THE SPIKE by GEORGE ORWELL - HANDOUT

THE SPIKE by GEORGE ORWELL - HANDOUT

presentation by Cal Janik Jones, Alex Kozak, Kevin Shin, Peter Spenler, Arnold Xaykongsa Tone

Tone Within the Spike - the tone is gloomy and depressive "It was a gloomy, chilly, limewashed place, consisting only of a bathroom and dining-room and about a hundred narrow stone cells."

Tone Outside of the Spike - the tone is surprisingly positive. Thereby, Orwell expresses his disdain for institution "It was a quiet road, there were no cars passing, the blossom covered the chestnut trees like great wax candles. Everything was so quiet and smelt so clean."

Tone Towards the Tramps - Orwell denies that he tries to place himself above the tramps "I produced arguments to prove him wrong, but he would not listen"

Yet, the very last line of the essay pities the tramps, and indicates that Orwell is almost spiteful towards them "And he put four sodden, debauched, loathly cigarette ends into my hand."

Target Audience Historical Background UK was still recovering from World War I The Great Depression (The Great Slump) in the UK 1929-1932. By the end of 1930, unemployment had more than doubled from 1 million to 2.5 million (20% of the insured workforce) The essay speaks to those with disdain of the government - mainly towards the middle class, slightly towards the lower class Orwell puts the spike, the "institutional" creation, in a negative light Orwell's tone towards the tramps is such that the middle/upper class person could read it from Orwell's perspective Orwell appeals to the lower class as well by writing about their struggles Ending on a positive note, this audience can take a feeling of hope from the essay, that despite the horrid spike life, there will be freedom in the end

Structure Orwell uses paragraphs to change scenery, each paragraph a short story about a different aspect of living in the spike Transitional phrases or words are almost never used The only sorts of transitional phrases used are those which show the chronological relation of one paragraph to the next before the new paragraph takes off in a different direction The essay is written like a bunch of anecdotes that are woven together to give a narrative of life in the spike Clearly splits off dialogue from his monologue even when it is directly related Doesn't just perform line breaks for each line of dialogue as is often done but instead embeds the dialogue within a separate paragraph. This is in stark contrast to how he usually uses paragraphs as complete scene changes

Thesis Orwell seeks to disassociate himself from class status entirely, acting as a passive observer (less thesis, moreso purpose) Orwell writes with the dual purpose of condemning institution, as well as pitying the tramps. He takes no sides, and seeks to demonstrate his freedom from either label Freedom Outside of The Spike See quote above, in "Tone" Orwell feels as if he has escaped the label of tramphood, merely by being outside of the spike Tramps in Denial - Orwell does not seem to regard himself as tramp. He calls himself one, but fails to fully fit the label. Orwell describes his encounter with a fellow tramp who fails to accept the reality of his life Orwell does argue against him, demonstrating how he acknowledges his tramp-hood Yet, Orwell still places himself above tramp-hood, in various ways Ultimately, Orwell merely seeks to take no sides and present a truthful view of class relations

Diction Positive diction is used to contrast the writing styles and to provide a mood for the moment in time, for the purpose of conveying Orwell's opinion "The blossom covered the chestnut trees like great wax candles. Everything was so quiet and smelt so clean" "How bright everything looked, and how sweet the winds did blow, after the gloomy, reeking spike!" Negative diction makes up the vast majority of the tone and the over-arching theme of the essay "The, boredom in that crowded, comfortless room was now unbearable" "It was a disgusting sight" Generally uses words that are belittling and/or generally disappointed with the situation.

Literary / Rhetorical Devices Metaphor/Simile - Describes the tramps as animalistic and paints an expressive picture of their suffering "The yawning tramps brisked up like lions at feeding-time." (Para 28) ...like a browsing beast, he starves if he is long away from the pavement-pasture." (Para 20) "to confine an ignorant man all day with nothing to do; it is like chaining a dog in a barrel." (Para 17) Religious Allusion - Allows Orwell to make associations and implications, via a well known source (Bible and Greek mythology) "sparse beard and sunken cheeks, looking like the copse of Lazarus in some primitive picture." (Para 14) Bill the moocher, the best built man of us all, a Herculean study beggar..." (Para 16) Catharsis - Orwell captivates us in a pitiful image, drawing us into this sub-human conditions. Also appeals to pathos, thereby reinforcing Orwell's tone and purpose. "At last it was time to go, and we were let out into the yard. How bright everything looked, and how sweet the winds did blow, after the gloomy, reeking spike!"

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