Julien Combes Natasha Rebry Writing 009 20th November 2011 “Shooting an Elephant“: Orwell’s combat against imperialism “Shooting an Elephant” is an essay written by George Orwell‚ first published in the journal New Writing in 1936. In this essay‚ the author tells his own story about when he was working as a police officer for the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. His five years of experience in the Indian Imperial Police allowed him to have a good understanding of what exactly the “real
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George Orwell’s story‚ Shooting the Elephant‚ the narrator is faced with a strenuous decision that is against a somewhat formidable foe. The foe is not some lunatic of a man‚ but a raging elephant. The elephant has been causing amok in the town. The narrator‚ who is also a police officer‚ is called down to investigate the havoc that is being caused. Upon hearing about the troubles the elephant had caused the Burmese population and seeing for himself what the elephant has done‚ he is faced with a choice;
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to do. The Burmese did not like police officers and Orwell was often taunted and teased by the people he was tripped in soccer games and people made him the center of all the jokes. Orwell would do almost anything to make the Burmese like him‚ which puts him in a very difficult position. In “Shooting an Elephant” Orwell faces a life-changing event of choosing between a good reputation or shooting an innocent animal and going against his morals. Orwell has a hard time adjusting in Burma due to the
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Cheslar UC Expo Period 4 5 March 2013 Student Dialogue: Shooting an Elephant One of the biggest issues in governments is corruption. Corruption however‚ is an issue created by the individuals through how they choose to use their power‚ whether it is for the good of everyone or not. The struggle with doing what is right‚ and what people in power tell you to do‚ is one of the biggest elements in George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant.” The true story tells about George’s experiences policing during
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Reader’s Response: “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell’s essay‚ “Shooting an Elephant” tells the story of a British policeman in British occupied India‚ who faces a situation where he must either follow his morals or pretend to be something else in order to please the public. Obviously living in Burma in the early nineteen hundreds‚ as an Englishman‚ was not easy. Furthermore‚ serving as a steward of the law in a place oppressed by the country you are from‚ certainly will make a job difficult
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evaluation will be based on is Shooting an Elephant written in 1936. The author George Orwell was born in 1903 in India to a British officer raised in England. He attended Eton College‚ which introduced him to England’s middle and upper classes. He was denied a scholarship‚ which led him to become a police officer for the Indian Imperial in 1922. He served in Burma until resigning in 1927 due to the lack of respect for the justice of British Imperialism in Burma and India. He was now determined to become
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Mark Morrison Page 1 Professor Bautista English 110 October 8‚ 2012 “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell In his essay “Shooting an Elephant‚” George Orwell recounts a time in his life when as a British police officer in India‚ he was faced with the moral dilemma of having to shoot an elephant in order to save his pride. In the beginning of the essay‚ Orwell describes it as a time of tension and hostility. For example‚ if a European woman was seen walking alone in a bazaar she
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In the essay Shooting an Elephant George Orwell writes about two major subjects imperialism and despotism. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary the meaning of imperialism is “a policy of extending a country’s power and influence diplomacy or military force”‚ and the meaning of despotism is “the exercise of absolute power‚ especially in a cruel and oppressive way.” Even though Orwell does not dwell on the subjects in writing‚ in depth his essay revolves around imperialistic views and despotism
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DISCUSS ORWELL’S USE OF PERSUASIVE TOOLS SUCH AS‚ SYMBOLISM‚ METAPHORS AND IRONY IN THIS ESSAY AND EXPLAIN HOW HE USES EACH OF THESE TO CONVEY HIS ARGUMENT OR MESSAGE In the extract‚ "Shooting An Elephant" Orwell conveys his message through the use of various persuasive tools. He wants the reader to identify when somebody assumes power. This technique is used to show that the powerful are also a captive to the will of people they control. Everyone involved in the situation becomes affected. In
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“Shooting an Elephant” By: George Orwell In the essay “Shooting an Elephant” George Orwell argues that‚ “when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” Free will is indestructible; an example of Orwell’s destruction of freedom but preservation of free will is given in his essay. Humans can always exercise their free will when making decisions. However‚ when their decisions come in conflict with the laws set by a higher power‚ they might face consequences based on how
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