In Shooting an Elephant‚ George Orwell explores the ideology of imperialism. Throughout the essay it is established that Orwell is not in favor of imperialism. By using an officer from the British empire as the narrator‚ Orwell uses the officer to show the evils of imperialism on not only the Burmese but also on the enforcers. Orwell develops his argument against British imperialism through his use of rhetorical strategies such as symbolism‚ similes/metaphors‚ and imagery. One rhetorical strategy
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“Shooting an Elephant” By: George Orwell In the essay “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell argues that‚ “when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” Free will is indestructible; an example of Orwell’s destruction of freedom but preservation of free will is given in his essay. Humans can always exercise their free will when making decisions. However‚ when their decisions come in conflict with the laws set by a higher power‚ they might face consequences based on how
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NOTES ON SHOOTING AN ELEPHANT 1) colonialism in "Shooting an Elephant." * George Orwell wrote this essay when England ruled Burma as a colony---much like it had ruled America during the colonial period. Colonialism occurred when many European nations simply took over countries because they believed their culture was superior to the native culture. The ideas of social darwinism‚ or survival of the strongest nations and/or people‚ played a large role in the domination and subjection of countries
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Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell The short story‚ Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell was written about Orwell’s experience in the early Twentieth Century. At that time India was ruled the British. While he was there‚ he had to do something that had caused some ethical conflicts in him. Orwell’s job was to kill an elephant that had ran rampant in lust throughout a village in Burma. “It had already destroyed somebody’s bamboo hut‚ killed a cow and raided some fruit-stalls and devoured the
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Shooting an Elephant In the short story by George Orwell "Shooting an Elephant" the author unveiled to his audience the bureaucracy and his struggled with himself. As in so many other countries‚ bureaucracy and prejudice maybe found. However‚ in East Burma those days it was regiment. it appeared to be do as one says or pay the consequences of not doing the preferred choice. In this story‚ George Orwell‚ served in a top position in Britain as a police official. Throughout his years in his position
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In the essay Shooting an Elephant George Orwell writes about two major subjects imperialism and despotism. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary the meaning of imperialism is “a policy of extending a country’s power and influence diplomacy or military force”‚ and the meaning of despotism is “the exercise of absolute power‚ especially in a cruel and oppressive way.” Even though Orwell does not dwell on the subjects in writing‚ in depth his essay revolves around imperialistic views and despotism
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In the reading‚ Shooting an Elephant‚ George Orwell is narrating about his feeling and pressure shooting an elephant. A little about the writer‚ Orwell‚ is a British police officer who was born in India. He was hated by large numbers of people in Moulmein‚ in Lower Burma as the British had colonized Burma. One day he was notified that there was an elephant roaming around the street. The elephant was however not wild but everyone were frightened since it was enormous and disrupting. It made people
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January 2013 The Elephant Contradiction To be liked by others is a very controversial term. In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” the “sahib” struggles as he battles himself in a self destroying and virtue deciding internal conflict. This mental battle is one that all must eventually endure. There is no definitive solution as all choices lead to new problems and consequences. The “sahib” wants to gain acceptance by the crowd behind him. By portraying his mental struggle‚ Orwell gives the character
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Bauman English 100 September 27th‚ 2013 Orwell was a police officer in Burma during the time of Imperialism‚ which was a very difficult task. The Burmese did not agree with the British coming in and gaining power by taking over and this made Orwell’s job very hard to do. The Burmese did not like police officers and Orwell was often taunted and teased by the people he was tripped in soccer games and people made him the center of all the jokes. Orwell would do almost anything to make the Burmese
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heels" (Orwell 3). In George Orwell’s story‚ Shooting the Elephant‚ the narrator is faced with a strenuous decision that is against a somewhat formidable foe. The foe is not some lunatic of a man‚ but a raging elephant. The elephant has been causing amok in the town. The narrator‚ who is also a police officer‚ is called down to investigate the havoc that is being caused. Upon hearing about the troubles the elephant had caused the Burmese population and seeing for himself what the elephant has done
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