George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" as a Colonial Writing or Criticism of Imperialism

“In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible."

George Orwell (1903 - 1950) British writer.

Shooting an Elephant, "Politics and the English Language"

  

George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" (1936) is a seminal essay critiquing imperialism and colonialism. From a first person narrative perspective of a British officer stationed at Moulmein, Burma, “shooting an Elephant” is an essay which conveys the wrongs of New Imperialism, the intense anti-European feelings in the East. In fact, George Orwell, the essayist, and critic, whose brilliant reporting and political conscience fashioned an impassioned picture of his life and times through his essay “Shooting an Elephant” the political and colonial themes counter the totalitarian tendencies that he felt threatened his age. Orwell's experience as a British police officer in Burma (1922-1927) inspired this essay. It explores the complexities of colonial rule, highlighting the tensions between the colonizer and the colonized. Here our narrator imparts one very significant event in his career as an Imperial police, which was shooting an elephant for the sake of not seeming like a “fool.”

 After receiving a message about elephant rampaging the village area, the narrator proceeds in a journey to search for the mammoth beast. On the first leg of the search he finds a trampled Coolie, a death which gives him judicial and possibly moral justifications in killing the beastly Elephant. Subsequent to calling for a rifle the narrator encounters the Elephant in a rice paddy, he is not alone, and the eyes of an imperialized culture are intently glaring at his confrontation. The “must” of the elephant is gone but the officer has gone too far in his attempt to tame the beast. Now the voices of thousands shouted in joyful anticipation. Now the eyes of thousands looked with interest. Now two thousand wills irresistibly pressed him to action.

The slaughter of the elephant was unnecessary but the pre-established European presence of a potentate like class of individuals had already trapped him into the only feasible course of action, the execution of the elephant. Soon enough the magnificently ancient beast was put to a painfully agonizing indecent sleep. As the crowd shouted in joy, the officer had fulfilled the stereotypical, expectations in Burma’s society towards the oppressive westerners, in that instant the oppressor had indeed become the oppressed, “And it was at this moment as I stood with the, rifle in my hands, that I first grasped the hollowness, the futility of the white man’s dominion in the East.” Intrinsically the quote and by extension, the essay speaks of the distastefully ill nature of imperialism and its psychologically metaphorical entrapment of the westerners by conforming and growing to fit the” mask” of preconceived stereotypical notions.

 ‘‘Shooting an Elephant’’ is a central text in modern British literature and has generated perhaps more criticism than any other comparable short piece. In the politicized atmosphere of contemporary criticism, commentators are especially drawn into debate about whether Orwell apologizes for or condemns imperialism. Left-wing critics see insufficient condemnation; conservative critics point out that it is the narrator, an agent of empire, who explicitly denounces the British presence as pervasively corrupting to both sides. The story is one of the most widely anthologized and studied items of the modern English-language canon.

💛HIGHLIGHTS

💦Themes

1. Critique of Imperialism: Orwell exposes the arbitrary nature of colonial power and its corrosive effects on both the ruler and the ruled.

2. Moral Ambiguity: The narrator's inner conflict reflects the complexities of colonial morality.

3. Colonial Mentality: Orwell satirizes the British colonial mindset, revealing its prejudices and contradictions.

4. Power Dynamics: The essay showcases the abuse of authority and the consequences of unchecked power.

💦Symbolism

1. The Elephant: Represents Burma's oppressed population and the destructive potential of colonialism.

2. Shooting: Symbolizes the violent imposition of colonial will.

3. Crowd: Embodies the pressure to conform to colonial expectations.

💦Colonial Writing Elements

1. Autobiographical Narrative: Orwell's personal experience informs the essay.

2. Reflective Tone: The narrator's introspection creates a thoughtful atmosphere.

3. Irony and Satire: Orwell employs irony to critique colonial attitudes.

4. Psychological Insight: Exploration of the narrator's motivations and emotions.

💦Criticism of Imperialism

1. Arbitrary Authority: Orwell highlights the capricious nature of colonial rule.

2. Cultural Disdain: He critiques the colonizers' disdain for local customs.

3. Racial Tensions: The essay exposes deep-seated racial prejudices.

4. Moral Hypocrisy: Orwell condemns the colonizers' double standards.

💦Literary Significance

1. Influence on Postcolonial Literature: "Shooting an Elephant" inspired later postcolonial writers.

2. Autobiographical Honesty: Orwell's candid narrative set a new standard.

3. Social Commentary: The essay remains relevant, addressing universal issues of power and morality.

💦Key Quotes

1. "I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool."

2. "The imperialism of the ruling class was a fact, but it was also an evil."

3. "When the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys."

Ardhendu De

Sources:

1. Orwell, G. (1936). Shooting an Elephant. New Writing, 2.

2. Rodden, J. (2011). George Orwell: Politics and the Imagination. Routledge.

3. Newsinger, J. (1999). Orwell's Politics. Macmillan.