"It is only because of this that the starved countries of Asia and Africa are accepted as tourist resorts. No one would think of running cheap trips to the Distressed Areas. But where the human beings have brown skins their poverty is simply not noticed. What does Morocco mean to a Frenchman? An orange-grove or a job in government service. Or to an Englishman? Camels, castles, palm-trees, Foreign Legionnaires, brass trays and bandits. One could probably live here for years without noticing that for nine-tenths of the people the reality of life is an endless, back-breaking struggle to wring a little food out of an eroded soil."

In this excerpt from George Orwell's essay Marrakech, the author uses figurative language as a literary device. In 3-5 sentences, identify and describe one example of figurative language from the text, and explain how Orwell uses this device to support his view of the British Empire. Include evidence from the text to support your answer.