The Hanging was a short story written by George Orwell in 1931. The setting is Burma in 1931, on a soggy morning. The story is told by a narrator who is not active in hangings and has little experience with hangings. Orwell uses dialect to convey the characteristics of the characters in the story. The story revolves around a convict. His name is not revealed, his background is not revealed, and it remains a mystery why he is a prisoner and sent to the gallows. The man ends up being hanged. The narrator shares his worry about killing someone who is in the prime of life and not ready to die, which supports the theme of the story; the death penalty. In George Orwell's short story "A Hanging", there are many uses of rhetorical devices and imagery in order to elicit an emotional response from the readers. These rhetorical devices all contribute to the overall theme of the short story. Orwell begins the story with strong images to describe the dark and inhumane setting of the Burmese prison. Orwell describes the prison yard, in which the prisoners are held, as "a row of sheds lined with double bars, like cages for small animals" to provide the reader with images and a sense of empathy towards the prisoner. These images and the use of the words "like cages for small animals" are likely used to give a slight insight into how prisoners are treated in captivity. The short story describes a Burmese prisoner who is about to be hanged for a crime unknown to the reader. The reason why the reader cannot learn of the crime committed by the prisoner is probably because Orwell wanted readers to sympathize with the prisoner and view him as any other man. Orwell also uses ...... middle of paper ...... mainly on the negative, creating a very depressing mood and creating character profiles modeling certain characters to appear either heartless or innocent. He also uses word choice intended to make the reader feel a certain attitude towards one thing or another. Using narrative writing instead of persuasive writing makes it more difficult for the reader to detect the theme of the story and Orwell's point of view. The use of descriptions and the lack of facts and details in the story leads the reader to think about what Orwell means without Orwell writing his point of view or directly referencing anything. Orwell's lack of facts and his use of description pollutes any real judgment when reading this account. He presents his argument very carefully and formulates it even more carefully. The whole story is very well written and has great influence against capital punishment..