The Justification Of Shooting An Elephant By George Orwell Social Darwinism

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. Although there were many justifications of imperialism during the 19th century, the most prominent was Social Darwinism.

Social Darwinism is the influence behind the act of one country taking over another country intending to facilitate progression in society. Orwell writes that "[he] of course was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British. As for the job [he] was doing, [he] hated it...in a job like that you see the dirty work of Empires in close quarters" (Orwell 233). Since the British held themselves as superior to the Burmese, they believed it was their duty to seize the inferior Burmese territory in the name of advancement. This facade of advancement proved shallow as the British impounded the natives, incarcerating "huddling [them] in the stinking cages of lock-ups" (Orwell 233). When the British conquered the Burmese land, they had no intent of improving the quality of life for the natives. Orwell notes the British Empire's apathy in regards to the inhabitants of the nation's that they conquer; they just throw the captives in cages like wild animals. The British masquerade their selfish influences of expansion with a veil of

These advancements led to the creation of better guns and ships. The new ships aided the British Empire in expanding their influence. However, the newly modified weapons affected the foreigners in negative ways. Once a nation was captured, the natives were sent to "huddling in the stinking cages of lock-ups" (Orwell 233). There was no need for the British to beat the captives and treat them like animals by locking them in cages. By mistreating the inhabitants of the Burmese territories, Orwell demonstrates how the British lacked the good-will intentions of imperialism. Orwell also says that many of the captives have "been flogged with bamboos -- all these oppressed me with an intolerable sense of guilt" (Orwell 233). Orwell challenges the sadistic ways in which the British use their technological advances. Instead of using these new advancements explicitly to expand their influence, the British use their weapons to excessively exacerbate the quality of life for the