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. Orwell uses irony within the passage. For example, “I often wondered whether any of the [other Europeans] grasped that ii had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” He is being ironic because he didn’t want to shoot the elephant. He went against his own morals to protect his reputation from the people. This only shows that Orwell isn’t the one in command, it’s the Burmans. Additionally, when the author states, “For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life …show more content…
in trying to impress the ‘natives,’ and so in every crisis, he has got to do what the ‘natives’ expect of him. He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it,” in reality, Orwell is the officer. He is the one that needs to reinforce the laws and rule over the Burmans, but he is aware that he isn’t the one in charge. As he ‘plays the role’ the Burmans want to see, Orwell becomes ‘the role’ he is playing and undermines his own authority. The method of appeals is also seen during the course of the passage.
For instance, when Orwell says, “I thought then and I think now that his attack of ‘must’ was already passing off; in which case he would merely wander harmlessly…” he is using logos. He is appealing to the reader's sense of logic and reasoning when it came to Orwell deciding on what to do with the elephant. He presents the conflict within himself of whether or not to shoot the elephant but was ‘peer pressured’ in doing so. This proves that imperialism not only affects the oppressed but the oppressor as well. Orwell also uses Pathos, for example, "The thick blood welled out of him like red velvet, but still, he did not die. His body did not even jerk when the shots hit him, the tortured breathing continued without a pause. He was dying, very slowly and in great agony, but in some world remote from me where not even a bullet could damage him further." This appeals the reader’s emotion of empathy. Orwell imprints the gruesome, pitiful image of the dying elephant, to reinforce the tragedy of imperialism. It also symbolizes one country killing and overpowering the other. Orwell, a policeman, killing the elephant is equivalent to Britain and its imperialistic obliteration of its
colonies. Individuals are influenced effortlessly. Orwell validates this by showing how imperialism affects both parties. He showed this by proclaiming himself, the authority, into the target. This comes to show that people will strive to do whatever it takes, even if it is against their morals, to “avoid looking a fool.”
In “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell is the officer of the town in the time period of Imperialism. In the beginning of the story Orwell shows the readers that despite him being an officer, he didn’t have much credibility. Orwell states, “When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee looked the other way, the crowd yelled with hideous laughter.” (p. 229.) Orwell also describes further the hate the people had for him in the town and mentions that the people continuously treated him in a disrespectful manner. Throughout the story it is reported to Orwell
Have you ever wondered how animals interact and work together to get a job done? Many times, animals put their minds together to complete a task. But what many people do not realize is that animals interact with one another just as humans would. In many instances, people don’t realize the amount of intelligence and common sense that animals, such as the elephant, possess. The study of elephant’s thoughts and thinking were explained and backed up through three different mediums. This information was explained through articles, videos, and passages. Combined, these pieces of work clarified what the experiment was, what it was testing, the purpose behind it, and how the different pieces were
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.
In his essay, “Shooting an Elephant”, Orwell utilises figurative language to convey his purpose of discussing the dangers of societal influences on others. “Shooting an Elephant” illustrates a corrupted town and the inhumane acts of the people living there, as shown through Orwell’s use of metaphor, simile, and oxymoron. The use of this figurative language aids in amplifying the monstrous acts of the people.
The video and the passages "Elephants Can Lend a Helping Trunk" and "Elephants Know When They Need a Helping Trunk in a Cooperative Task", both have similarties on the subject of if elephants can help each other or not.
He is not well liked by the local people and states secretly that he is all for the Burman people, and that he opposes the British’s implications. During his time there, an elephant in ‘must’ starts rampaging through the colonization. There is not much responsibility Orwell undertakes until the elephant kills a man. At that point, he decides to pursue the elephant. After his tracking, he finds the elephant and notes that it was peacefully eating and had a sort of “grandmotherly air” with it. He does not feel the need to confront the elephant anymore, until he sees the locals waiting for him to take action. He reluctantly calls for a large rifle and shoots the now peaceful beast. The elephant does not die right away, and even after Orwell has fired multiple rounds into it, the animal continues to suffer in pain. Orwell cannot bare the sight of it, and walks away feeling as though he has just murdered such a gentle creature. At the end of the story, it is revealed that Orwell acted the way he did because he wanted to save face with the Burman people and with the Imperialists. He was acting in accordance to what he believed others would want him to do, and not thinking with his own conscious. He was carelessly and blindly following the chain of command, without a second
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 glorious days of the imperial giants have passed, marking the death of the infamous and grandiose era of imperialism. George Orwell's essay, Shooting an Elephant, deals with the evils of imperialism. The unjust shooting of an elephant in Orwell's story is the central focus from which Orwell builds his argument through the two dominant characters, the elephant and its executioner. The British officer, the executioner, acts as a symbol of the imperial country, while the elephant symbolizes the victim of imperialism. Together, the solider and the elephant turns this tragic anecdote into an attack on the institution of imperialism.
He said, “I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British” (296) which indicates that he pitied the Burmese. Orwell worked as a sub-divisional police officer and noticed the “dirty work of Empire at close quarters. The wretched prisoners huddling in the stinking cages of the lock-ups..” (Orwell 296). This demonstrates the effects of imperialism under the British Raj, which gives another reason as to why Orwell hated imperialism. Orwell states, “With one part of my mind I thought the British Raj as an unbreakable tyranny” (Orwell 296). This shows that the British Raj was very harsh on the Burmese and that the civilians were viewed as helpless. The elephant stomped on a man and destroyed many things and places. The elephant would represent the British Raj since it caused chaos for the civilians, similar to how it destroyed the huts, vans, cows, and a person. When Orwell decided to keep a rifle for defense, he said that “[the Burmese] had seen the rifle and were all shouting excitedly that I was going to shoot the elephant” (Orwell 298). This shows how the Burmese want to end the elephant’s life or the British Raj and wanted Orwell to shoot it. Before Orwell shoots the elephant, he says “Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the armed native crown-- seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to
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’s essay “Shooting an Elephant” reveals the epiphanic event he experiences in Moulmein, Burma. It highlights the guilt and rage he feels for being trapped as a British police officer in the British-conquered country. Orwell’s purpose is to write an absolute anti-colonial piece of literature and clarify his struggle of going against the oppressors. He does this in order to expose the sufferings that he tolerates there. Rhetorically, Orwell narrates and depicts various literary elements which hint to an ironic representation – his hatred towards imperialism and he himself being a puppet of the tyrants. Orwell succeeds to persuade the audience about the negative affect of imperialism with an intense description of shooting the elephant and his emotional appeal to readers.
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).
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.