Shooting an elephant by George Orwell

Colonial guilt and tyranny: Orwell felt guilty about his role as a colonial police officer, imposing the will
of the British Empire on the Burmese people.

Moral cowardice: Afraid of looking foolish, Orwell went through with shooting the elephant even though
he felt that it was wrong.

Crowds and power: In preparing to shoot the elephant, Orwell recognized that he was powerless against
the crowd who had gathered to watch him.
What analogy does Orwell use in paragraph 10 to describe his feelings about the crowd in Shooting an
Elephant?
The crowd is used as an analogy to show the power that the colonial forces are lacking. Orwell's feelings of pity for
the elephant are similar to those he feels for himself, in that they both are forced to act in a way they don't want to.
10. Paragraph 8: "It was a little bull, and it came towards us like a gentleman, with its trunk raised like a lion's tail."
In "Shooting an Elephant", what impressions are created of the officer, crowd, and elephant?
The officer in "Shooting an Elephant" appears self-aware yet conflicted, recognizing the evils of colonialism but
feeling disdain for the Burmese people. He reluctantly shoots the elephant, illustrating his role as a colonial
instrument. The crowd is depicted as contemptuous and poor, expecting the officer to act violently, while the
elephant symbolizes the inhumanity of imperialism, caught in a situation beyond its control.
How do Orwell and the elephant exemplify the illusion of control?
Orwell and the elephant are not in control.
How does the mob provoke the officer in "Shooting an Elephant"?
The mob provokes the officer into shooting the elephant by creating a situation where he feels pressured to avoid
appearing weak. Although Orwell initially believes he shouldn't shoot the elephant, the large crowd expects him to
act. Realizing that colonial rule demands he impress the "natives," he feels compelled to shoot solely to avoid
looking foolish. This moment highlights the oppressive nature of colonial power dynamics and the personal conflicts
they create.
What is the meaning of the following quote from Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant"?
"It was a tiny incident in itself, but it gave me a better glimpse than I had before of the real nature of imperialism—
the real motives for which despotic governments act."
The quote from Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" reflects the narrator's realization that imperialism is driven by the
need to maintain an image of strength and control, even though irrational and cruel actions. The incident of shooting
the elephant, though unnecessary and wasteful, illustrates how despotic governments act to uphold their power,
often at the expense of innocent lives and resources.
Compare the killings of the elephant and the Indian coolie in "Shooting an Elephant."
The killings of the Indian coolie and the elephant in "Shooting an Elephant" differ in their immediacy and
symbolism. The coolie dies instantly, crushed by the elephant, symbolizing the agony of colonial subjugation. In
contrast, the elephant’s prolonged death, caused by Orwell’s repeated shots, represents the slow demise of the
British Empire. Both deaths evoke pity, but the elephant’s death also generates disgust towards Orwell for its
avoidability.
What does the quote "It was a tiny incident in itself but it gave me a better glimpse than I had had before of
the real nature of imperialism" mean?
The quote refers to the narrator's realization of the true nature of imperialism during the incident of shooting an
elephant. The narrator, a British policeman in Burma, feels pressured by the expectations of the local people to shoot
the elephant, despite not wanting to. This incident reveals that imperialism traps both the colonizer and colonized in
a dynamic where the colonizer must act according to the colonized's expectations, illustrating the mutual constraints
of imperial rule.