At some point in your life, you will be put into a difficult situation. A situation where you will be found stuck in the middle; contemplating on what’s “right” or “wrong”. You will begin questioning yourself as an individual. It is your choice to be wise and make a decision you won’t later regret. Once a decision has been made, there’s no going back. There is much controversy on the topic of animal abuse. Many individuals question if it’s morally right or wrong to kill an animal or even use them for scientific testing. Some argue that animals have equal rights and protection as humans do. For this reason, people find that being in this position where you have to end a life is very difficult. Both essays, Shooting An Elephant by George Orwell …show more content…
Both Orwell and McCarthy experienced a situation, where they were tested in making the “right” choice. Even though both individuals lived in different parts of the world, they both carried similar responsibilities. Orwell worked as a police officer in Burma, while McCarthy was a student in medical school. These jobs involved taking care of people and possibly risking their life. In the beginning of Shooting An Elephant, Orwell expressed his anxious feeling with being “an obvious target” to the people of Burma (Kirszner, page 458). Similarly, McCarthy indicated feeling “a little scared” with her study in medical school (Kirszner, page 479). Both individuals had situations where they felt confused. In Shooting An Elephant, the Burmese people had called Orwell saying that there was a problem. The problem was an elephant; it had destroyed a bamboo hut, killed a cow, raided some fruit-stalls and devoured the stock (Kirszner, page 459). But, when Orwell first arrived the elephant “was tearing up bunches of grass… and stuffing them into his mouth” (Kirszner, page 460). Orwell didn’t know what to do, but the people expected him to kill the elephant. In the same way, McCarthy didn’t know what to do when she had a choice to attend a lab. In this lab, McCarthy would be putting a dog to sleep and cutting it open. Both McCarthy and Orwell had advantages that came with taking an animal’s life. For …show more content…
McCarthy had more of a choice, than Orwell did. The reason for this is because Orwell had more peer pressure put on him. In Shooting An Elephant, Orwell was surrounded by a bunch of people. All Orwell could see was a crowd of two thousand yellow faces following him (Kirszner, page 460). In contrast, McCarthy didn’t have any pressure in making her choice. The dog lab wasn’t required and wouldn’t affect her grade (Kirszner, page 481). In addition, Orwell had evidence of the elephant being dangerous. Orwell described seeing the elephant’s victim ‘”lying on his belly with arms crucified and head sharply twisted to one side” (Kirszner, page 459). Meanwhile, McCarthy’s victim was a happy puppy that wiggled his tail (Kirszner, page 483). At the end, both individuals felt differently about doing what they did. Orwell indicated being glad with killing the elephant. To Orwell the elephant’s murder had been justified and legally right (Kirszner, page 463). In the other hand, McCarthy felt guilty and disappointed in herself. The dog lab hadn’t been that important for McCarthy to proceed with. McCarthy had found herself worrying too much and losing herself.
In conclusion, deciding the difference between right and wrong can be difficult. Both individuals experienced the difficulty of making the right choice. Their situations were very different, but similar at the same time. In the end, their
The police officer did not want to kill the elephant; however, he did it. According to George Orwell "I often wondered whether any of the others that I had done it solely to avoid looking fool" he wanted to keep his power and position, he wanted to fulfill the native Indians' expectations, but he lost his moral values. Similarly, David Sedaris wanted to learn the French language that is why he chose to leave his own country and culture. It was so difficult for him to adjust to a different culture, but he tried his best. He wanted to learn a new language, so he had to sacrifice some freedom to fulfill his goal. I think people sacrifices something to go fulfill their dreams. I would like to share one of my memories that remains me one of my own sacrifices. After receiving my high school diploma, I wanted to go to the best university in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, I lived in a small town; therefore, if I wanted to get admission to a good academic school, I had to leave my family, my own bedroom, and my all belongings. It is not possible to have all the things together in anyone's life. However, it is our duty to make the right decision at the right time. In George Orwell's essay, I totally disagree with the police officer's thoughts. He knew that he was wrong, but he killed the elephant to fulfill others'
It is estimated that more than 1 million people die annually in the United States from heart disease and cancer combined (Leading Causes of Death). What if all of those human lives could have been saved by sacrificing relatively few animals? Conservationists and animal rights activists always have the best of intentions for animals and the environment. They believe that animals should never have to suffer because of the choices human beings make. This view can be unrealistic in many situations. Jane Goodall’s A Question of Ethics was a very emotional and Rogerian style essay, but I found it lacked the supporting facts and credibility that can be found in Heloisa Sabin’s aggressive “classic” styled essay Animal research Saves Human Lives.
