George Orwell's classic essay "Shooting an Elephant" has a few conclusions you can draw from it. Specifically two main conclusions that show the meaning of this essay, the elephant is the oppressor and the elephant is being oppressed. Also I will share my own anecdote that relates to this situation.
Orwell uses this essay to show his hatred of imperialism, but also how he hates the people of Burma. One interpretation of the story is that the elephant is the oppressor. The elephant is the symbol of Britain. It goes around and destroys the village and kills the people and basically rules the Burma people while it is on the loose. Orwell in this case represents the people, who are all following him, expecting him to kill the animal. Even though Orwell takes out the elephant the villagers still take cover. This represents that even though there are little rebellions in the country which try to take out the British the majority of the people run away so it never dies. Even though the British are mortally wounded and have no power, because the people refuse to take the power the British stay in charge.
This also shows that imperialism is dying. As we know today, it does die, however, at the time most people thought it would last forever, but when the villagers came back to watch the elephant die it symbolically took the power away from the British. .
There is also a theme that the elephant is being oppressed and he is like the people. The elephant is disrupting the British world by destroying their entire infrastructure and makes the British looks bad. The elephant also embarrasses the British by forcing them to shoot the elephant. It shows that the British do not have total control over the people and that they can influence them. .
Also the elephant is like the villagers. The British do not want to kill the people. It would be in the British best interest to keep them alive and just keep them at bay.
George Orwell essays show absolute power corrupts and kills the basic idea of human beings as a social creature. ... Orwell was sickened with the fact that people were treated as though as they were objects. ... In the essay, " Shooting an Elephant, " Orwell begins to commiserate with the tyrannized. ... Orwell believes that the coolie deserves humanity. ... Orwell is a political writer, a man of intense feelings and violent hates. ...
Orwell explores what goes on behind the scenes. ... This theme reoccurs quite often throughout Orwell's writings. ... Orwell may have rearranged things to some extent.! ... Even though Orwell's purpose is to give insight, the reader may feel at times that Orwell loses his nerve. ... The reader might also feel that Orwell becomes doubtful at times. ...
If a reader can't grasp Orwell's ideas themselves, he or she will still ascertain that Orwell is serious. ... Orwell also chastises the trends of his society. ... Like Arnold, Orwell felt these flaws were repairable. ... Orwell's proposed remedy is simpler. ... This is an important essay (not mine, Orwell's). ...
George Orwell George Orwell was the pen name of English author Eric Blair. ... During Orwell's life he did many things other than be an author. ... When Orwell was 27 he became interested in writing about his curiosity in British imperialism. ... Orwell also wrote many other books in his time he wrote about 12 other works. ... The characters in Animal were not the most believable or realistic things but they did prove Orwell's point in writing this book. ...
George Orwell, Author of" Shooting an Elephant". ... But in the second paragraph Orwell says" He was all for the Burmese because he hated British "Orwell 134. Then again this article was written after Orwell left Burma. ... Orwell said(" He did not want to shoot the Elephant")Orwell 136. ... Orwell, So justice can be served for the Animals sake....
The mistakes of imperialism are painfully evident in Orwell's essay. ... Orwell realizes just how futile Imperialism really is. ... This is an extremely strong statement that Orwell makes here. ... Orwell is faced with the choice of having to shoot or not shoot the elephant. ... Orwell must not let his personal feelings get in the way of what the natives want. ...
George Orwell has two very conflicting feelings towards the Burmese people throughout his essay. ... George Orwell then goes on to say that feelings like this were not unusual side effects of imperialism. George Orwell was torn between two sides of himself. ... George Orwell was suffering from an internal identity conflict, which was resolved by him shooting the elephant and leaving Burma to take a new job. ... (pg.680) George Orwell's ambivalence came from many mixed feelings and emotions that he was unable to share and communicate with others. ...
Orwell was born in Motihari, India on June 25, 1903. ... (Des Chenes 147) In this book, Orwell presents recurring themes of personal freedom, the influence of language, and the abuse of power. ... Orwell's fiction has left a mark on the modern imagination through many strengths. ... This is indisputably how the public viewed him and perhaps Orwell thought this way of himself as well. ... Orwell should be fortunate of his past in some ways because, with out the memories, he may not have become an author. ...
