Why Does Orwell Shoot the Elephant

Orwell’s experience in Burma as a colonial police officer led him to question the role of imperial Britain in the world. He felt that the British Empire was built on exploitation and violence, and that it was time for it to end. In “Shooting an Elephant,” Orwell uses the story of a man who is forced to kill an elephant to illustrate the point that imperialism is wrong.

The man does not want to kill the elephant, but he feels he must do so because it is his duty as a colonial policeman. The shooting of the elephant ultimately represents the futility and brutality of imperialism.

In George Orwell’s essay “Shooting an Elephant,” the author makes a profound observation about human nature. He writes: “When the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys. He becomes a sort of puppet whereas previously he had been free.” This observation can be applied to many tyrants throughout history, and it helps to explain why they act as they do.

Orwell was stationed in Burma as a colonial policeman during a time of great unrest. The people were resentful of their British rulers and there were frequent uprisings. One day, while Orwell was out on patrol, a crowd began to form and started jeering at him.

A man in the crowd threw a stone at him, which caused Orwell to panic and fire his rifle into the air. This only made the situation worse, as now the crowd was even more angry. Orwell realized that he was in danger and that the only way to defuse the situation was to kill an animal.

So he chose to shoot an elephant that had been roaming around near the village. The elephant was not dangerous, but shooting it would make Orwell look like a hero in the eyes of his superiors. And so, with great reluctance, Orwell killed the elephant.

This story is significant because it reveals how easily humans can be manipulated by those in power. We see this happening all too often in today’s world. Politicians or other leaders will take advantage of our fears or prejudices in order to gain control over us.

We must be vigilant against this type of manipulation if we are to maintain our freedom .

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Why Does Orwell Shoot the Elephant

Orwell was in Burma as a colonial police officer when he was asked to shoot an elephant that had gone rogue and killed a man. He didn’t want to do it, but felt he had to because it was his job. He realized that the people who were cheering him on to kill the elephant were not really concerned about the dead man, they just wanted to see something die.

Orwell realized that shooting the elephant was wrong and he shouldn’t have done it, but he felt like he couldn’t back down once he started.

What is the Significance of Shooting the Elephant

In “Shooting an Elephant,” George Orwell tells a story from his days as a British imperial police officer in Burma. He is called to shoot an elephant that has gone rogue and is terrorizing the town. Although he does not want to do it, he feels like he has to because of the pressure from the locals.

This story is significant because it shows how imperialism can be difficult and even cruel. It also highlights how people can be forced to do things that they don’t want to do, even if they know it’s wrong.

How Does This Event Illustrate Orwell’S Views on Imperialism

In his book “1984”, George Orwell paints a picture of a future world where government control is all-encompassing and the people have no say in how they are governed. This event, the toppling of statues of colonialist leaders, illustrate’s Orwell’s views on imperialism perfectly. The government in “1984” controls everything from what the people read, to what they watch on television, to where they work and live.

There is no room for dissent or even basic human emotions like love. Everything is done in the name of efficiency and the greater good of the state. In this world, there can be no place for something as petty as personal feelings or individual preferences.

That is why the toppling of these statues is such a perfect illustration of Orwell’s views on imperialism. The government does not care about the individuals who make up its populace, only about maintaining power and control over them.

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell

Conclusion

Orwell was serving as a police officer in Burma when he was called to deal with an elephant that had gone rogue. He did not want to kill the animal, but felt he had no choice because it posed a threat to the people in the area. This experience left him feeling conflicted and troubled.