away' This powerful detail highlights how inappropriate the jolly mood and the act of drinking sociably together is in such close proximity to the life they have extinguished. But it also implies how fully aware they are of him hanging yards away. This suggests that metaphorically no matter how they attempt to cope or distract themselves, that it is irrelevant how far away the body is, what they have done will never be far from them either that helping to administer an Imperialist regime has brought them to commit barbaric and immoral acts such as this. -