When the dog appears,"everyone stood aghast" (Orwell 2). What did the dog do that was so shocking? Why do you think the jailers to reached in this way.
First, the dog was able to somehow enter the prison yard. Second, he bounded around happily, greeting those present for the execution. Lastly, he jumped up and licked the prisoner's face.
A dreadful thing had happened — a dog, come goodness knows whence, had appeared in the yard. It came bounding among us with a loud volley of barks, and leapt round us wagging its whole body, wild with glee at finding so many human beings together. It was a large woolly dog, half Airedale, half pariah. For a moment it pranced round us, and then, before anyone could stop it, it had made a dash for the prisoner, and jumping up tried to lick his face. Everyone stood aghast, too taken aback even to grab at the dog.
A Hanging
