Shooting An Elephant

“Shooting an Elephant” is an essay written by George Orwell, first published in the journal New Writing in 1936. In this essay, the author tells his own story about when he was working as a police officer for the Indian Imperial Police in Burma.

Throughout the process of shooting the elephant, Orwell’s attitude drastically changes as he pulls the trigger and the massive beast plunges to the ground. Orwell says “When I pulled the trigger I did not hear the bang or feel the kick-one never does when a shot goes home” (Orwell 11). This mindset tells the reader, as Orwell went to pull the trigger his mind went blank because he knew he was going to be successful at killing the elephant even though that was the last thing he wanted to do. Then the devilish roar of the elephant with glee of the crowd brought him back to real time and shows, how the cruelty brought happiness to the crowd. After the bullets hit the elephant, the tortured breathing continued to slowly annoy Orwell, as he reminded himself of why he did it.

In the article "Shooting an Elephants" by George Orwell the author's story is very captivating and descriptive. “I remember that it was a cloudy, stuffy morning at the beginning of the rains.” He does not hold back the details as if he remembers them. Orwell originally did not want to shoot the elephant but feared what his peers would say, his peers being the thousand yellow faces that stood behind him if he didn't complete his job. Unfortunately, he was not in fear of his life but his duty and job called for him to against his morals and shoots the elephant. The locals had it out for him anyways, not killing elephant would have added fire to the flame of the dislike they would have for the policeman. The Burmese people play a huge role, badgering

The story of Shooting an Elephant is a short story that shows the internal struggle of a man who tries to figure out for himself if he values self respect more or others respect more. The main character is a European who works for the sub-divisional police in South East Asia. He is stationed in Burma where, even though he hates the people, he hopes the Burmese win the war. Hatred for the Burmese people is fueled by their mocking him and treatment towards him with absolutely no respect and little regard. In addition, even though the man shoots the elephant, he earlier stated that he had absolutely no resolve in him to shoot the elephant. His decision to not kill the elephant comes crumbling down when he realizes the Burmese will take notice of him if he shoots the elephant. Why would he care about what the Burmese thought of him if they hated him anyway? This is because his hatred for the Burmese is little in comparison to how much he wishes for respect and recognition. The

When the policeman decides to help the people of Moulmein, in lower Burma, he lets them believe his gun is going to be used to shoot the elephant, because of the presser the crowd puts on him. The protagonist struggles throughout life due to the fact that most people despise him. The text states that, “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,” (17). The people have the authority over the hatred that is directed towards the protagonist. They control if he is accepted or outcasted. The policeman was looking for a way not to be hated, so he decides to help with chaos that the elephant has created. He grabs his gun and then is confronted with a crowd that normally would have no interest in him. For example, “They had seen the rifle and were all shouting excitedly that I was going to shoot the elephant,” (19). The magical rifle in his hands makes him seem worth paying attention to. This is because the policeman can shoot the elephant and give the people what they want. The protagonist was not intending to shoot the elephant so, he did not tell the crowd that he was going to use the rifle for protection. This may be because, he was looking for a

Staring down a gun barrel at one of the largest and most majestic animals can often times be extremely intimidating. One might be temped to do something they are normally uncomfortable with when an angry crowd is right behind you watching your every move. In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”, Orwell finds himself in the same situation having to make a drastic decision that normally he would not do. In Orwell’s essay, he is trying to inform his audience about the negative ways in which British Imperialism has on people involved.

He feels that his authority as a white man is hollow. As a white man he feels like he should protect himself from being laughed at; which is why he murdered the

Throughout the narrative he repeated said, “I had no intention of shooting the elephant” also adding on saying, “I merely sent for the rifle to defend myself if necessary”. He did not want to harm the elephant and especially not shoot it. Another reason was the fact that he did not want to become the oppressor he hated so much. He did not want to become tyrant and destroy much like the people he despices. He does not want to turn like “the white man” and destroy his own freedom and that of the people.

Orwell next faces the moral dilemma of whether or not to shoot the elephant. At first, it is clear that he does not feel the internal urge to shoot the elephant: "It seemed to me that it would be murder to shoot him" (Orwell.525). However, Orwell's virtue becomes dwarfed as the Burmese's "two thousand wills [press him] forward"(524) to kill the elephant. At this point there is an obvious role reversal as the Burmese begin to strongly influence Orwells decisions. Because he constantly dwells on what the crowd will think of him he shoots the elephant. Thus submitting to the will of the people and committing the immoral deed of abandoning ones own conscious because of the pressure of others.

Orwell couldn’t handle watching the elephant suffer anymore, so he left. He later heard that it took him half an hour to die. Orwell said later, “legally I had done the right thing”, but he knew that morally it wasn’t the right thing to do. Orwell now thinks, “I often wonder whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a

In the passage, Orwell mentioned how having a crowd to follow him suddenly felt like they were urging him to shoot it. The only issue about this is that Orwell had no desire to shoot the animal because it was not causing any harm nor danger to anyone, but he became aware that if he did not shoot the elephant, he will suddenly become a fool. He had two options to choose from, and it was either to leave the elephant alone, and simply walk and deal with the natives hateful comments, or ignore his conscious and shoot the elephant. While he has to carefully decide what to do, he was left confused about choosing his reputation and have it ruined or to shoot the elephant and let pride take its

Upon seeing the rifle, a huge crowd started to follow him. He had no intention to kill the elephant. However, the crowd was expecting him to shoot it. They did not want to kill it because it had destroyed the bazaar, but rather to enjoy the fun and to get the elephant meat. The crowd’s expectation leaves Orwell no choice but to shoot the elephant. He points out that he had to shoot it to “impress the ‘natives’” (7). If he had not done it, the crowd would have laugh at him, and it would hurt his pride as a white man living in the East. In the end, he decided to trigger the gun and shot the elephant.

Orwell states, “And at that distance, peacefully eating, the elephant looked no more dangerous than a cow. I thought then and I think now that his attack of “must” was already passing off: in which case he would merely wander harmlessly about until the mahout came back and caught him (275).

“And afterwards I was very glad that the coolie had been killed; it put me legally in the right and it gave me a sufficient pretext for shooting the elephant. I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” His decisions were made and though there were circumstances behind each decision he was left to feel the guilt of his actions. “I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he

As Orwell glanced at the growing crowd, he instantly perceived the common desires of the people “They were watching me as they would watch a conjurer about to perform a trick. They did not like me, but with the magical rifle in my hands I was momentarily worth watching. And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all” (3).These people wanted revenge for the death of the innocent man, the meat its carcass would provide, and the amusement of witnessing the shootings “The people expected it of me and I had got to do it; I could feel their two thousand wills pressing me forward, irresistibly” (3). Because of these collective expectations, Orwell had to appear determined, authoritative, and decisive through shooting the elephant or else his reputation and the rest of the British colonizers’ reputation would be