Orwell starts off his story by sharing that with us. “I was hated by large number of people, the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me.” (181) Its only when there’s a time in need do they express appreciating. Hating his job because of certain beliefs. “…I had already made up my mind that imperialism was an evil thing…” So why did he shoot the elephant? He knew it was wrong, in fact he had a plan on what to do in order not to kill it. “The crowed would laugh at me. And my whole life, every white man’s life in the East was one long struggle not to be laugh at” He deffinaly felt the pressure of the crowd. “It was an immense crowd, two thousand at the least and growing every minute” In order for him to seem as he done the right thing even though in his heart he knew was wrong, he did it, he shot the elephant. He didn’t even shoot to kill, the poor guy was at a suffering state. He justified his action with the elephant’s wrong doing, killing a man. Orwell had lack of integrity to himself, but for the town’s people, he did what was in his jobs nature. And policemen need integrity to serve the law, even if its ageist your own
George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is a short story that not only shows cultural divides and how they affect our actions, but also how that cultural prejudice may also affect other parties, even if, in this story, that other party may only be an elephant. Orwell shows the play for power between the Burmese and the narrator, a white British police-officer. It shows the severe prejudice between the British who had claimed Burma, and the Burmese who held a deep resentment of the British occupation. Three messages, or three themes, from Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” are prejudice, cultural divide, and power.
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell demonstrates one man's moralistic battle between his own belief of preservation of life against that of the crowd of natives which spur him to kill the beast. The author is incited in his actions by the large, unanimous crowd looming eagerly behind him. The sheer size of the group of Burmese natives can create an illusion of strength in numbers that can be hard to fight. The author knew, on one hand, that the conclusion to shoot the beast is immoral, however, from a social standpoint, agreement with the group meant survival in their territory. Failure to comply with what is expected could result in punishment in the form of embarrassment. The author writes “to come all that way, rifle in ...
“But I did not want to shoot the elephant.... It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him.” (Orwell 95)
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
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...
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.
In George Orwell's essay "Shooting An Elephant," he writes about racial prejudice. Orwell is a British officer in Burma. The author is, "for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British"(842). Orwell feels caught in the middle of this cultural struggle. He sympathizes with the oppressed people of India, but is treated poorly, since he is viewed as one of the oppressors. He comes to terms with the role he plays in this vicious cycle of oppression , as an imperial servant, and the influence it has on him to shoot an elephant.
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
He describes, “I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro” (60). He is dealing with the internal conflicts of who he should align with: himself, the British, or the Burmese. If he were to acknowledge his beliefs and align with himself, he could be the start of an uprise. Surely, others would follow. He even confirms his “thought of the British Raj as an unbreakable tyranny” and says, “Ask any Anglo-Indian official, if you catch him off duty,” referring to the hatred of the English empire (58). By expressing his dislike for the British, Orwell is finally attempting to stand up for his beliefs. The fact that his character is unable to execute his beliefs, though, highlights him trying to not look foolish in the presence of others. Clearly, he is in an unbearable circle of self-deprecation and doubt. By the end of the narrative, Orwell’s character regrets his decision to shoot the elephant. This ultimately represents Orwell’s uncertainty as he goes through life. He, like all of us, is struggling to predict which path is the best for him to go down as he ventures through his existence. Because of this, his actions for shooting the elephant are justified. He is just trying to accomplish all that he can while simultaneously dealing with his own questions of identity. This allows Orwell to be seen as a humble individual who is just trying
In George Orwell's analytically essay, Shooting an Elephant, Orwell reflects on the five years he spent working as a police officer for the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, India. While writing about a serious issue in his essay, George takes a less formal approach to this particular piece of writing; reflecting on past events in a form of a personal memoir. It is within his memoir, Orwell explores the cruelty of the human race and the actions people, including himself, take to prevent further ridicule and abuse. George Orwell utilizes an extreme humanist perspective against imperialism, using his own traumatizing experiences in India to support his claim regarding the 'natural' cruelty humans seem to inherit when feeling oppressed.
Generally, as a human being, one makes unintentional choices that have long-lasting effects. In "Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell, the author narrates an experience of his life when he has to choose the lesser of two evils. The story takes place during the five miserable years Orwell spends in Burma as a British police officer. Although Orwell repudiates his circumstance in life he has to kill an elephant, an invaluable work animal, to save his honor. The despondent young officer Orwell lives in mental isolation. Also, Orwell feels repugnance to the British imperialism and the Burmese as well as his job. In his essay, Orwell uses the rifle, Orwell himself, and the elephant as symbols to represent several
Eric Arthur Blair, or better known by his pen name, George Orwell, was an early 20th century European writer. He lived from 1903 to 1950, where at one point he became a police officer in Moulmein, Lower Burma. He was not accepted in this anti-European society where if a woman would walk through a bazaar alone, someone was bound to spit betel juice all over her dress. Orwell then explained in his encounter with an elephant. Because he was the police officer of the town, he was told that an elephant ran rampant through the town, killing an Indian man. The town wanted Mr. Orwell to kill the elephant because it killed a person of their town! Orwell was being peer pressured by the townspeople to shoot the elephant, and he took the shot. Was the life of the elephant worth the death of one Indian man? Orwell made that decision when he pulled the trigger of his rifle. Every last bit of the elephant was gone within hours. The townspeople needed the elephant more for themselves than to commemorate the life of the Indian man. Orwell was pressured to make a decision that he did not ...