Colonial Imperialism in Marrakech Essay Example
Colonial Imperialism in Marrakech Essay Example

Colonial Imperialism in Marrakech Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (913 words)
  • Published: January 27, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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George Orwells essay “Marrakech” if full of stylistic tonality that fully describes the scenes trying to be portrayed. Though there are many conclusions by readers and critics alike as to what Orwell was trying to convey, this essay was a direct reference to colonial imperialism. One can have there own opinion as to what Marrakech is truly about. But the reasons as to why we as readers can pick up such hints are no mystery. Orwell uses many literary elements to be as descriptive as possible. In turn, one is able to vividly picture and comprehend the scene at hand.

The voice behind this essay is one of false hope, careless remorse, general pity and in some cases materialistic snobbery. “Marrakech” starts as a third person accoun

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t describing a scene in which a corpse is being carried to a burial site in a cloud of flies. The scene continues with detailed descriptions of why the flies are in fact so attracted to the corpse and the dryness of the earth that will soon cover the body in a nameless oblong site. The third person account describes the scene, but when Orwell proceeds to write in the first, the reader gets a better since of what the character is thinking as a human. This furthers my opinion on a voice of pity, false hope and careless remorse. It is as if these people burring each other have nothing else to do but just that.

The tone is completely similar to the voice in this particular essay. Tone is classified as the mood, or attitude of the persona towards the subject matter. Fals

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hope in the way that Marrakech is doomed with poverty and racial inequality, careless remorse in relation to being a witness to all of the poverty and backwardness of the land, with no intent of trying to fix it. As well as materialistic snobbery in the way that these people of Marrakech will never have what the storyteller had: cigarettes, enough bread to spare for a gazelle, and a small handful of change given to an elderly woman.

Something that needs to be touched upon is the use of sensory information, which gives authority and simulates imagination. Touching upon the opening sentence once again, “As the corpse went past the flies left the restaurant table and rushed after it, but they came back a few minutes later” (180.) This puts disgust not only in the mind of the reader but also The ones carrying the corpse should truly be disgusted with the fact that they are indeed carrying a fly infested corpse, but it is us the reader that visualizes this scene and correlates it with disgust. It Is in western culture that a death along with the burial process is correlated with mourning and certain guidelines to burial. Who is anyone to judge or put down for burial processes in another culture?

“I was just passing the coppersmiths’ booths when somebody noticed that I was lighting a cigarette. Instantly, from the dark…there was a frenzied rush of Jews, many of them old grandfathers with flowing grey beards” (183.) Alone this is striking. Visualizing a large number of deprived individuals coming from every dark surrounding alcove and corner feinding for a cigarette. “Even

a blind man somewhere at the back of one of the booths heard a rumor of cigarettes and came crawling out, groping the air with his hand” (183.) Something about a blind man so desperate for a cigarette evokes a strong emotion. This image is created with such length of detail that it is hard for one to imagine what they would do it they were exposed to that very same situation. The character then proceeds to offer the entire pack of cigarettes to the group of Jews as if it was an impossible luxury to them.

Going back to the original theme of colonial imperialism, it is as if the inhabitants of Marrakech are nothing more than brown-faced peasants. Orwell describes them as, “All people who work with there hands are partly invisible, and the more important the work they do. The less visible they are” (184.) common imperialist thought is that you stand over the ones bellow you, you are wired this way. As an imperialist, you are provided with wealth by them, the natives, the ones you stand over and they gain nothing from the fact. They seem to be nothing more than just an overworked mule that after a dozen or so years, just suddenly dies and can easily enough be pushed into a ditch and left for the village dogs.

An ultimate impact of this essay is one that evokes remorse, general pity and false hope. It can take several times over to truly understand and develop your own theory as to what Marrakech represents. Everything stated above can be translated many different ways. you can accept that

the main persona in this essay is that of feels pity or even remorse for these underprivileged oppressed people or you may not. It is only plausible to think that this persona in Marrakech felt something for these people. After all, they were considered invisible to many. An overloaded donkey strikes more infuriated emotion than does an elderly woman carrying firewood on her back. None the less, this essay is full of valuable elements that ties together the work as a whole. Visuals striking enough to convey emotion for or even against the peoples being oppressed in this society.

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