An Elephant-Sized Dilemma Everyone‚ of all ages and time periods‚ faces a moral dilemma. This may be about a smaller problem or matters of life and death that have a far more wide-ranging impact‚ such as imperialism. In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant‚” an unnamed narrator‚ despite his initial reluctance‚ succumbs to collective pressures to shoot a marauding elephant in Lower Burma. Orwell comments on the dangers of collective pressure and the horrors of imperialism in order to explore the
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In George Orwell’s first places hort story‚”Shooting An Elephant”‚ written in 1936‚ George explains his experience of working with the Indian Imperial Police. The story takes place in Moulmein‚ in Lower burma. George is working there as a sub-divisional officer where he is seen as a target due to the fact that he is English and works for the British. He was constantly picked on and had felt guilty about the job since he hated imperialism‚ but he just wanted to get his job over with as soon as possible
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Shooting An Elephant – George Orwell Orwell begins his essay by describing the intense hatred of the Burmese for their European masters. In Moulmein‚ in Lower Burma‚ I was hated by large numbers of people‚ the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me. Europeans were spit at‚ jeered at‚ and insulted. As a police officer I was an obvious target and was baited whenever it seemed safe to do so. I feel his sympathies were on the side of the Burmese‚ and
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The act of shooting the elephant is a culmination of the officer’s ignorance of what he knows should be done. Firstly‚ the officer rationally decides that he should not shoot the elephant because “it is comparable to destroying a huge and costly piece of machinery” (Orwell par. 6). He also decides that the elephant “is no more dangerous than a cow” (par. 6). Secondly‚ the officer knew that shooting the elephant was morally wrong. He personified the elephant by describing it as having
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George Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant: a Summary George Orwell‚ from a first person narrative perspective of a British officer in Moulmein‚ Burma‚ writes an autobiographical essay titled Shooting an Elephant‚ confessing the inner conflict of a British police officer. From his experience in British-ruled India in the early Twentieth Century‚ his essay shows feelings in the area and the East against Europe‚ and faults of the imperialism. While he was there he is having to do something that caused ethical
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In the essay “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell is conveying the message that imperialism within a society creates an imbalance in power amongst individuals‚ where Orwell came to realize that he was not on the top of the heap but a tool to oppress the Burmese people. Orwell employs the use of metaphors to enforce his message. When Orwell states‚ “conjurer about to perform a trick”. This way of looking at Orwell is contrary to the way that white Europeans would be looked at in ordinarily. In this
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“Shooting An Elephant” “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell deals with the evils of imperialism; Orwell uses metaphors to represent his feelings on imperialism‚ his inner conflict between his personal morals and his duty to his country. Orwell demonstrates his outlook and feelings about imperialism; and how it effects his duty as to being a white man. The elephant and the British officer help prove that imperialism is a double-edge sword. Together‚ the soldier and the elephant turn this
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George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” 1. On page 517 of The Norton Reader‚ Shorter Edition‚ the first question asks‚ “Why did Orwell shoot the elephant? Account for the motives that led him to shoot. Then categorize them as personal motives‚ circumstantial motives‚ social motives‚ or political motives. Is it easy to assign his motives to categories? Why or why not * Orwell did shoot the elephant because he felt the pressure that came from thousands of native people behind him when he
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officer he wrote an essay “Shooting an Elephant”‚ When the russian revolution was going on he wrote a children’s book “Animal Farm”. After Orwell’s career of writing he writes an essay “Why I Write” 1946 after he wrote animal farm. He wanted to tell readers about why he wrote and what he liked to write about. George Orwell wanted to achieve turning political writing into an art‚ draw attention to some type of lie‚ and write against totalitarianism. In “Shooting an Elephant”‚ george orwell writes
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In stories‚ "Fourth of July" and "Shooting an Elephant"‚ the main characters’ experience a conflict within themselves. Without these conflicts‚ it would be hard for the authors’ to support their narrative point. In "Fourth of July"‚ it seemed as if the main character was never truly informed of the racism in the world‚ almost as if her parents were trying to hide it from her. "I wanted to eat in the dining car because I had read all about them‚ but my mother reminded me for the umpteenth time
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