George Orwell's "A Hanging"
In George Orwell's "A Hanging", Orwell tells the story of what it was like to witness a man being hung. In this narrative there is a progression of emotions that can be seen in Orwell. In the beginning, Orwell sees the prisoner as an animal and his killing just a job that must be done. Then, Orwell experiences a realization about life when there is an incidence with a dog. This is the turning point in which Orwell realizes that it is not acceptable to kill a healthy human being. When the "job" is done and the man is dead, Orwell and his colleagues proceed to laugh and drink. At this point, Orwell is psychologically disconnecting himself from the harsh reality of what just happened. In this distance, Orwell finds solace. Orwell creates an effective argument against capital punishment by connecting the reader to the hanging, just as Orwell unintentionally became connected when the dog ran into the scene. The essay starts out by describing the day as being "a sodden morning of the rains," (19). Orwell describes the prison cells "like small animal cages" (19). Orwell continues with gloomy descriptions of the atmosphere. This creates a sa
Orwell's essay goes on to describe the rest of the hanging. This disconnection is the basis of Orwell's argument. After the dog was shooed away by the prison workers, Orwell began to think of the criminal differently; as a healthy human being. The dog was just happy to see people. All the while, Orwell feels a human connection to the man that is dying. " The Mercury Reader, English 7, Joplin. This combination of pathos and ethos makes for an incredibly effective argument that is almost guaranteed to make a persuasive connection with the reader. His entire experience touched him deeply and emotionally. The dog unintentionally yet very effectively created a connection between the prisoner and the prison workers. Orwell's argument has equally strong appeals to both ethos and pathos. With this undeniable appeal to ethos (humanness), Orwell is able to very effectively pass on the strength of the pathos that he felt that day.
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Acceptance Essays
