Colonial Imperialism in Marrakech

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 account 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. False 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