“Shooting an Elephant”
written by George Orwell is an essay reflecting the inner emotions that Orwell
experienced. In this essay, Orwell has expressed and illustrated the function
of imperialism, the universal definition, when a strong nation takes over a weaker
nation, dominating its economic, political, and cultural life. As a reader I
felt both anger and sorrow towards the action of the sub-divisional police
officer, who shot the poor, innocent elephant.
Although the officer’s initiative goal was not to shoot the elephant but
to scare it away, ultimately the elephant end up dying an agonizing death due
to the peer pressure that engulfed the police officer.
The
elephant stumble out in the open just as if it was free in the wild. In order
for the officer to have authority and respect from the Indians, he closes up on
the elephant; he realizes that there has been a victim of the beast. At that
moment his action shifts from a gentle touch to a ruthless push due to the fear
of becoming a victim as well. As a result, he retrieves an elephant gun to
defend himself and to show the audience that he is “the man.” Orwell’s job as
an officer was to secure the Indians so they don’t rebel. And from all the
pressure that flowed into him from the Indians he was afraid that his actions
of not shooting might result in a raid to rid the British rule. I feel that the
actions that the officer has done is unjust because there are so many ways to
deal with the elephant; having an elephant tamer aid him to move the elephant would
have been a nice way to get rid of it.
Just
like how the officer killed the elephant by force to maintain authority. All
the colonies that the British held captive will sooner or later revolt because
they British officers always use violent actions to enforce the law and to
maintain colonies link as mother and child.
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