Imperialism In George Orwell's Shooting An Elephant

George Orwell’s ‘Shooting an Elephant’ (Orwel, 1936) represents a number of strangers being involved in a combined encounter. The situation throughout the essay represents the unjust British occupation of Burma, the hatred towards him as a British officer and the elephant symbolising the British. The part of the text chosen clearly exemplifies how a forced duty can lead to hatred. The text chosen displays that he is forced to encounter the Burmese people yet they despise him. Although the encounter with the Burmese improves with the arrival of the elephant, Orwell still has a sense of isolation. Throughout the text Orwell questions the presence of the British in the East exploring that the encounter with the Burmese should not have took place.

“Shooting an Elephant,” an essay published in 1936, uses multiple devices to inform readers about imperialism and how it negatively affects the oppressed and the oppressor. George Orwell, the author of the essay, was a supporter of democratic socialism and was a strong advocate against social injustices. The essay was based on a time when Orwell was a police officer in colonial Burma. Orwell uses an elephant throughout the essay to effectively explain to the audience the relationship between the Burmese and the British. In addition, he also directly and indirectly talks about his feelings towards imperialism through the use of symbolism, metaphors, syntax, and diction . Orwell

Well known author and journalist, George Orwell, in his essay, Shooting an Elephant, describes his experiences as a Policeman in Moulmein, Burma during European Imperialism. Orwell’s purpose is to convey the ideal that what is right and what is accepted don’t always align. He adopts a remorseful tone in order to convey to the reader the weight of his actions. By looking at George Orwell’s use of imagery and figurative language, one can see his strongly conflicting opinions on Imperialism.

In Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell uses his experiences as a European police officer in Burma during early 20th century imperialism in order to convey that imperialism destroyed both the native and the white man’s freedom. When Orwell is reluctant to shoot the elephant, he states “I perceive in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” He appeals to the audience’s emotion by stating this, making it clear that he feels more pressured by the native Burmans in that moment than he ever did as the oppressor. Consequently, he feels as if the Burmans have more power over him than vice versa.   Likewise, Orwell’s emotional appeal is displayed when he goes into detail about the hatred that

A renowned novelist and former imperial policeman, George Orwell, in his essay, Shooting an Elephant (1936), addresses the problems of imperialism. He argues that imperializing others, specifically Burma, will force the colonists to lose their own conscience and freedom. Orwell utilizes a variety of rhetorical elements throughout his essay to help bolster his claim. Firstly, Orwell uses first person perspective to showcase his experiences in order to establish his credibility. He then uses word choice to indicate his imperialistic sentiments and emotions. Lastly, he uses imagery to portray the pressure and emotions that were elicited while shooting the elephant. The purpose of Orwell’s essay Shooting an Elephant is to inform the reader about the inherent struggles that are engendered by imperialism. Orwell adopts a critical, subjective tone for his audience, the readers of his essay, anti-imperialists, and scholars studying imperialism.

Orwell uses this metaphor of an elephant’s rage and destruction of homes, theft of food shelves, and even killings as an example to the inner working of imperialism. Metaphorically, Orwell expands his argument about how imperialism is tyrannical towards to the Burmese people by comparing an elephant’s rage to the British Empire’s invasion of Burma and its destruction of the native life. Similarly, the elephant’s theft of food represents the oppressed of the British Empire’s imperialism has brought upon the Burmese people. They try to implement their aim of domination upon Burma without any care upon the Burmese way of life. This event not only makes the oppressed country become the victims of the imperialism, but it also is the foundation of Orwell’s dilemma regarding the killing of an elephant or the peer pressure he feels towards killing. In short, the use of metaphorical devices found throughout Orwell’s narrative help emphasizing the similarities of imperialism to that of an elephant ravaging through a town, illustrating the true effects it has upon the Burmese people.

Orwell is an unhappy young policeman who lives in mental isolation.{4} He hates British imperialism, he hates Burmese natives, and he hates his job.{5} He is completely alone with his thoughts since he cannot share his idea that "imperialism was an evil thing" with his countrymen. Orwell sees the British rule as "an unbreakable tyranny, as something clamped down. . . Upon the will of prostate peoples" because he observes firsthand the cruel imprisonments and whippings that the British use to enforce their control.{6} Nor can he talk to the Burmese because of the "utter silence that is imposed on every Englishman in the East." This "utter silence" results from the reasoning behind imperialism that says, "Our cultures are different. My culture has more power than your culture. Therefore, my culture is superior in every way, and it will rule yours."{7} If one is a member of a superior culture, one must not make

In the essay written by George Orwell, “Shooting an Elephant,” he aims to promote the idea that the oppressor would end up losing his freedom at the end, opposing imperialism. Orwell uses metaphors to describe the police officer—Orwell¬—and the situation in which he felt pressured into killing the elephant by the crowd in Moulmein, Lower Burma: Orwell is “seemingly the lead actor,” playing the part of an oppressor in front of the Burmese people. He is also “an absurd puppet,” who is being used by the British government. Orwell’s portrayal of himself “seemingly the lead actor” relates to the metaphor “absurd puppet” because he is being manipulated and he is performing unusual actions against his will.

