George Orwell: Essays
A hanging
At the end of this narrative, the magistrates are laughing loudly and drinking whiskey. Why do you think they are behaving so inappropriately?
At the end of this narrative, the magistrates are laughing loudly and drinking whiskey. Why do you think they are behaving so inappropriately?
This is unclear. There is the sense that executing people has become so repetitive that they can laugh about the many victims. There is also a sense of guilt that all the men feel. Making light of the many victims of hanging somehow covers their pain or lessens their sense of vulnerability.