1. Orwell shoots the elephant because he feels compelled to do so in order to avoid looking like a fool and to fulfill the expectations of the local crowd. He becomes aware that the Burmese people, who are under the oppressive rule of the British Empire, expect him as a representative of the Empire to act in a certain way. The crowd expects him to shoot the rampaging elephant, despite the fact that the animal is not posing an immediate threat. Orwell describes his decision as a "solely" public one: "I did not want to shoot the elephant—I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have—but I knew that I had got to do it" (Orwell).
2. Orwell's feelings about imperialism are complex, but the anecdote conveys his deep discomfort and disillusionment with the oppressive nature of imperialism. It illustrates the power dynamics between the colonizers and the colonized, where the colonizers are constantly pressured to act in a way that maintains their control and superiority. Orwell feels trapped by the despotism of the Empire and the expectations placed upon him by the locals. He writes, "And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all" (Orwell). This realization highlights Orwell's recognition of the futility and absurdity of imperialism. Despite his personal feelings against killing the elephant, he succumbs to the pressure and acts against his own conscience to maintain the illusion of power and authority that the Empire represents.
Additionally, the sight of the elephant's suffering and the prolonged anticipation before Orwell finally shoots it accentuates his criticism of imperialism. Orwell describes the elephant's agony in detail, mentioning the blood-soaked ground and its prolonged suffering: "The elephant was standing eight yards from the road, his left side towards us. He took not the slightest notice of the crowd's approach. He was tearing up bunches of grass, beating them against his knees to clean them and stuffing them into his mouth" (Orwell). This emphasizes the cruelty and brutality inherent in imperialism and the violence inflicted upon both the colonized and the colonizers.
Overall, Orwell's anecdote serves as a powerful critique of imperialism, portraying the moral conflict and the dehumanizing effects it has on both the rulers and the ruled.
After reading shooting an Elephant by George Orwell
Answer the following questions please.
Please cite textual evidence to support your answers.
1. Why does Orwell shoot the elephant?
2. Orwell uses the anecdote of his shooting an elephant to illustrate his feelings about imperialism. What are those feelings, and how does the anecdote illustrate them?
1 answer
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