'Shooting an Elephant' by George Orwell is a short. This was first
published in the literary magazine New Writing in late 1936 and broadcast by
the BBC Home Service on 12 October 1950. The essay, Shooting an Elephant,
describes the experience of the British Empire in British-administered Burma.
Also the essay presents the writer's moral dilemma when he was ordered to shoot
an elephant (a highly trained zoo animal) that turned rogue and began killing
locals.
About the writer George Orwell
George Orwell was born in 1903 in Motihari, Bengal, India. Orwell
studied at Eton and Sandhurst. He served in the Indian Imperial Police Force in
Burma (Myanmar) from 1922 to 1927. Orwell wrote Burmese Days in 1934 while
working as an imperial police officer in Burma. It reflects Orwell’s
experiences in Burma.
George Orwell spent five years in the British Imperial Police
force in Burma. He worked as a police officer from 1922-1927, as part of his
general service in the Indian Imperial Police. After his experiences in Burma,
he wrote about them in the semi-autobiographical novel Burmese Days and the
short story A Hanging. The given essay ‘Shooting an Elephant’ is also about his
experience as a police officer in Burma.
Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell [Summary]
"Shooting an Elephant" begins when the narrator
receives a telephone report of an elephant ravaging the bazaar. He, then, holds
his hunting rifle and rides on horseback to the area where the elephant was. As
he goes to find the elephant, the narrator remarks on the squalor and poverty
of the neighborhood. The narrator enquires whereabouts the elephant but
receives a vague answer.
In the meantime, an old woman comes near to a group of
children. The old woman tries to prevent them seeing a corpse, a Burmese man
crushed by the elephant. With a death confirmed of the man, the tensed
situation has risen. The narrator still wishes not to shoot the elephant.
The narrator finds the elephant in a field. The crowd has
followed him to the field. The narrator suddenly realizes that although the
elephant no longer poses a threat, the crowd's expectation of the killing will
force him to do it. He, then, loads the cartridges into the gun, pulls the
trigger and shoots. The elephant staggers but attempts in an agony to rise. The
narrator fires the third time. The elephant, then, falls down on the earth. The
three bullets could not kill the elephant, however, which continues to gasp in
pain as it lies in the field.
Afterwards, the narrator takes up his small-caliber hunting
rifle and fires into the animal's heart. Still the elephant didn’t die. The
elephant took its last breath after half an hour. Regarding the death of
elephant, Europeans had duel opinions. Old people thought that Orwell, as a
police officer, did right by killing the elephant.
On the other hand, some young people thought that the elephant
was more valuable than the coolie. The elephant owner might have made
complicated matters, however, the writer feels happy to have killed it because
it had killed a collie. So he says "I was very glad, that the coolie had
been killed; it put me legally in the right."
To conclude, "Shooting an Elephant" deals with the
evils of imperialism. Orwell, in this essay, uses metaphors to represent his
feelings on imperialism, his inner conflict between his personal morals and his
duty to his country. Orwell demonstrates his outlook and feelings about
imperialism in ‘Shooting an Elephant’ and how it affects his duty as to being a
white man.
Shooting an Elephant [Question answer]
What is the purpose of the first two
paragraphs? In what ways do they introduce the incident Orwell narrates in his
essay?
Ans: The purpose of first two paragraphs
is to show Burmese hatred toward British Empire. It is clear that Orwell hates
his job as a colonial police officer because of the way locals treat him. In
the narrative technique, it tells that to save from their hatred and to show
his boldness, he has to kill the elephant.
What thesis about “the real nature of
imperialism" does Orwell prove by narrating this "tiny
incident"?
Ans: The British government strengthened their iron hand
everywhere they ruled. In Burma also, it was seen badly. Realizing the truth,
the author also felt sympathy for the Burmese and went against the British.
Though he served for the British Government, he was in support of the native
people. The condition of the prisoners made him cry. All these created a sense
of guilt in Orwell's mind and he thought that imperialism is obviously evil as
it never worked for the development of the country but always wanted to
suppress the common people.
What is the reasons Orwell considering
when he tries to decide what to do? What does he conclude, was his main purpose
in ‘Shooting an Elephant’?
Ans: He has killed the elephant because
it was a matter of his prestige. Burmese has already blocked the road from one
side to another side. They were watching him as Orwell would perform a trick
like a magician. He was pressed forward by the will of the thousands of people.
He was with his gun but if he didn't shoot the elephant, it would be matter of
shame.
So, unwillingly, he was guided here and there by the will of
the yellow faces (Burmese). So, though Orwell had no original intention of
killing the elephant, he was determined to do it as it was a matter of dignity
in front of people (Burmese).
