Shooting an Elefant by George Orwell

A detailed Summary of Shooting an Elefant by George Orwell

In the essay "Shooting an Elephant," George Orwell describes an internal conflict between his personal morals and his duty to his country-moreover, his duty to the white man's reputation. Orwell's decision to kill the elephant is a direct result of oppression. Oppression perhaps goes deeper than the average man would imagine, noticeably hindering even the lives of the oppressors. Orwell's moral values are challenged in many different ways, ironically enough while he too was the oppressor. Orwell's extraordinary style is never displayed well than through "Shooting an Elephant," when he seemingly blends his style and subject into one. Orwell expresses his conflicting views regarding imperialism through three examples of oppression by his country, by the Burmese, and by himself on the Burmese.

The British author George Orwell, pen name for Eric Blair, achieved prominence in the 1940's as the author of two brilliant satires. Orwell was born in 1903 in the Indian Village Motihari, which lies near the border of Nepal. Orwell's family led a relatively privileged and fairly pleasa

Imagine yourself in Orwell's position: hundreds of Burmese, who speak no English, like an army following behind you, misunderstanding your purpose and expecting a climactic death. What would you do? How would you react? The natives hinder Orwell's intentions and thrust upon him their own. Orwell himself, against his will, has oppressed many. British Imperialism dominated not only Burma, but also other countries that did not belong to England. At the time it may appear, from the outside, that the officers were helping the Burmese because they too were against oppressors; however, from the inside, they too were trying to annex other countries,: "I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom he destroys". In Orwell's case the coolie killed by the elephant represents the invasion of Burma by the British. Just as no one can predict the next victim of the elephant, also no one can predict the next victim of the British.

The style of this essay is generally very simple, but it is strong enough to merit numerous interpretations. Orwell uses met

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Approximate Word count = 730
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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