Shooting An Elephant.
Introduction
Burma was a former province in India, which was then a British colony. As a British colonial territory, the British soldiers were in charge of security in Burma. The book “ shooting an elephant,” George Orwell depicts the Colony of Burma while at the center of the tale is a British officer. He finds himself his principles and emotions conflicted when he has to shoot an elephant during an incident where the elephant invades the village farms.
The stalemate in which Orwell finds himself in makes him concludes that when the white man becomes a tyrant, he loses his freedom; this is after acknowledging that he is helpless against the will and the expectations of the Burmese people who live under the yoke of British colonialism.
George Orwell’s book offers an essential knowledge of Britain’s rule of expansionism that saw it downpour down barbarities on individuals in their colonies.
Synopsis of the book.
George Orwell narrates his experience as an officer serving the Colony as an officer.
George Orwell writes the book as a narrative essay chronicling his experiences working
for the British government as a colonial officer in Burma. As a white man, Orwell’s role in Burma is at conflict with his values; he recognizes that the British reign in Burma is one filled human rights violations and other atrocities committed against the Burmese people. George despises the actions of the British and declares that he is on the side of the Burmese people.
Orwell admits that the British government may have themselves into the land of the Burma people, but they have no control over the Burmese ability to mock and humiliate him. That’s why Orwell focuses on defending the ridicule of the Burmese people. A central part of the story.
Orwell’s book describes an accident in the colonial office. Orwell receives a report of an elephant who got angry about the heat; the owner of the elephant failed to watch over it properly, and the animal destroyed people’s property. Orwell believes it is necessary to resolve the problem and prevent further damage. He comes out with the decision not to injure or kill the elephant. Orwell walks towards trampled huts and a man who has succumbed to elephant wounds. This scene forces him to order a rifle powerful enough to kill an elephant. He justifies the powerful rifle by convincing himself that it is only needed in case of defense. George Orwell goes to the rubble, where he sees the elephant running silently. George Orwell admires the grace and complexity of the elephant and considers it a mistake to kill such a creature. Orwell’s story examines the beauty and value of the elephant and no longer refers to it as an animal but to a human being.
When Orwell avoids his admiration for the elephant, he realizes that thousands of Burmese have climbed the benches and eagerly await him to finish off the elephant. George Orwell could feel the burden of waiting for the elephant to be pulled out of the paddy. He understands that those who watch him expect him to represent the British Empire, which contradicts his feelings for the elephant. George Orwell does not want to look like an idiot in front of Burmese people; he lands on the ground and shoots the elephant several times.
Because the book reflects George Orwell’s experience as a colonial officer in Burma, he is the only key figure in his book. In the book’s chronology, George Orwell works as a police officer in the Burmese region of Moulmein. Her work means that he must stop and regularly arrest the Burmese, a role that makes the natives despise her; Despite this, George Orwell is in the sideBurmese people and calmly defends his freedom from British rule. The main event that puts George Orwell’s principles and motivations into perspective are:
The elephant sinks and must kill it, despite its reserves. The elephant incident gives George Orwell an idea of the effects of colonialism on those responsible. Other secondary figures also featured in George Orwell’s book are the Assistant Inspector, a Burmese who reports to Orwell. The dead man is also a minor character that makes Orwell think of his destiny if he mistreats the elephants.
The elephant is the central symbol of George Orwell’s book. Orwell effectively uses this
Elephant to paint a picture of the effect of colonial rule on the colonized and the colonized
The settlers. In history, like humans, the elephant is a pet whose freedoms have been denied.
Conclusion
In short, George Orwell’s “Shoot the Elephant” is a thought-provoking report which affects the point of view of the readers by making them understand the effects of colonialism on the colonized. George Orwell uses an elephant incident as a metaphor for the effects of colonialism. Although George Orwell is in tune with the struggles of the Burmese people, he still intends to suppress it and must maintain an imperialist position. George Orwell later realizes that his tyrannical watch restricts his freedom to do what he wants; He is a prisoner like the Burmese people.
References
“Shooting An Elephant” Summary & Analysis From Litcharts | The Creators Of Sparknotes.” Litcharts, 2020, https://www.litcharts.com/lit/shooting-an-elephant/summary-and-analysis.
“Shooting an Elephant – Summary” Masterpieces of World Literature, Critical Edition Ed. Steven G. Kellman. eNotes.com, Inc. 2009 eNotes.com 4 Apr 2020 <http://www.enotes.com/topics/shooting-elephant#summary-the-work>