Shooting an Elephant
-George Orwell (1003- 1950)
Main Points:
1.
“Shooting
an Elephant” is an autobiographical essay in which George Orwell describes his
experience as a British police officer in colonial Burma.
2.
Orwell
personally hates imperialism and sympathizes with the Burmese people, but he is
forced to serve the British Empire due to his official position.
3.
The
Burmese people insult and mock Orwell because he represents colonial authority,
which creates emotional conflict and frustration in him.
4.
The
essay presents imperialism as a system that oppresses the colonized people and
morally corrupts the colonizers as well.
5.
The
central incident occurs when a tame elephant goes out of control, damages
property, and kills an Indian laborer.
6.
When
Orwell sees the elephant calmly eating in the field, he realizes that killing
it would be unnecessary and morally wrong.
7.
A
large crowd follows Orwell and expects him to shoot the elephant as a symbol of
British power and authority.
8.
Orwell
realizes that although he appears powerful, he is actually controlled by public
expectation and has lost his personal freedom.
9.
To
avoid humiliation and to maintain the image of authority, Orwell decides to
shoot the elephant against his conscience.
10. The elephant’s slow and painful
death symbolizes the cruelty and senseless violence of imperialism.
11. Although Orwell is legally
justified in killing the elephant, he understands that legal justification does
not make the act morally right.
12. The essay concludes that Orwell
shot the elephant only to avoid looking foolish, highlighting the hollowness
and hypocrisy of imperial power.
Summary:
“Shooting
an Elephant” is a reflective autobiographical essay in which George Orwell
explores the moral and psychological consequences of imperialism through a
personal experience while serving as a British police officer in colonial Burma
(now Myanmar). Orwell begins by describing his conflicted position as a
representative of the British Empire. Although he despises imperialism and
sympathizes with the Burmese people, he is also resented and mocked by them.
This tension leaves him emotionally divided, caught between his hatred for the
empire he serves and his anger toward the local people who humiliate him.
The
central incident occurs when Orwell is informed that a tame elephant has gone
“must” (a period of violent behavior) and is causing destruction in a local
bazaar. Although the elephant has broken free from its chain and damaged
property, it has already calmed down by the time Orwell locates it in a paddy
field. Before this discovery, however, the elephant had killed a laborer,
increasing the seriousness of the situation.
Orwell
initially has no intention of killing the elephant. He understands that
shooting a working elephant is both economically wasteful and morally wrong,
especially since the animal appears peaceful and no longer dangerous. He
believes the proper action would be to wait for the elephant’s handler (mahout)
to return and take control. However, a large crowd of Burmese villagers follows
Orwell, expecting him to shoot the elephant. Their anticipation places intense
psychological pressure on him.
At this
moment, Orwell experiences a profound realization about the nature of imperial
(majestic) power. Although he appears to be the authority figure, a white man
holding a rifle, he recognizes that he is actually powerless. He feels
compelled to act not according to his conscience but according to the
expectations of the colonized people. To maintain the image of authority and
avoid humiliation, he decides to shoot the elephant, even though he believes it
is morally wrong.
The
killing of the elephant is prolonged and painful. Orwell fires multiple shots,
but the animal does not die immediately and suffers greatly. Disturbed by the
scene, Orwell eventually leaves while the elephant slowly dies. Later,
villagers strip the elephant’s body for meat, and debates arise among Europeans
about whether Orwell’s action was justified. While some argue he was right to
kill a dangerous animal, others criticize the act as unnecessary.
In the
end, Orwell admits that he was relieved the elephant had killed a man because
it gave him legal justification for the shooting. He concludes with a bitter
insight: he did not kill the elephant out of necessity or duty, but simply to
avoid looking foolish. The essay powerfully illustrates how imperialism
dehumanizes both the oppressor and the oppressed, forcing individuals to act
against their moral judgment to preserve an illusion of authority.
Some
possible questions with their answers:
1.
Discuss “Shooting an Elephant” as a critique of imperialism.
Answer: “Shooting an Elephant” is a
powerful critique of imperialism based on George Orwell’s personal experience
in colonial Burma. Orwell presents imperialism as a system that dehumanizes
both the rulers and the ruled. While the Burmese people suffer oppression, the
British officer also loses his freedom and moral independence.
Orwell
hates imperialism but is forced to serve it due to his position. The incident
of the elephant reveals the reality of colonial power: the colonizer must act
according to public expectation rather than personal conscience. Although
Orwell knows that killing the elephant is wrong, he does so to avoid
humiliation.
The
elephant’s death symbolizes unnecessary violence caused by imperialism.
Orwell’s final realization, that he killed the elephant only to avoid looking
foolish, clearly exposes the hypocrisy and hollowness of imperial authority.
Thus, the essay strongly condemns imperialism as a morally destructive system.
2.
Analyze the conflict between conscience and duty in “Shooting an Elephant.”
Answer: The central conflict in “Shooting
an Elephant” is between Orwell’s personal conscience and his official duty
as a colonial officer. Personally, Orwell believes imperialism is evil and
feels sympathy for the Burmese people. However, his role demands that he behave
as a strong and decisive representative of British authority.
When
Orwell sees the elephant peacefully eating, his conscience tells him not to
shoot it. He understands that killing the elephant would be immoral. However,
the presence of a large crowd creates pressure to act according to their
expectations.
To protect
his image and authority, Orwell chooses duty over conscience. This decision
fills him with guilt and regret. The essay shows that imperialism forces
individuals to betray their moral values, making true ethical action
impossible.
3.
Explain the symbolic significance of the elephant in the essay.
Answer: The elephant in the essay
symbolizes both colonial power and the burden of imperialism. Like the British
Empire, the elephant is large, powerful, and capable of destruction. However,
when the elephant calms down, it becomes harmless, just as imperial violence
often continues even when it is unnecessary.
The
killing of the elephant represents the unjust and mindless violence of colonial
rule. Its slow and painful death reflects the suffering caused by imperialism.
At the same time, the elephant symbolizes Orwell himself, trapped, controlled,
and destroyed by external pressure.
Thus, the
elephant is a powerful symbol of imperial oppression and moral failure.
4.
Justify the title “Shooting an Elephant.”
Answer: The title “Shooting an
Elephant” is appropriate because the entire essay revolves around this
central incident. However, the act of shooting the elephant has a deeper
symbolic meaning. It represents the moral dilemma faced by colonial officers
under imperialism.
The
shooting is not an act of bravery or necessity but a forced action to maintain
authority. Through this incident, Orwell exposes the hollowness of imperial
power and the loss of moral freedom. Therefore, the title reflects both the
literal event and the larger theme of imperial injustice.
5. What
is the central message of “Shooting an Elephant”?
Answer: The central message of “Shooting
an Elephant” is that imperialism is a morally destructive system that traps
individuals in false roles of power. Orwell shows that the colonizer, though
appearing powerful, becomes a slave to expectation and fear.
The essay
emphasizes that authority without moral freedom is meaningless. Orwell’s final
confession, that he acted only to avoid looking foolish, reveals the hypocrisy
of imperial rule. Thus, the essay teaches that unjust systems force people to
commit wrong actions against their conscience.
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