Contradiction In George Orwell's 'Shooting An Elephant'
Billy Crawford
Ms. Myrna Sam
AP English Language
23 January 2013
The Elephant Contradiction To be liked by others is a very controversial term. In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” the “sahib” struggles as he battles himself in a self destroying and virtue deciding internal conflict. This mental battle is one that all must eventually endure. There is no definitive solution as all choices lead to new problems and consequences. The “sahib” wants to gain acceptance by the crowd behind him. By portraying his mental struggle, Orwell gives the character a common ground for his readers to connect with him, but in doing this he also shows the flaws in the “sahib” which could deter the reader from showing affection toward him. The
Ms. Myrna Sam
AP English Language
23 January 2013
The Elephant Contradiction To be liked by others is a very controversial term. In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” the “sahib” struggles as he battles himself in a self destroying and virtue deciding internal conflict. This mental battle is one that all must eventually endure. There is no definitive solution as all choices lead to new problems and consequences. The “sahib” wants to gain acceptance by the crowd behind him. By portraying his mental struggle, Orwell gives the character a common ground for his readers to connect with him, but in doing this he also shows the flaws in the “sahib” which could deter the reader from showing affection toward him. The