Contempt for all ethical expectations of humanity can be the result of the pressure to do one's job regardless of the consequences for those nearby. This was often the case in Europe in the 1900s, when the death sentence was still a frequent form of punishment, this decay of moral judgment and desensitization to the killing of other human beings is summarized in George Orwell's essay, “A Hanging” , which revolves around his time enforcing the laws. Capital punishment in Burma under British rule Orwell argues that the implementation of capital punishment causes those who work for the justice system to turn away from humanity and moral values. dehumanizing fellow citizens. Because of his personal experience with this issue, Orwell expresses his opinion on these deleterious effects of capital punishment through his effective use of contrast, irony, and symbolism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Orwell illustrates how capital punishment can cause them. perform it to deviate from ethical and moral behavior through the use of contrast; especially between the physical appearance and standard of living of the prisoners and guards. First, Orwell's comparison of prisoner cells to “cages for small animals,” which contained nothing more than “a bedboard and a pot of drinking water,” illustrates the dehumanization of prisoners and deplorable living conditions they endured. Furthermore, the “little man” who was to be killed juxtaposed with the “fat Dravidian in a white suit” exemplifies the superiority of the guards over the prisoners and the drastic disparity in living conditions. The obvious differences between the imperious guards and the docile prisoners are ironic since some guards are of the same ethnicity as those they are executing. Furthermore, the contrast between Orwell's belief in the “mistake of shortening a life” and the desire to “kill him quickly [and] be done with it,” conveys how the guards' occupation required them to suppress their moral values. Furthermore, the solemn atmosphere and guilty tone before the prisoner's death, when the guards had "turned gray like bad coffee", contrasted with the breakfast, where "everyone [chatted] cheerfully", clearly describes how the execution of capital punishment desensitizes those who work under the government to the killing of fellow citizens. Orwell's extensive use of contrast presents his critique of capital punishment and the deleterious effects it has on those who work for it. Additionally, the use of irony throughout the essay allows Orwell to demonstrate how those who work for capital punishment suppress their moral values ​​and sense of compassion. . First, the irony of the prisoner stepping aside “to avoid a puddle,” even though he was nearing death, reminds the narrator that he was “alive, just as [everyone else was] alive.” Orwell's incorporation of this action is vital as it triggered the narrator's compassionate and moral side, which before this moment was inconspicuous. Later, it is shown how the guards were usually completely unaware of what they were doing because it had turned into an insipid routine. Furthermore, after the execution, the superintendent struck the body and declared it "all right" despite the fact that he was dead and therefore the opposite of all right. This ironic statement demonstrates how prisoners' lives have become obsolete for those who apply capital punishment, because their work has desensitized them to the killing of other human beings..