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Analysis of the shooting an elephant
George Orwell on imperialism
Analysis of the shooting an elephant
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Recommended: Analysis of the shooting an elephant
Many authors convey a message that the reader usually has to find out on their own by reading behind the lines and thinking of the bigger picture. The story Shooting an Elephant, written by George Orwell tells the story of a moment in the author’s life when he witnessed injustice, due to the imperial corruption of his country. People who are from third world countries would be able to relate to the point Orwell is trying to get across, because they too have also experienced the hatred from their own townspeople. Orwell displays his true feelings about shooting the elephant by using strong diction and imagery. These rhetorical devices unfold the author’s true feelings on killing the animal. In paragraph 12, Orwell displays part of the effect
Every day, each individual will look back on decisions he or she have made and mature from those experiences. Though it takes time to realize these choices, the morals and knowledge obtained from them are priceless. In George Orwell’s nonfictional essay, “Shooting an Elephant”, a young Orwell was stationed in Burma for the British imperial forces, tasked to deal with an elephant who destroyed various parts of the village Moulmein while its owner was away. Backed by second thoughts and a crowd of thousands, he finds himself shooting the elephant and reflecting that it was not justified; however, it was a choice pushed by his duty and the people. Written with a fusion of his young and old self’s outlook on shooting the elephant, Orwell’s essay is a sensational read that captivates his audience and leaves them questioning his decision.
The essay “Stranger in the village” by James Baldwin, and “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, share a similarity in their experience in a new environments. Orwell a British officer he was not warmly welcome, the Burmese people hated. As for Baldwin it is more of racism than hated. Both essays happen in unfamiliar places where there were racism and discrimination. They do not fit in with the natives and is judged because of their nationalities. However, the themes of these writing differ.
In this story ,Orwell is taking part in imperialism by proving his power and dignity to the natives presenting imperialism metaphorically through the use of animals. He is using the elephant as a symbol of imperialism representing power as an untamed animal that has control over the village. He uses a large and very powerful animal to represent a significant metaphor for imperialism.. In doing so he leads to the understanding that the power behind imperialism is only as strong as its dominant rulers. Orwell?s moral values are challenged in many different ways, ironically enough while he too was the oppressor. He is faced with a very important decision of whether or not he should shoot the elephant. If he does so, he will be a hero to his people. In turn, he would be giving in to the imperial force behind the elephant that he finds so unjust and evil. If he lets the elephant go free and unharmed the natives will laugh at him and make him feel inferior for not being able to protect the...
Throughout "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell, he addresses his internal battle with the issues of morality and immorality. He writes of several situations that show his immoral doings. When George Orwell signed up for a five-year position as a British officer in Burma he was unaware of the moral struggle that he was going to face. Likewise, he has an internal clash between his moral conscious and his immoral actions. Therefore, Orwell becomes a puppet to the will of the Burmese by abandoning his thoughts of moral righteousness. This conflicts with the moral issue of relying upon other's morals, rather than one's own conscience.
The symbolic story in the Shooting an Elephant is an attack towards imperialism. Orwell presents the ironic truth that imperialism benefits neither the imperialist nor the countries they colonize. It is perhaps sad to see that men were once willing to buy in to the fraudulent and ephemeral glory that imperialism have offered. Hopefully, men have learned their lessons and no other animal will be sacrificed for men's greed.
