In 1936‚ author George Orwell wrote an essay titled “Shooting an Elephant”. In the essay Orwell describes a scene of a British police officer who is stuck between having to shoot an elephant. The story takes place in Burma‚ India where then‚ they were under British imperialism. Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. It humiliates the occupied people‚ reducing them to an inferior status in their own country. Analyzing Orwell’s work
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We are trapped in a never ending war‚ a war with ourselves and with others. In this war‚ each side is fighting for power. This is the case in the essay‚ “Shooting an Elephant‚” by George Orwell‚ where it can be interpreted that “when the white man turns tyrant‚ it is his own freedom he destroys… he wears a mask‚ and his face grows to fit it.” Through the beginning of the essay‚ a person can consider this thesis to follow yet disagree with the essay. Depending on the way that a person interprets
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While reading the essay Shooting an Elephant‚ first published in 1936 by Eric Blair under the pen name of George Orwell‚ one gets captivated by the intricate web of rhetoric that Blair weaves throughout the piece. Surely‚ the reason this essay keeps the attention of the reader so well is because Blair writes with an unmistakably strong exigency. It is this need of his to tell the world the truth about imperialism that enables him to write something so captivating. Blair found himself in Moulmein
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Reflection on “Shooting an Elephant” “I was hated by… people” and “the only time…been important enough” are words that jump out at me revealing Orwell’s low self-esteem and low self-worth. His essay describes the events that turn his luck enabling him to feel a pseudo-sense of control and authority over the Burmese. Opportunity presents itself in the form of an elephant running amok‚ leaving a trail of destruction and death behind. Unfortunately he gives in to pressure exerted by the locals and does
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themselves. George Orwell‚ in “Shooting an Elephant”‚ tells a story of his past when he killed an elephant in order to please the Burmese crowd. At the time‚ Orwell was a white Indian Imperial Police officer who was disliked by the country’s natives due to the fact that he was European. One day‚ he heard of an elephant’s doing of ravaging the town‚ so he ran to the scene with a rifle. When he finally arrived‚ he found himself observing a peacefully feeding elephant while a huge crowd of Burmans gathered
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Billy Crawford Ms. Myrna Sam AP English Language 23 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
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In the beginning of his essay he was against shooting the elephant. Once he saw the opportunity of acceptance‚ he decided to take action towards the elephant. Throughout this essay the author doubts himself. He feels a sense of guilt towards the end of the essay. Orwell had three perspective in this essay guilt‚ doubtful‚ and acceptance. In this situation acceptance took over his feelings‚ and this is why Orwell was not justified in shooting the elephant. In the beginning of the essay the author said
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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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his main purpose(s) in shooting the elephant? Both the one he uses to justify his decision and his real
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The short story‚ “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell‚ tells his story of an encounter with a loose elephant. He struggled through a dilemma in which he were to kill the elephant‚ or let it be. Politically‚ George Orwell was against an imperialistic run government‚ and used his writings to portray the many negatives he saw through imperialism. In the story‚ the elephant is a metaphor of imperialism‚ and its effects on the people. The actions of the elephant and the reactions of the civilians
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