George Orwell was a British author, novelist, essayist, and critic. In the year of 1836, Orwell wrote the essay called Shooting an Elephant. While working as a police officer for the British Empire in Burma, Orwell experienced an event that inspired him to write his essay. This essay, was written for the British people, in order to make them aware of the injustice and cruelty of Imperialism. This essay explores the negative impact that Imperialism has on those who are being governed under it, but also on those who are in power, exercising it. Shooting an elephant also explores the strong power that peer pressure can have over the decisions one make and the way one act.
In the essay Shooting an Elephant, the author intends to make the reader feel disturbed and uneasy by describing his negatives experiences in India. He tries to clarify the terrible and harmful impact that Imperialism had. By shooting the elephant, Orwell demonstrates the strong power of peer pressure and how it has affected his actions and his will.
Working as a police officer for the British empery, Orwell was hated by many in Burma. Even though Orwell worked for the British empery, he was notorious for working against British injustice. He makes this clear in the beginning of the essay when he uses the phrase “imperialism was an evil thing,”(Orwell, 407.) From the beginning of the essay the narrator is struggling with his true feelings. On one hand, he was “all for the Burmese and all against the oppressors.”(Orwell, 407.) But on the other hand, he was loyal to the British. Additionally, the Burmese people tried to make his life impossible, making it difficult for him not to feel hatred towards them.
Orwell described the cruel reality the Burmese people live...
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...ot even a bullet could damage him further” (Orwell, 411). By describing the death of the elephant in such detail, Orwell demonstrated a sense of regret about his actions. “I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” (Orwell, 411.)
Shooting an Elephant does more than just showing the negative effect of Imperialism. The essay focusses also, on the pressure that people can have over each other when decisions are being made. Sometimes it can get people to do things that normally they wouldn’t do or even things that go against their morals just too please others. Our society needs to be aware of the influences that other people can have over their decisions, or even in the way they act, before certain circumstances. People must know what their beliefs are, and to take a stand on their own and not to give in.
In Orwell’s reflective narrative, “Shooting an Elephant”, he reveals the truth on imperialism. Through the utilization of irony and the method of appeals, Orwell shows the reader that imperialism is just a definition because the people are in control, not Britain.
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.
Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant.” Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays. Ed. Sonia Orwell. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1950. 3-12.
A police officer in the British Raj, the supposedly 'unbreakable'; ruling force, was afraid. With his gun aimed at a elephant's head, he was faced with the decision to pull the trigger. That officer was George Orwell, and he writes about his experience in his short story, 'Shooting an Elephant';. To save face, he shrugged it off as his desire to 'avoid looking the fool'; (George Orwell, 283). In truth, the atmosphere of fear and pressure overwhelmed him. His inner struggle over the guilt of being involved in the subjugation of a people added to this strain, and he made a decision he would later regret enough to write this story.
In the essay ?Shooting an Elephant? by George Orwell, the author uses metaphors to represent his feelings on imperialism, the internal conflict between his personal morals, and his duty to his country. Orwell demonstrates his perspectives and feelings about imperialism.and its effects on his duty to the white man?s reputation. He seemingly blends his opinions and subjects into one, making the style of this essay generally very simple but also keeps it strong enough to merit numerous interpretations. Orwell expresses his conflicting views regarding imperialism throughout the essay by using three examples of oppression and by deliberatly using his introspection on imperialism.
The importance in the shooting of the elephant lies in how the incident depicts the different aspects of imperialism. In this essay, the elephant and the British officer help prove that imperialism is a double-edge sword. The shooting of the elephant is the incident that reveals that imperialism inflicts damage on both parties in a imperialistic relationship. The British officer, Orwell, displays many aspects of the being the "absurd puppet" under the institution of imperialism.(3) He is the evidence that "every white man's life in the East, was one long struggle not to be laughed at."(3) His experience with the natives conveys how imperialism harms the imperialistic countries as well as their colonies. To give reason to their forceful colonization, the imperialists must strip themselves of their own freedom as they constantly try to "impress the natives" to prove the superiority of the white man.(3) Colonists find the need to become racist against the natives because it is convenient for the colonists to patr...