This persuasive tool is an influential method used to gain a stronger control over the reader’s response. Readers respond to intriguing situations or words that stick out to them. The description “But even then I was not thinking particularly of my own skin, only of the watchful yellow faces behind” causes the reader to feel sympathy for the sub-divisional police officer (Orwell 624). It is important to gain the audience’s attention and emotions. Therefore, the readers self-consciously judge the Burmese people and become influenced through persuasion. It is clear, the narrator has more respect for the elephant because he focuses more detail into its description. However, the reader only sees the narrator’s point of view which makes it difficult to relate with the Burmese citizens. The narrator does this on purpose because he wants the audience to agree with him. The details of the collapsing elephant “But in falling he seemed for a moment to rise, for as his hind legs collapsed beneath him, he seemed to tower upward like a huge rock toppling, his trunk reaching skywards like a tree” is vivid (Orwell 624). Visuals are a powerful method used to connect to the emotions of the reader. The descriptive detail of “Shooting an Elephant” is a strong text that persuades its readers into agreeing with the narrator’s point of view. These visuals can also be used to describe the scenes of
In “Shooting an Elephant” writer George Orwell illustrates the terrible episode that explains more than just the action of “shooting an elephant.” Orwell describes the scene of the killing of an elephant in Burma and reveals a number of emotions he experienced during the short, but traumatic event. Effectively, the writer uses many literary techniques to plant emotions and create tension in this scene, leading to an ironic presentation of imperialism. With each of the realistic descriptions of the observing multitude and the concrete appeal of the narrator’s pathos, Orwell thrives in persuading the audience that imperialism not only has a destructive impact on those being governed under the imperialists’ oppressive power, but also corrupts
George Orwell utilizes differing sentence structures and lengths in his essay, “Shooting an Elephant”, to illustrate his aversion to British imperialism. He begins the piece by describing his experiences as a white, British police office in Burma. In this, he primarily uses compound, complex, or compound-complex sentences, most of which are long and periodic. These sentences draw attention to the intolerable effects of British Imperialism on the inhabitants of their colonies and capture his emotions and thoughts. As he continues to describe the chase, and eventual murder, of the rampant elephant, Orwell begins to use short, loose, and declarative sentences, escalating the pace of the story.
“Reading to Write” by Stephen King discusses the importance of reading and writing and what it means to him while also adding his own personal experience as insight to support his claim. In “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell he gives a personal descriptive essay about his experience in Moulmein,Lower Burma in an anti-European society as a sub-divisional police officer and the turn of events he experiences when he encounters a runaway elephant. These two essays are magnificently told. With themes and recurring message on top of the effectiveness the authors use when using pathos and ethos, these essays successfully gains the reader's support.
Unanticipated choices one is forced to make can have long-lasting effects. In "Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell, the author recounts an event from his life when he was about twenty years old during which he had to choose the lesser of two evils. Many years later, the episode seems to still haunt him. The story takes place at some time during the five unhappy years Orwell spends as a British police officer in Burma. He detests his situation in life, and when he is faced with a moral dilemma, a valuable work animal has to die to save his pride.
Jonerl maignan. Professor: Liamog English 102 6 February 2017 “Shooting an Elephant”-George Orwell, In the story “Shooting an Elephant,” by George Orwell, in the story Orwell finds himself at the mercy of a hooting crowd of Burmese villagers eager to see him shoot an elephant gone “must.” The Orwell is confronted with a moral dilemma and abandons his morals to escape the mockery of the native Burman’s. He feels compelled to shoot the animal because the Burman’s “did not like me, but with the magical rifle in my hands I was momentarily worth watching” (473).
Based on the two essays, George Orwell is a vivid writer who uses a unique point of view and strong themes of pride and role playing to convey his messages. His writings are easy to pick out because of the strengths of these messages. Just like politicians in government, people with power turn corrupt to stay in power and keep their reputations. Anyone who takes on power must be prepared to live with the consequences of his actions. Orwell knows this challenge well and conveys this principle in his writing. After all, his narration is based on real life experiences and not fictional fantasies.
George Orwell’s personal narrative “Shooting An Elephant” expresses the message that imperialism is wrong. He demonstrates this through his occupation as the sub divisional police officer in the essay when talking about an experience with an angry elephant. In Scott Russell Sanders personal essay “The Inheritance of Tools” he expresses the message that tradition and family are important. He demonstrates this by talking about his father’s death and the impact he made in his life. In both stories the authors use three rhetorical strategies to capture the reader's attention, which are, time, significance and persona. Sanders time in the story is not chronological while Orwell’s story is. Both stories timing’s are efficiently integrated and
In George Orwell’s, “Shooting an Elephant” Orwell recounts an encounter he experienced as a sub-divisional police officer in Burma. Orwell recalls the day an elephant in “musk” escaped and began ravaging the Burmese village. Upon this discovery, Orwell sets out to find the elephant and assess the situation. Throughout his narrative, Orwell recounts the mental struggle he faced regarding the fate of the elephant. Because Orwell fears humiliation, he succumbs to social pressure and shoots the elephant.
Orwell?s extraordinary style is never displayed well than through ?Shooting an Elephant,? where he seemingly blends his style and subject into one. The story deals with a tame elephant that all of a sudden turns bad and kills a black Dravidian coolie Indian. A policeman kills this elephant through his conscience because the Indians socially pressurized him greatly. He justified himself as he had killed elephant as a revenge for coolie.