What kind of people does Orwell imagine will read his essay ‘Shooting an Elephant’?
Ans: Orwell imagines that his essay
would be read by those people who want to know the negative impact of
colonization.
Why did he really shoot the elephant?
Ans: He thought that he would shoot if
he were attacked again. Otherwise, he would wait until the mahout came back.
The ground was very soft and one would sink at every step. If elephant charged
and the author missed it, then he would be like a toad under a steam roller. He
was not afraid at least in front of the native people. He was always thinking
that if anything went wrong, those 2000 Burmese would see him perused, caught,
trampled on and changed to corpse like the Indian coolie. He was not in any
mood to be an object of fun to others. So, there was no other alternative.
If he didn't shoot the elephant, it would be matter of his
shame . Burmese would think that he is cowardice and cannot maintain peace and
security in Burma.
What techniques does Orwell use to
describe the shooting as a drama? Who is the audience? How does their attitude
Influence the leading actors?
Ans: He uses narrative technique as Orwell uses to describe
the shooting as a drama. His audiences are oppressed by imperialism. Their
attitude influences the leading actors that colonialism leads to contradictory
thinking as Orwell is able to better understand imperialism through his run -
in with the elephant because the elephant serves as a symbol of colonialism.
For example, much like the Burmese who have been colonized
and who abuse Orwell, the elephant has been provoked to destructive behavior by
being oppressed. While its destructive behavior, and the Burmese ' more subtle
rebelliousness may not be unequivocally good things that they are made
understandable given the oppressive conditions both elephant and Burmese have
had to endure.
How does Orwell pace the shooting of the
elephant in paragraphs 11 and 12? How does the elephant's slow death affect
Orwell's point of view toward what he has done?
Ans: In the story as he looked around, he found himself
virtually surrounded with a sea of yellow faces, eager and excited at the
prospect of an elephant being killed. They had taken it for granted that the
sahib was going to kill the elephant and so they were going to have their bit
of fun. Besides, they wanted its meat, too.
Suddenly and with a feeling of horror, the author realized
that he I would have to kill the elephant even against his own will and better
judgment. Burma's insulted and laughed at him because he could not kill the
elephant at once even if he shot many bullets, it shows that imperialism can be
rooted easily and take time.
In this regard elephant stands for colonizer or imperialism.
For , the huge crowd of natives was expecting him to shoot the elephant and he,
as the representative of the omnipotent British Imperial Rule, was bound to
live up to that expectation . That was the irony of imperialist domination, the
author felt. The white men deprive the natives of their freedom and, in the
process, lose his own. At that moment, the author felt that he had no will of
his own, but was being driven on by the will of the multitude that surrounded
him.
Why is it important to "avoid
looking a fool"? What does it mean to be laughed at? What is the
difference between acting like a joker and acting like a fool?
Ans: It is important to avoid looking a fool because he has
killed an elephant on which young people think that he did wrong to kill it
because it was more valuable than man. As he has killed, the elephant was in
calm so that his shooting to the elephant seems to be a work of foolish man.
Acting like a joker can make us laugh but acting like a fool make us insulted
and can harm us.
Much of Orwell's essay assumes knowledge
of the word's "imperialism" and "despotism." What do these
words mean? How do they apply to the essay? What current events you can
identify in which these words might also apply?
Ans: Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power
and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.
Despotism is the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and
oppressive way.
Throughout the essay, Orwell explicitly discusses the nature
of British imperialism, specifically the way that he, as a police officer
represents and internalizes the imperial project. He opens by revealing the
brutality of British colonialism in Burmese with images of tortured prisoners.
He discusses his distaste for the empire's impact in Burma. He says that he's
on the side of the "Burmese," yet he also resents Burmese people for
the way they perceive him.
Orwell's self - consciousness as the face of British
imperialism is central to his internal conflict as he tries to uphold the image
of the impenetrable empire while going against his personal inclination, and
killing an elephant that he doesn't want to kill.
Have you ever been placed in a situation in which you were forced to do something that you did not entirely agree with? Discuss such an incident and detail your feelings before, during and after in an essay.
Ans: Once, as I was studying in class 9,
I fell in love with Rahul. I thought that our love was true and we decided to
love forever. Without him, I could not think my life. As I would write and
read, I would see his face. One day, he invited me to watch movie in Jaya Nepal
Film Hall. As we moved out from the hall, our headmaster saw us and complained
to our parents.
My parents told me that it was not the age of love making but
the time of studying hard. Later, Rahul's parents ' also convinced me and
Rahul. At that time, I got confusion whether to be with him or leave. Later, I
decided to desert him thinking that my parents had seen the dream of my good
future.