“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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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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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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Cheslar UC Expo Period 4 5 March 2013 Student Dialogue: Shooting an Elephant One of the biggest issues in governments is corruption. Corruption however‚ is an issue created by the individuals through how they choose to use their power‚ whether it is for the good of everyone or not. The struggle with doing what is right‚ and what people in power tell you to do‚ is one of the biggest elements in George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant.” The true story tells about George’s experiences policing during
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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 like him‚ which puts him in a very difficult position. In “Shooting an Elephant” Orwell faces a life-changing event of choosing between a good reputation or shooting an innocent animal and going against his morals. Orwell has a hard time adjusting in Burma due to the fact that Imperialism is something the Burmese did not like. The Burmese taunted Orwell everyday
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“Shooting an Elephant” Response Orwell did not get along with the Burmese‚ nor did he like them because they would make fun of him and enjoyed insulting him while on duty. As for the British Raj‚ he felt as if the Raj was a cruel and aggressive government ruler and that his hatred towards him was so great that he would “drive a bayonet into a Buddhist priest’s guts.” (pg.3). Therefore Orwell being a white man has a great conflict with the Burmese. In paragraph 2‚ he began to talk about how
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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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Reader’s Response: “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell’s essay‚ “Shooting an Elephant” tells the story of a British policeman in British occupied India‚ who faces a situation where he must either follow his morals or pretend to be something else in order to please the public. Obviously living in Burma in the early nineteen hundreds‚ as an Englishman‚ was not easy. Furthermore‚ serving as a steward of the law in a place oppressed by the country you are from‚ certainly will make a job difficult
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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‚ he is faced with
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Shooting an Elephant Orwell battles a constant struggle between his role as a British Police Officer and as a citizen who can recognize the error of the dominating‚ imperialistic government whose rules he must enforce. Orwell dislikes the tyrannical ways of British imperialism and is also discontent with the “evil-spirited little beasts who try to make his job impossible”. Orwell details the struggle between the misconception that he is another white tyrant in the British regime and the reality
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