In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”, the author describes how he is in a very special and difficult circumstance. The background information he provides in the introduction explains how he was born and raised in India, but attended school in England. Soon after, he became an officer for the English government but was stationed over in India during their imperialistic reign. This knowledge is essential to the reader in understanding Orwell’s thoughts and emotions while reading. Throughout the story, symbols such as the rifle, the elephant, and even Orwell himself represent the British’s power over the people, the evils of imperialism, and the slow decline of the British empire.
The first symbol I found in the writing was the elephant rifle, which Orwell uses to symbolize multiple things in the story. For example, I noticed how the rifle represents the British’s oppressive power over the people of Burma. The Burmese people lack guns or weapons which render them as powerless and helpless. In the same manner, Orwell lacks any real power himself he simply borrows it just like he borrows the elephant rifle. Another symbol I noticed from the rifle is how the it represents Orwell’s rank. Orwell uses
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In one hand, his guilt causes him to feel sympathetic for disowning and mistreating the natives he grew up alongside. However, this guilt is caused by his loyalty to his job even though he knows the evils of imperialism first hand. This results in Orwell loathing his job, imperialism, and the Burmese people oppressing him. In further examination of “Shooting an Elephant”, it is clear that Orwell uses an abundance of symbols in his writing. He uses specific objects or people to represent ideas and qualities that have a symbolic meaning such as the rise and decline of the oppressing imperialistic British empire, but mainly himself and his battle against his distraught mind and unbearable
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
Orwell argues in “Shooting an Elephant ” that countries lose power went they become imperialist and totalitarian countries. In “Shooting an Elephant ” he gives the main character beliefs and the will to do the right thing. Despite the main character's sympathy for the people he severs, the people still ridicule him. When the protagonist gets the chance to please the people he does it because he does not want to look weak. He is an instrument of the will of the people he severs, just like totalitarian governments. This argument opened my eye about totalitarian rule, but I am not completely convinced it has discussed all the values in this equation. Totalitarians are only the puppet of the majority. So, if the Totalitarian can manipulate the majority, he can subject his will.
George Orwell uses setting, characterization and symbols to show that true power come from following the dictates of one’s conscience. The state of power established through the imperialistic backdrop show that Orwell should have control over the Burmese. Also, the perspective and ideas given by Orwell show his true character and lessens the overall power set up for him. Lastly, the symbols Orwell uses show representation of traditional forms of power, but take on different implications in the story. These points come together to prove that power exists within one’s self and not through one’s position, conquests or by the items they possess. In the end, it can be said that man’s journey for power will be a continuous struggle until the end of time but that in order at attain power, one must learn to listen to one’s conscience.
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.
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.” The Brief Arlington Reader. Ed. Nancy Perry. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 334-339.
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).
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
In “Shooting an Elephant,” Orwell faces a dilemma: whether or not to kill the elephant. With his final decision, the elephant finally lays dead in front of thousands of people. He explains that he was forced to shoot it because the Burmese people were expecting him to do that. In addition, he has to do it “to avoid looking like a fool” (14) in front of the crowd. At first glance, one would think that it makes sense for him to kill the elephant to save his face, but that was not the case. He effectively uses this incident to demonstrate the “real nature of imperialism” (3), where the elephant represents the British Empire.
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
At the very beginning of his essay, George Orwell brings up his point of view towards British imperialism. He claims that “imperialism was an evil thing” (Orwell 144) and he is against the invaders, the British. Even though he is a British officer, Orwell feels guilty for his country before “the evil-spirited little beasts” (145), the Burma people. But the best way to understand imperialism, as Orwell sees it, is through the image of an elephant that symbolizes colonialism, Burma and its people.
In “Shooting an Elephant,” Orwell retold an occasion where he was struggling to come to a final decision of whether to shoot the elephant or not. With his final decision, the elephant finally lay dying in front of thousands of people. He said that he was forced to shoot it because the Burmese people were expecting him to do that. In addition, he also explained that he had to do it “to avoid looking like a fool” in front of the crowd (14). At first glance, one would think that it makes sense for him to kill the elephant to save his face, but that was not the case. He effectively uses this incident to demonstrate the “real nature of imperialism” (3), whereas the elephant represents the British Empire.
In the essay Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell, the ideas of power, imperialism and the struggle of the British Empire are the central themes in the text. The essay is based on Orwell’s personal experience with the imperial police and the British Empire in Burma. The text begins when Orwell is expressing how much he is hated by the locals in Burma, how he was always taunted, made fun of, and laughed at. One day, he got a call saying there was an elephant that had broken its chain and escaped. It was going “must” and was acting aggressively towards the locals. He was ordered to keep the town safe from the elephant. George Orwell was born in Burma in 1903 and died in 1950. Orwell worked in Burma for
Orwell?s extraordinary style is never displayed well than through ?Shooting an Elephant,? where he seemingly blends his style and subject into one. The story deals with a tame elephant that all of a sudden turns bad and kills a black Dravidian coolie Indian. A policeman kills this elephant through his conscience because the Indians socially pressurized him greatly. He justified himself as he had killed elephant as a revenge for coolie.