Life unexpected choices we're forced to make, for the fear that one bad decision may have everlasting effects. In "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell, is set at a time during the 1800's when the country of Burma was overruled and the British imperialist rule took over. Orwell expresses his internal battles when he recalls an event that changed him forever, how his pride was influenced by other forces and the true symbolism of the effect of imperial control.
The first thing to remember is the story takes place during the five years Orwell worked as a British police officer in Burma. Indeed, he hated his job and one day he finds himself in a difficult situation involving an elephant. Provided that, the elephant had run …show more content…
Orwell tried to explain that he did it to avoid looking like a fool in front of the crowd. At first, one would think that it made sense for him to kill the elephant to save his own pride and possibly his freedom, but that was not so. He effectively uses this incident to demonstrate the "real nature of imperialism" In the end, due to Orwell's decision unfortunate, the elephant lay dying in a pool of blood after thirty minutes of misery and pain in front of thousands.
Furthermore, the unjust act of killing the elephant in Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" is the central focus of which he uses two dominant characters, the elephant, and its hired gunman. The British officer, the hired gunman, acts as a symbol of an imperial country, while the elephant symbolizes the victim of imperialism.
Ultimately, Orwell uses the zealous appeal to successfully show us how imperialism, not only negatively affects those being governed by it, but how it also affects those who execute that power for one's own pride. Everyone at some point in life may or have already had to make a tough decision that may affect one's life for some time, maybe even forever. We all know that we have made choices that indeed were influenced by others or maybe just oneself conscience. Either choice could have major emotional damage on one's life that