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Shooting an Elephant - George Orwell

 

            After reading George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant," one realizes just how ineffective an imperialistic government really is. Imperialism in some places of the world is considered a perfectly adequate, especially in England. Unfortunately, these are usually the people who dominate other countries in the name of the King, or who have never experienced it firsthand. The mistakes of imperialism are painfully evident in Orwell's essay. It is almost impossible to truly understand what the horrors of living under an imperialistic government were like, without actually being there. However, Orwell does show us the difference between the paragon of imperialism and the realities of this system of government.
             George Orwell reveals the great space between the ideals and realities of imperialism through his usage of the word hate. Through his experience with a "renegade" elephant, Orwell is able to explain why imperialism as a political system is so flawed. He is hated by the men and women whose job it is to protect. Orwell realizes just how futile Imperialism really is. Orwell says, "Theoretically-and secretly, of course-I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British," Orwell says that even though he is hated and mocked by the Burmese people every single day, he realizes, empathizes, and even understand why they hate him and the other Europeans. Orwell is constantly insulted and squinted at, yet he still understands why the Burmese people hate him so. Orwell realizes that the Burmese People under British rule is the main reason why he is hated. The British governments rule has caused him to be, "stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible". Orwell is forced to endure these "evil little beasts" on a daily basis, all their mockery and endless insults he still understands they have a reason to hate him and the government that he represents.


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