Shooting an Elephant
CSU Expo
25 February 2014
Student Dialogue: Shooting an Elephant In George Orwell 's dialogue Shooting an Elephant, he accentuates the grave aversion that he has for being a police officer in Moulmein. The author uses many literary devices to depict his controversy with killing the elephant or not, such as foreshadowing, and speaking in first person, and appealing to pathos. The main element used in this dialogue is conflict, Orwell shows how he contemplates on whether to shoot the elephant or not. The literary elements that Orwell presents all help convey the point of showing how conflicted he is with himself, a theme that is well portrayed here is Man vs. Himself as well as Man vs. Society. Orwell 's dialogue is about the controversial issues between Burma and England, which leads to his own conflict on whether to obey and do harm or back down, hence whether or not to shoot the elephant. By presenting this dialogue in first person, Orwell allows to give a well insight on how it is that he is conflicted in his decision. From the very beginning when he babies about how, "I was hated by large number of people" (Orwell 313), which makes him appeal to pathos, trying to get sympathy from the readers. His use of first person when he says, "When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee (another Burman) looked the other way, the crowd yelled with hideous laughter." (Orwell 314) shows the conflict that he has to deal with. Orwell 's use of first person appeal to the audience through pathos as well as gives an accurate insight on what it is he is going through. The dialogue conveys another element that Orwell utilizes which is foreshadowing. Orwell well represented foreshadowing through out the dialogue to give the appearance of what his initial decision would end up being. When he says, "I had committed myself to doing it when I had sent for the rifle." (Orwell 316), this uses the element of foreshadowing. The author was constantly
25 February 2014
Student Dialogue: Shooting an Elephant In George Orwell 's dialogue Shooting an Elephant, he accentuates the grave aversion that he has for being a police officer in Moulmein. The author uses many literary devices to depict his controversy with killing the elephant or not, such as foreshadowing, and speaking in first person, and appealing to pathos. The main element used in this dialogue is conflict, Orwell shows how he contemplates on whether to shoot the elephant or not. The literary elements that Orwell presents all help convey the point of showing how conflicted he is with himself, a theme that is well portrayed here is Man vs. Himself as well as Man vs. Society. Orwell 's dialogue is about the controversial issues between Burma and England, which leads to his own conflict on whether to obey and do harm or back down, hence whether or not to shoot the elephant. By presenting this dialogue in first person, Orwell allows to give a well insight on how it is that he is conflicted in his decision. From the very beginning when he babies about how, "I was hated by large number of people" (Orwell 313), which makes him appeal to pathos, trying to get sympathy from the readers. His use of first person when he says, "When a nimble Burman tripped me up on the football field and the referee (another Burman) looked the other way, the crowd yelled with hideous laughter." (Orwell 314) shows the conflict that he has to deal with. Orwell 's use of first person appeal to the audience through pathos as well as gives an accurate insight on what it is he is going through. The dialogue conveys another element that Orwell utilizes which is foreshadowing. Orwell well represented foreshadowing through out the dialogue to give the appearance of what his initial decision would end up being. When he says, "I had committed myself to doing it when I had sent for the rifle." (Orwell 316), this uses the element of foreshadowing. The author was constantly
Cited: Muller, Gilbert H. The Mcgraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. Print. Questions 1. Explain the different controversies presented in the dialogue that Orwell has to deal with. 2. How did Orwell convey his point through the literary elements, on why he made his decision?