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Shooting An Elephant
Original title Shooting An Elephant
Author

George Orwell

Genre

Essay
Language English
Characters the narrator, the elephant, the crowd, the British officer
Published 1936
ISBN 978-1-59017-190-7
Book Summary
Essay Examples

Table of Contents

George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is an essay first published in 1936 in a literary magazine called New Writing. Orwell, an Englishmen, wrote the essay while he was serving as a police officer in Burma. In the essay, Orwell discusses his personal experiences with shooting an elephant. He describes how, as a young police officer, he was ordered to shoot an elephant that had gone on a rampage and killed a man. Even though Orwell did not want to shoot the elephant, he felt he had to in order to uphold his position as a police officer. The essay is a reflection on the imperialistic and colonialist mentality of the time, as well as a commentary on the human condition.

  • 1The Parallels Between Shooting An Elephant And A Hanging
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    ‘’Shooting an elephant’’ and ‘’A hanging’’ narrate two different events, however, the context and the dilemmas that arise in both essays appear to be rather similar. In both essays, the events take place within the context of English men ruling in Burma during the English imperialism. In an attempt to depict this reality, the speaker describes these events from his perspective as an English officer whose personal convictions and feelings contradict his actions.This contradiction draws a parallel line between the…
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  • 2Actions And Their Justification in Shooting an Elephant Essay
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    In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” narrative, I believe he was completely justified in the actions he had taken. He had to do his duty as a British subdivisional police officer in Lower Burma and he couldn’t afford to look weak in front of the native Burmese people who already had a mistrust and disliking of him because of the fact that he was European. If he had not done what he had done then it could’ve caused more damage…
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  • 3A Narrator in Shooting an Elephant Essay
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    Shooting an Elephant - Humane, Empathetic, Just Narrator Within George Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant essay, the narrator is humane, empathetic, and just. The narrator is humane because, bearing in mind the owner’s welfare; he is unwilling to kill a particular elephant. This narrator is also empathetic; he cannot endure watching the elephant as it experiences slow death. Moreover, the narrator is fair; he takes issue with the substandard housing facilities provided by the British government to a Burmese police officer.…
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  • 4The Main Idea And Rhetorical Analysis Of Shooting An Elephant
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    In the essay, ?Shooting An Elephant?, author George Orwell, once a sub-divisional English police officer for Burma during the Englishs? tyrannical hold on India, narrates a true, tall-tale like experience of a ravaging elephant and the siren-like influences of the community. The story illustrates the effects of social peer pressure through anecdote, imagery, and selection to detail in order to grasp the daunting authority of society influence and personal image.First, Orwell uses a personal anecdote of shooting an elephant, which…
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  • 5George Orwell’s ‘Shooting an Elephant’: Navigating the Moral Quagmire of Colonialism
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    In the midst of the colonial crucible, George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" weaves a compelling narrative that explores a multitude of intricate themes, emotions, and societal dynamics. Within the framework of British colonialism in Burma, Orwell's introspective storytelling takes readers on a captivating journey through the labyrinthine complexities of power, identity, morality, and the profound human experience. The narrative commences with Orwell, a British police officer stationed in Burma during the colonial era, thrust into an urgent and morally charged…
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  • 6George Orwell’s ‘Shooting an Elephant’: A Moral Odyssey Amidst Colonial Shadows
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    Amidst the shadowy corridors of British colonialism, George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" unveils a mosaic of intricate themes, emotions, and sociopolitical intricacies. In this poignant narrative, Orwell leads us on a contemplative voyage, exposing the weight of authority and the moral enigmas it imposes against the backdrop of Burma's colonial landscape. The tale commences with Orwell, a British police officer stationed in the heart of colonial Burma, thrust into an urgent predicament: a rampaging elephant in must, wreaking havoc upon…
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  • 7Orwell’s Ethical Odyssey: A Colonial Conundrum
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    IntroductionGeorge Orwell's exploration in "Shooting an Elephant" unveils a profound narrative encapsulating moral complexity, leadership dynamics, and compassion within the colonial tapestry of Burma. As a representative of the British Empire, Orwell grapples with an internal conflict that transcends the mundane act of shooting an elephant. This essay delves into the intricacies of Orwell's moral odyssey, offering an extended analysis of the multifaceted dimensions that define this literary masterpiece.Leadership Expectations and Racial PressuresOrwell's predicament as a white authority figure in…
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    Paper Type:750 Word Essay Examples
  • 8Main Idea and Purpose for Shooting an Elephant by Orwell
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    The main idea of the story “Shooting an Elephant" by Orwell is the effect of the oppressor is not only on the oppressed, but himself. There are several evidences found in the text to support the main idea. First, the author mentioned about the treatment of a European woman gets when she went to bazaars alone. This explained the freedom of security had been taken away. Since European had colonized Burma at that time, there was growing hatred toward European.…
    Drones
    Paper Type:400 Word Essay Examples
  • 9Orwell’s Dilemma: Imperial Pressures and Personal Struggles
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    In this essay, Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell, comes face to face with the effects of peer pressure and imperialism. While under constant scrutiny by the people who did not want to be ruled, he felt “stuck between the hatred of the empire I serve and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible” (Orwell). George finds himself in an impossible situation of what he feels is right and what the people expect from…
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  • 10Insights on Imperialism and Ethical Conflicts in Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant
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    George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant," introduces an intriguing insight on imperialism, ethical disputes and fear of judgement through the inner functions of a European law enforcement officer provided the intense task of handling an elephant in musk within Moulmein, in lower Burma. Imperialism, as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, reads that Imperialism is "a policy of extending a nation's power and influence through colonization, usage of military force, or other methods." Interestingly, Orwell shows imperialism in his work…
    ConflictEthicsFearImperialismPhilosophy
    Paper Type:750 Word Essay Examples
  • 11The Complexity of Human-Animal Dynamics in Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”
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    Elephants, revered and valued creatures throughout history, have held significant cultural, ceremonial, and labor-related importance in various parts of the world. The process of taming these majestic beings traces back to ancient times, demonstrating their enduring significance. However, the intricate relationship between humans and elephants sometimes takes unexpected turns, as exemplified in George Orwell's poignant narrative, "Shooting an Elephant."The Symbolism of Figurative LanguageOrwell masterfully employs stylistic elements, particularly figurative language, to unravel the narrator's complex emotions surrounding the act of…
    Essay
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  • 12The Problem of Imperialism
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    The British Empire, was so vast it was dubbed the empire on which 'the sun never sets'. The grim truth is that it became so at the expense of thousands upon thousands of destroyed natives' lives and subjugating whole cultures. Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines imperialism as 'the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas', with…
    Imperialism
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  • 13A Pivotal Scene in Treves’s “The Elephant Man”
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    Throughout the beginning of Frederick Treves’s The Elephant Man, the character of John Merrick was simply a man that never got the chance to live a normal life. From the day he was born, his unfortunate physical deformities led him through a never ending cycle of ridicule, repudiation, and distress. This “monster” was considered to be a “burden that must be rid of” (185) for the greater portion of his being, compelling him to prefer a life of isolation rather…
    Elephant
    Paper Type:600 Word Essay Examples
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