Oct 12, 2006 08:25
Andreina Olsen
AP English Summer Assignment
“Sainthood”
“Sainthood,” Gandhi says, is a complete lack of bonds with one’s fellow men due to the fact that in doing so, one may easily be dragged down a path of wrong-doings and basically destruction. While George Orwell undoubtedly agrees with this concept, he also understands that human imperfection is what one really should strive for and not the idea of sainthood because one must make mistakes and be able to learn from these events instead of detaching himself from society. Through the usage of tone, one was able to hear the voice of Orwell through the passage and the point was driven in deeper by the literary devices of irony and sarcasm.
Orwell uses a mocking tone when describing Gandhi’s idea of “sainthood” to ridicule the idea, not the man. The persuasive tone convinced the idea that the logic of being a saint is slightly ridiculous. The tone changes to semi-urgent when he introduces his opinion. The change stresses the importance of his idea. Once his position is introduced, Orwell returns to the mocking tone to signify an ending.
The irony of Gandhi, a religious leader, taking holy principles over the fact that consequently it would let his wife and child nearly die just because he didn’t agree with the medication prescribed, “if the decision had been solely his own, he would have forbidden the animal food, whatever the risks might be,” (21-23), is one of the furthest acts from “sainthood.” A saint would see the better good of life in replacement of one sin. It is ironic that he would love humanity as a whole, but not the individual because what is humanity but a series of individual souls
To be willing to disobey a rule, such as eating “animal food” in order to help save a life is an understandable act to Orwell because it is well-intended, even if it may mean committing a sin or two. To be willing to gain bonds of friendship and love with another individual, even at the risk of having one’s heart “defeated and broken up,” is highly encouraged and desired. George Orwell believes in the idea that these dangers are worth the consequences of human imperfection because they make us into better people. They, in essence, make us into saints on a different level.