He illustrates the effects that imperialism can cause on a society. He creates an abominable diction through words such as “hatred,” “rage,” “evil,” which are feelings that according to Orwell “are normal by products of imperialism.” (Orwell, 1101) Through his diction he appeals to pathos as he creates a feeling of appalment among his audience. Orwell utilizes the appeal to ethos as he recounts the shooting of an elephant, which becomes a metaphor for imperialism. Orwell claims that this event “was enlightening” (Orwell, 1101) as it allowed him to understand the nature for which humans take some of the actions they carry. During the event of the elephant on the loose in the streets of Burma, Orwell uses the rhetorical device of imagery to describe the crowd of “yellow faces” who demonstrated enthusiasm for the killing of the elephant. As Orwell contemplates the action point of shooting the elephant he realized that he would “have to shoot the elephant after all” (Orwell 1103) since the people expected him to do so. “two thousand people marching at my heels, and then to trail feebly away, having done nothing- no that was impossible.”(Orwell, 1103) Like Thoreau had stated, the
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
In “Shooting an Elephant,” from The Seagull Reader: Essays, George Orwell explains about his time as a police officer in Moulmein, Lower Burma when an elephant turned loose in the village. He knew that from the start he “had no intention of shooting the elephant” (246), but as he starts his search for the elephant, the Burmans tell him that the elephant trampled a person to death. As Orwell continues his quest to find the elephant, a crowd joins his side. Soon, he finds the elephant doing no harm but knows he must shoot the elephant because the Burmans would think of him as a fool if he didn’t. Finally, Orwell goes against his morals and shoots the elephant five times causing the elephant to have a slow, painful death. The author’s key point
“Shooting an Elephant” The Essay Connection. Ed. Lynn Bloom, 3rd edition. DC Heath and Company (Lexington), 1991: 305–312. Raffaele, Paul.
George Orwell's short story, Shooting an Elephant, was written in 1936. During this era, ideas pertaining to imperialism were starting to spread impregnate the minds of people everywhere. Major advances in technology led to immense growth in industries, which fostered ideas of expanding international affairs. Social Darwinism, economic prophet, technological advances, geopolitics, and nationalism are all posited justifications for imperialism in the 19th century. George Orwell dismantles these justifications by opposing the British belief of Social Darwinism and depicting the way in which the British abuse their new technology.
In “Shooting an Elephant,” George Orwell’s protagonist, the police officer, behaves in ways that contradict his views on colonialism and his position in society.
The character, himself, is part of the British rule and is supposed to have all of the power. The Burmese, though, dangle the power in front of him. He is weak and unsure of himself, stating that he “wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it” (60). The character is not able to stand up for what he believes in -- that is, not shooting the elephant. There is a back and forth struggle in his mind about whether or not the elephant needs to be killed. Orwell’s character is fully aware that it is wrong and immoral to shoot an innocent creature, but eventually secedes to the demands of the Burmese, attempting to prove his cooperation and loyalty to those watching. In a way, the Burmese represent the pressures of society. Because of this, the audience can sympathize with the main character. There are always times when we, the readers, are unsure of ourselves, but we eventually make a decision. Whether we make the decision for ourselves or are assisted by others, in the end, we must take responsibility for our own actions. In a broader sense, Orwell’s character represents the internal conflict that everyone faces: should we conform to society or should we be our own
The quest for power is one which has been etched into the minds of men throughout history. However, it can be said that true power is not a result of one’s actions but comes from the following one’s own beliefs without being influenced by others. This principle sets up the story for Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell. The protagonist, Orwell himself, is a sub divisional police officer in Burma, a British colony. Orwell must try to find and use his inner power when he is faced with the decision of whether or not to kill an elephant which has ravaged the Burman’s homes. The state of power established through the imperialistic backdrop show that Orwell, as a colonist, should be in control. As well, the perspective and ideas given by Orwell show his true character and lessen the overall power set up for him. Lastly, the symbols shown are representations of traditional forms of power, but take on different implications in the story. In Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell uses setting, characterization and symbols to show that true power comes from following the dictates of one’s conscience.
Like the elephant, the empire is dominant. The elephant, an enormous being in the animal kingdom, represents the British Empire in its magnitude. The size represents power as it is assumed that the two are insuppressible. Also, the elephant and the British empire, both share hideousness in the effect it causes in Burma. To create a comparison between the elephant and the empire, the author describes the elephant as wild and terrorizing when the “elephant was ravaging the bazaar” (324); thus, it symbolizes the British Empire is restraining the economy of the Burmese. When the elephant kills the Indian laborer, it represents the British oppressing the Burmese. On the other hand, the elephant is a symbol of colonialism. Like the natives of Burma who have been colonized and who abuse Orwell, the elephant has a destructive behavior by being provoked and oppressed “it had been chained up” (324). Despite the fact of its aggressive behavior and the Burmese’ more astute rebelliousness could be undeniably good things, they are doing their best given the oppressive conditions, both the Burmese and the elephant have to endure. Also, the elephant symbolizes the economy of the oppressor, as well as the oppressed. This animal is a “working elephant” (326) in Burma, and for the colonial power. The Burmese are also working animals because they are hard workers and involuntarily are following the rules of the British empire.