From the start the author, George Orwell, initiates that the power in Burma is not well organized and not at all safe. Orwell holds a high position of authority and superiority, but still fails to halt the abuse and taunting he receives from the subjugate Burmen. The purpose of Orwell writing the autobiographical essay was to demonstrate the overpowering imperial rule the British enforced as well as to communicate why imperialism is negative to both the oppressor and the oppressed as it obtains freedom. Orwell conveys how persuasion can influence actions since he was basically swayed into killing the elephant. Orwell applies his experience of shooting an elephant as a metaphor for his background with the practice of politically controlling another territory, or imperialism.

By reading George Orwell’s engaging essay “Shooting an Elephant”, imperialism and its internal effects on humanity is exposed in a stylistic and figurative penmanship. Orwell somehow finds a way to create his frightening autobiography into an enlightening essay that even contemporary people still learn about. He discusses the intolerable sense of guilt he feels throughout his whole time in Lower Burma from factors of all sorts. Stuck between two passionate flames of fury, ORwell cannot decide who he ates more- the cruel oppressors, or the beastly creatures being oppressed. His experience with the elephant and the stir of the villagers can only be explained by imperialism. He notices the eagerness in the eyes of the natives, and finally he makes

In the narrative, “Shooting an Elephant”, George Orwell reflects on the topic of an elephant’s execution. He states that the Dispute between the Decree and One's Inner Voice associates with British imperialism. The essay is planted in the British colony Burma in the 1920’s. Orwell is a British policeman currently working in Burma. He has never had the best alliance with the natives. He is an out of place white foreigner. The action soon takes a toll when an elephant goes crazed and kills a native Burmese man. However soon after the elephant calms but Orwell refuses to kill it. In addition, thousands of people are crowded behind him waiting for him to do so. He goes back in forth with his mind but keeps going back to the yellow-faced people's

The writing of the memoir, “Shooting an Elephant”, by George Orwell, was published in the year of 1936, a critical point of British imperialism. Imperialism during this time consisted of the spread in power through despotism in many native lands and cultures. Taking place in Burma, while British rule was still at large, the story follows the events Orwell experienced while stationed as a sub-divisional police officer in a Native Burmese town. In vivid description, Orwell expresses his hatred and shame of playing a part in the British Empire through the account of it’s effect on the Burmese: “...the grey, cowed faces of the long-term convicts, the scarred buttocks of the men who had been flogged with bamboos----all these oppressed me with an

Picture this, you are a police officer in the town of Moulmein, located in Lower Burma. There is no doubt that you are the most hated person in the town. Not a single person in that town likes you, not even the town’s priests. You are constantly harassed and occasionally tripped by the civilians. You have seen many brutal things such as: prisoners in unsanitary cages, the faces of long-term convicts and lastly, and the scarred buttocks of men who have been beaten by bamboos. You feel very guilty; you know that your morals do not agree with the job. This is something George Orwell dealt with at a young age.

The story “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell seeks to show the audience how easily people are influenced by the expectations of others. He accomplishes this by exploring the effects of British imperialism on the people of lower Burma. Orwell acts as the narrator in this story, telling of experiences he had while working as a sub-divisional police officer in Burma. He explains how he secretly hated his job and supported the Burmese people who where being oppressed. One day, an elephant is found loose wandering around the town causing ruckus, and even killing an Indian coolie. Orwell was ordered to respond to this incident and take control of the situation with whatever means necessary. When he finally finds the elephant, he realizes that it is no longer endangering anyone, and there is no need to shoot it. However, the Burmese people soon gather around and shout excitedly, causing Orwell to change his mind and shoot the elephant to avoid humiliations. The death of the elephant is described with excruciating detail, showing how the elephant suffered as it endured a slow death. At the end, Orwell explains how neither the natives nor his fellow British police officers

George Orwell was a police officer who was ill educated and witnessed many suffering and difficulties which faced Burmese under the British imperialism. Orwell became one of the greatest symbolisms who helped us to understand the evil of colonialism in the primitive Burmese. The hatless between British imperialism and the Burmese were growing rapidly which made George’s works of helping people more difficulty especially in the face of violence, robbery and restoring peaces to areas where European were seen as evil. The shooting of lose elephant by Orwell was seen as a golden opportunity to deliver the symbolism of European power and its superior cultures over the Burmese “Here was I, the white man with his gun, standing in front of the unarmed native crowd--seemingly the leading actor of the piece; but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind (pg.753)”. The elephant was already caused much destruction in some areas for example he destroyed a bamboo hut, killed a cow, raided some fruit-stalls and devoured the stock. As Orwell showed his intension of killing the elephant, he received a great supports from natives Burmese for many reasons, first, by killing the elephant, the natives would get the meat from elephant, will also