Shooting an Elephant
Anoop Mahal
Dr. Gavin Paul
English 1100, Section 15
29 June 2013
Critical Analysis #2
George Orwell’s essay, “Shooting an Elephant” details one of the most unforgettable moments in his life. He relives the period in his youth where he was stationed in Moulmein, Burma as a “sub-divisional police officer of the town” (472) Orwell explains how he was tasked with subduing a runaway elephant, which was rampaging through the town; Orwell ultimately found himself going against his will and having to brutally put the animal down. Using symbolism, Orwell reveals the true impact of British occupancy of Burma and exposes the reality of the empires imperialism, all while trying to justify taking a life. The elephant in Orwell’s essay acted as a symbol of the Burmese people. The animal “looked no more dangerous than a cow” cows are known to be passive and possess calm traits much like the Buddhist population of Burma. Orwell saw himself as representing the British empire, regardless of whether he wanted to or not. In a strange twist, the 2000 plus Burmans that came to watch the shooting represented the high ranking officials in the empire that controlled Orwell and many others. Orwell felt “it was a bit of fun to them, as it would be to an English crowd” (474) It was at that moment when Orwell saw himself as an “absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind” (475) Orwell had no desire to murder the beast, but he knew he could not back out. The choice was no longer his; the colonizer had become the colonized. The slow death of the elephant represents Burma and how it has been ravaged by imperialism. Orwell shooting the elephant multiple times (in an effort to end its pain) is similar to how the British believed they were helping Burma progress, but in reality were causing more agony.
Orwell was no stranger to Imperialism, nor was he a friend to it. He “had already made up [his] mind that Imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner [he]
Dr. Gavin Paul
English 1100, Section 15
29 June 2013
Critical Analysis #2
George Orwell’s essay, “Shooting an Elephant” details one of the most unforgettable moments in his life. He relives the period in his youth where he was stationed in Moulmein, Burma as a “sub-divisional police officer of the town” (472) Orwell explains how he was tasked with subduing a runaway elephant, which was rampaging through the town; Orwell ultimately found himself going against his will and having to brutally put the animal down. Using symbolism, Orwell reveals the true impact of British occupancy of Burma and exposes the reality of the empires imperialism, all while trying to justify taking a life. The elephant in Orwell’s essay acted as a symbol of the Burmese people. The animal “looked no more dangerous than a cow” cows are known to be passive and possess calm traits much like the Buddhist population of Burma. Orwell saw himself as representing the British empire, regardless of whether he wanted to or not. In a strange twist, the 2000 plus Burmans that came to watch the shooting represented the high ranking officials in the empire that controlled Orwell and many others. Orwell felt “it was a bit of fun to them, as it would be to an English crowd” (474) It was at that moment when Orwell saw himself as an “absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind” (475) Orwell had no desire to murder the beast, but he knew he could not back out. The choice was no longer his; the colonizer had become the colonized. The slow death of the elephant represents Burma and how it has been ravaged by imperialism. Orwell shooting the elephant multiple times (in an effort to end its pain) is similar to how the British believed they were helping Burma progress, but in reality were causing more agony.
Orwell was no stranger to Imperialism, nor was he a friend to it. He “had already made up [his] mind that Imperialism was an evil thing and the sooner [he]