Critical Analysis of an Essay “Shooting an Elephant”
| ← Critical Analysis of James Q. WilsonРІР‚в„ўs Article “Against the Legalization of Drugs” |
“Shooting an Elephant” is an essay by George Orwell written in 1936. Sometimes, it is referred to as a short story. The story unfolds in 1920s in Burma, in a town of Moulmein. Burma of those times is not sovereign; it is a part of India obeying the conqueror only in broad daylight. The author describes petty jeers of the natives who despise “sahibs” in reality. Astonishingly, the author himself being a part of the imperialistic apparatus supports the oppressed Burmese. Orwell describes an accident with an elephant (supposedly autobiographical). The elephant is in the “must” and goes crazy damaging property and killing people. The author murders the elephant supported by numerous natives. The character acts against his common sense and is not willing to kill the elephant. Shooting does not kill the animal right away and the elephant lies suffering in agony and dying for another half an hour.
Emotional bond with the reader is created through the heart-wrenching story of the kill. “Somehow, it always seems worse to kill a large animal” (Orwell). The picture of the dead Dravidian (lower-caste Indian) is even crueler, but this villager is only a collateral damage of taming wild animals and using them as domestic labor. The willful homicide of an unsuspecting animal, on the other hand, is a different thing. “I did not want to shoot the elephant. I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have” (Orwell). Ethical conflict of the writer with himself after the shot is more obvious than the conflict with the imperialistic regime. Moral and legal justification of the author is only superficial. He does not feel guiltless at all.
The overall mood of the essay is sullen and stuffy as the air of the village where the action takes place. The main character is weak among the weak. He is the same slave of the British regime, but an outsider for the Burmese. In contrast to these weak, we see the one, who is strong: the elephant. This strong one will be stabbed in the back. In the portrayal of this scene, Orwell foreknows the death of the British Empire illustrating his prophecy with the symbol of the dying elephant. No suspense can be hold up to the end, even though, the main character hesitates. The author has scarcely taken the rifle when we know it will shoot. The story reaches its climax as soon as the soldier has “pulled the trigger.”
Metaphors are numerous all over the essay. The author speaks of himself as “an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind,” “hollow, posing dummy.” Similes are not less figurative than metaphors. The blood of the elephant “welled out of him like red velvet.” The elephant himself “looked no more dangerous than a cow” and “seemed to tower upward like a huge rock toppling, his trunk reaching skyward like a tree.” Applied techniques make us feel present at the specific period of time. Author controls reader’s compassion and loathing.
Persuasive images of the shot elephant and a man shooting him successfully depict the conflicts that are topical for time and place. The dying elephant struggles for his life (as does the Empire) even though he is doomed to die. The British does not want to shoot, it is against his moral values, but he has to do it because of his spinelessness. The downtrodden Burman makes us see “the dirty work of Empire at close quarters.” The strategies of the author are image-bearing and convincing. The ways of convincing are probably debatable. The World Wildlife Fund would possibly sign a petition against this essay if “Shooting an Elephant” were published this year. However, it will not change the fact that the British Empire perished only in 1997. Apparently, “the elephant” was dying much longer than Orwell had ever expected or foreseen.
- Critical Analysis of James Q. Wilson’s Article “Against the Legalization of Drugs”
- An Analysis of “Shooting Dad”
|
Allen P.
Denver, CO
|
|
|
Writer #3827 is a great writer! I got an A+ on my very first paper of the term. This is the way to set the pace for the rest of the term. Thanks! |
||
|
Sharon S.
Dallas, TX
|
|
|
I greatly appreciate your assistance. Writing has never been my strong point. When I needed help, EssaysEmpire.com gave it to me. I am completely satisfied! |
||
|
Sylvia B.
Lakeview, MA
|
|
|
Your writers did an excellent job writing my four papers last semester. I don’t think I could have possibly made it through the semester without any help of EssaysEmpire.com. I deeply appreciate the help |
||
|
John G.
Erie, PA
|
|
|
Thanks goes out to the writers who presented me with the best paper I have ever turned in. My professor was so impressed with it that he took excerpts from it to put in his class handouts on how to write the perfect paper. EssaysEmpire.com, you made me one proud student today! |
||
|
Pete F.
