Fahrenheit 451 Rhetorical Analysis

Orwell very effectively uses characterization to convey his anti capital-punishment feelings which encourages the reader to sympathies with his stance. During the first encounter with the superintendent he is :
"standing apart from the rest of us, moodily prodding the gravel with his stick"
The superintendent 'standing apart' is trying to alienate himself from both the guards and the prisoners. The word choice of 'moodily' suggests that he is unhappy, uncomfortable with the situation but he must proceed which shows that taking a human life can't be done without ill feeling and is morally wrong. He is trapped in a position created by the imperialistic regime to which he belongs, where he knows he must proceed but is extremely uncomfortable doing so. This is also suggested by the fact that he refers the hanging to as a "job" in an attempt to depersonalise his apallign actions which shows that he seems to care more about the regimented routine than about the man whose life is about to end. After the hanging was over the superintendent;
"reached out with his stick and pocked the bare brown body"

The use of verb'poked' gives the deceased prisoner animal like connotations and suggests he is not alive in the eyes of the superintendent.

This shows that the deceased prisoner is nothing more than a corpse and is one more victim of the British Imperial justice system. This portrays the callous, cruel and unsympathetic nature of capital punishment. The superintendent's isolation and his miserable demeanor serve to highlight Orwell's strong beliefs against capital punishment; he believes it is inhumane and detracts from the human spirit. It enslaves society, forces us to oppress our emotions and sacrifice our ability to forgive which makes the reader sympathies with Orwell's

stance.
Through his effective use of characterization Orwell uses Francis to highlight his anti -capital punishment sentiments. From the outset we are made aware of Francis's sycophantic behavior. When the superintendent wants the execution to be over quickly;
"Yes sir, yes sir' he bubbled. All is satisfactorily prepared. The hangman iss waiting"
Francis is a sly and odious character. The repetition of 'yes sir' suggests his eagerness to please the superintendent. Francis is a native of Burma but is willing to demean and betray hi fellow natives to be accepted into the Imperialistic regime. Word choice of 'bubbled' suggests nerves and anticipation, showing that Francis is looking for praise for his actions. The sibilance used throughout the Francis's dialogues suggests he is a snake like a snake, implying the he does not act with the nobles of intentions and is willing to betray. After the hanging was over Francis says;
"Well, sir all hass passed off with the utmost satisfactoriness"
Word choice of 'utmost satisfactoriness' suggests that Francis was happy and fulfilled by the hanging unlike others to whom it was just a 'job' and wanted it to be over as quickly as possible. This shows that Francis enjoys evil and will do anything to 'fit in', to please the superintendent and to be the part of British Imperial Regime. Orwell deliberately portrays Francis as a repulsive character in order to show how much he detests capital punishment- something that allows evil, murderous being such as Francis to thrive and as a result sympathies readers with his anti capital punishment stance.
INtially Orwell's role in the essay is that of a complicit bystander but his changes when he sees the Indian man about to be hanged;
"he stepped slightly aside to avoid a puddle on the path"
This the turning point of the essay where Orwell has an epiphany. This seemingly unimportant human reflex reaction brings Orwell to a powerful realisation. Until this point the man had been described as a 'job' and 'a puny wisp' but now orwell sees him as full of life. Orwell uses a list format to elivate the man from his animal status to that of a human being;
"he was alive, just as we are alive. All the organs of his body were working-bowels
digesting food, skin renewing itself, nails growing, yissues forming- all toiling away
in solemn foolery"
This listing effect of bodily functions demonstarate the complete presence of life in the prisoner. Orwell realises that he is'utterly alive' and because of this Orwell begins to consider the' unspeakable wrongness' of hanging. Until this atge Orwell has been immune to what is happening which is demonstarted in his detached matter of factt style. Yet now we can see the inherent wrongness of the capital punishment. The parenthetical list creates the sense of imeediacy and so draws the reader in to experience, as fully as possible, the barbaric act o fhanging. Through shows the cold and callous reality of capital punishment and therefore persuades the reader to sympathies with his anti capital punishment stance.