Shooting An Elephant Analysis Essay

651 Words2 Pages

Mathew Moody
Barbra Jones
English 1302-54
19 March 2014
Literary Analysis
Literary Analysis- Shooting an Elephant
“In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people — the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me. I was sub-divisional police officer of the town, and in an aimless, petty kind of way anti-European feeling was very bitter.” This is one of the strongest quotes from the powerful literary piece that foreshadows the mysterious events to come. The author George Orwell was an English novelist, an essayist a journalist and a critic. He is one of the most talked about novelist of his time because he is commonly ranked as one of the most influential English writers of the 20th century. It is also said that he is one of the most important chroniclers of English culture of his generation.
Shooting an Elephant is an essay written by George Orwell that was first published in a literary magazine. George Orwell starts off this piece by stating his perspective on The British Imperialism. He states that the British Imperialism is not only evil, but he is against such oppressors. He was a British officer himself at the time but he also felt guilty. There was a certain hatred he felt towards himself, his empire and the “evil-spirited little beasts”. Orwell writes about the personal experiences with the elephant and his views on the metaphorical matter. He feels hostel towards Imperialism, The British, and their justifications for their actions in for taking over Burma.
Orwell was highly disgusted by “disgusted by the inhumanity of colonial rule that he witnessed while stationed in Burma”. He used his writing to show the conflict that happens within by an imperial police offic...

... middle of paper ...

...ader that he would have looked like a fool if he did not shoot the elephant, yet Orwell denies saying that he also would have upheld a higher standard of ethics and honor for him if he hadn’t of pulled the trigger and killed the elephant.
Although the elephant’s death might have disturbed the reader, Orwell does not openly say that he has made a mistake by killing the elephant, which shows no remorse. In fact the essay ends before the reader can really understand the author’s deeper feelings as to why the elephant was killed. The elephant received sympathy from the readers because of its painful death. The memories of the slobbering open mouth, red velvet blood, and shrunken figure are the punishment Orwell must live with for submitting to the will of the Burmans. Orwell deserves the integrity he lost and the guilt he must endure from the suffering of the elephant.

Show More
Related

  • The Rhetorical Analysis Of George Orwell's Shooting An Elephant

    781 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Geroge Orwell

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant.” Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays. Ed. Sonia Orwell. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1950. 3-12.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Shooting An Elephant And George Orwell

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    When he finial find the elephant Orwell say “I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him.” But when he lays his eyes on the crowd he changes his stance to “but I did not want to shoot the elephant.”(Orwell 199). He felt guilty for shooting the elephant when he describe that the elephant worth more alive than dead, but despite the many reason not to shoot the elephant, he took a shot. Orwell describes “when I pulled the trigger I did not hear the bang or feel the kick …I fired again into the same spot…I fired a third time. That was the shot that did it for him.”(199) the shooting of the elephant represent the Burma people trying to stay alive and over powering by the

    Read More

  • Examples Of Individualism In Animal Farm By George Orwell

    1376 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Burma, humans were dehumanized by imperialism and in England; the lower class was struggling to hold on while the upper class flourished. Both of these experiences influenced his writings. George Orwell said, “Every line of serious work I have written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism, as I understand it” (King 83). George Orwell used his past experiences to influence his writings which then served as a medium to tell England about his view of

    Read More

  • Shooting an Elephant

    422 Words  | 1 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Use of Metaphors in Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

    878 Words  | 2 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Orwell and Colonialism

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool." So ends George Orwell's poignant reminiscence of an incident representing the imperialist British in Burma. Unlike Soyinka, who wrote about colonialism from the African's point of view, Orwell, like Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness, presents the moral dilemmas of the imperialist. Orwell served with the Imperialist Police in Burma while it was still part of the British Commonwealth and Empire. His service from 1922 to 1927 burdened himwith a sense of guilt about British colonialism as well a need to make some personal expiation for it (Norton 2259). "Shooting an Elephant" chronicles an incident in which Orwell confronts a moral dilemma and abandons his morals to escape the mockery of the native Burmans. He repeatedly shoots and kills an elephant which had ravaged a bazaar and scared many Burmans even though "As soon as I saw the elephant I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him" (6).

    Read More

  • George Orwell's Shooting an Elephant - A Moral Dilemma

    990 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...o the wrong spot cause the poor animal to die "very slowly and in great agony." In spite of Orwell putting "shot after shot into his heart and down his throat," the elephant lives thirty minutes after its "tortured gasps" force Orwell to leave. Many years later, Orwell still seems bothered by the fact that pride, not necessity, caused him to destroy the animal.

    Read More

  • Conflict In Shooting An Elephant

    784 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Shooting An Elephant Answers

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    He discusses these events to set up what will later be explained in the rest of the essay. Without this description, the reader wouldn’t understand the circumstances of the situation and the reasoning behind Orwell’s actions. 2. The setting of this story is in Burma, a country under the control of Britain. Imperialism was huge during this time.

    Read More

  • True Power in "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell

    1473 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Shooting An Elephant Conflict Essay

    658 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although the Elephant had already killed a coolie ( laborer), Orwell was aware to save his village my preventing to do more danger. He responded the situation by being under pressure to “self-defend” himself to kill the elephant, even though, he got judge by the outcome no matter

    Read More

  • Shooting An Elephant Internal Conflicts

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    The two external conflicts Orwell faces is being hated by the Burmese people and hating the British Empire. In “Shooting an Elephant”, Orwell elaborates on how much the Burmese people hates him. He tells us about the situation of the Burman tripping him on the football field, and the

    Read More

  • George Orwell Shooting The Elephant Analysis

    382 Words  | 1 Pages

    Orwell in the story is a colonial policeman that is disrespected by the Burmese people of the town he is policing.He first uses language of himself as”young and ill-educated” to describe his hatred for his job. This allows him to reflect on colonialism and how he dislikes doing his job because he hates the idea of it so much.Orwell’s later in the story had to respond to a report of a local man who had been attacked by an elephant in Musth . Orwell sees the man “lying on his belly with arms crucified and head sharply twisted to the side.” The corpse had “an expression of unendurable agony.” At this point, Orwell feels the pressure of the Burmese people urging him to shoot the elephant, but Orwell knows that the elephant is not dangerous,

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis of Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Shooting an Elephant" is perhaps one of the most anthologized essays in the English language. It is a splendid essay and a terrific model for a theme of narration. The point of the story happens very much in our normal life, in fact everyday. People do crazy and sometimes illegal moves to get a certain group or person to finally give them respect. George Orwell describes an internal conflict between his personal morals and his duty to his country to the white man's reputation. The author's purpose is to explain the audience (who is both English and Burmese) about the kind of life he is living in Burma, about the conditions, circumstances he is facing and to tell the British Empire what he think about their imperialism and his growing displeasure for the imperial domination of British Empire.

    Read More

More about Shooting An Elephant Analysis Essay

Open Document