Sparta, NJ
|
|
|
Dear EssaysEmpire.com, I have never used a writing service like yours before. None of the ones I have tried previously offered the kind of guarantees that you offer. I even bought a paper that was plagiarized once. I never have to worry about things like that with EssaysEmpire.com! Thanks a million! |
||
|
Judy C.
Bolingbrook, IL
|
|
|
I have used EssaysEmpire.com for two years now, and I wouldn’t even consider trying another writing service. I am convinced that there is no other service as good as EssaysEmpire.com, and I only want to work with the best. EssaysEmpire.com has given me well written papers that have come in well before their deadlines, every time. I am happy with EssaysEmpire.com and commit to sticking with them. |
||
|
Melissa C.
Rochester, NY
|
|
|
I am completely satisfied with the paper I purchased from your company. I only wish I had known about you last year when I took an F grade for not being able to complete a paper on time. The work you did was marvelous. Whenever I find myself falling behind in my school work, I will be sure to pass along some of my more difficult written assignments to you |
||
|
Thomas C.
Louisville, KY
|
|
|
I loved the paper that your writers helped me with. They wrote from a very interesting perspective that I had never even considered. My teacher was happy with the work, and so was I. Thank you very much. |
||
|
Hillary M.
Santa Cruz, CA
|
|
|
I received 100 points out of a possible 100 for the paper that you wrote for me. |
||
|
Sharon Q.
Lexington, OK
|
|
|
Working with your writers is always such a pleasure. Thanks again. |
||
|
Maddie P.
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
The EssaysEmpire.com website is so great! There are no mysteries to be solved. They give you the full layout about what they have to offer and how much it costs. No surprises. I had a couple of questions about the different options and their customer service rep was so friendly! She answered all my questions. I ordered my first paper and it was so well written that I got an A+ on it! Thank you, EssaysEmpire.com! |
||
|
Glen M.
Oakland, CA
|
|
|
Your writers are awesome! I got an A and two A+’s on the papers that they wrote for me! |
||
|
Phil E.
South Hadley, MA
|
|
|
So often, when one deals with customer service, he or she is treated rudely. That was not the case with EssaysEmpire.com. The agents were helpful and friendly, knowledable and concerned. I, for one, was astounded with their competence. When it came down to the actual written material that I ordered, it was much better than I had anticipated. There are clearly some expert writers who work for EssaysEmpire.com. I would rate this writing service as exceptional, 5 stars out of 5 stars. I will happily return when I need help with another written work. |
||
|
Della M.
Belfast, IR
|
|
|
I had to turn on my laptop for the express purpose of writing to you. I had to let you know what lifesavers you people are! I had never even considered hiring a professional writer to help me and was almost resigned to dropping out of school altogether. Then, I thought about it, and asked myself what it would hurt to try EssaysEmpire.com for just one paper. That paper was written astonishingly well! From that one paper, I learned many of the things that I did not know about writing. It was perfect, so I learned all about formatting in the APA style. I learned a lot, so I want to thank you for that. |
||
|
Emily H.
Norman, OK
|
|
|
My writer revealed to me that when he isn’t working for you, he is teaching at a major university. He also told me that a lot of the other writers who work for you are professors. That is impressive! No wonder I got an A+ on my paper! |
||
|
Langley R.
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
One of the things that I appreciate most about EssaysEmpire.com, is that they don’t resell your paper. Only you own it, if you hire them to write something. Other writing services that I have used, just circulate the same paper over and over, and if you get caught turning one in, too bad. You are expelled. EssaysEmpire.com will even give you a plagiarism report after they run it through their anti-plagiarism check. Such details set EssaysEmpire.com above the rest. |
||
|
Celeste H.
San Francisco, CA
|
|
|
EssaysEmpire.com always gives me a plagiarism report to prove that the work they wrote for me is authentic. I appreciate this. It helps eliminate worry. |
||
|
Stephanie M.
Bath, ME
|
|
|
This is the fourth A+ in a row from EssaysEmpire.com! Thanks! |
||
|
Steve Y.
Ft. Worth, TX
|
|
|
I would just like to say that I am tremendously happy with the two papers that were written for me by the EssaysEmpire.com writers. They were just what I ordered….only better. |
||
|
Sarah H.
Brooklyn, NY
|
|
|
As always, I can count on EssaysEmpire.com to never let me down. I had to place an emergency order and was worried that I had not given the writer enough time to do a good job. I was wrong. They did a tremendous job! Thanks ever so much! |
||