Shooting an Elephant

"Shooting an Elephant," by George Orwell, is an essay about a British police officer in Burma who is called upon to shoot an elephant that has escaped from its owners cage. Running free, the large elephant is quite dangerous and is causing havoc in town. ... With the elephant continuously running away from kept running away from the soldier. The soldiers morals were preventing him from shooting the animal, but the humongous crowd behind him made him feel as if he had to kill it. ... In conclusion, we find out that the elephant was eventually gunned down. ...

• Word Count: 520
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Shooting an Elephant: Orwell's Insecurities Prompted the Murder of a Defenseless Animal The short story "Shooting an Elephant", by George Orwell, is a narration that subtly discusses Orwell's motives for killing an escaped elephant. ... The event was a disruptance where he had to shoot an elephant for the alleged safety of the public. ... The two thousand strong group of locals following Orwell, advocates the killing of the elephant, both verbally and symbolically "They had seen the rifle and were all shouting excitedly that I was going to shoot the elephant. ... Unquestionabl...

• Word Count: 1277
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell was an interesting peace to read. ... It sounded like the only reason the man shot the elephant was to uphold is image for the natives. ... I got from this was that he had to shoot the elephant because he came all this way with his rifle and there was no backing out now or he was loose respect and show that he is weak to the natives. ... I thought that the last paragraph was ironic because of how he did not want to shoot the elephant when he did; the elephant had a long miserable death. I think it was hard for the guy to watch the elephant die like that...

• Word Count: 289
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

In "Shooting an Elephant", why does the police officer shoot the elephant? ... The actual killing of the elephant takes place near the end of George Orwell's short story, "Shooting an Elephant," when the police officer shoots at the elephant. The officer kills the elephant because of peer pressure. ... When the officer first encounters the elephant, he states, "I ought not to shoot him." ... In conclusion, peer pressure caused the shooting of the elephant. ...

• Word Count: 290
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

The juxtaposition of the policeman and the elephant in George Orwell's Shooting an Elephant is a clear representation of the impact of imperial rule on a country. ... As the policeman stands before the elephant he proclaims, "As soon as I saw the elephant I knew with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him. " He is faced with the moral dilemma of whether to please the people of Burma and kill the elephant or to spare the elephant's life. ... The policeman knows these people are harmless when they are not being forced to act in such a way, just like he says about the elephant ...

• Word Count: 852
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In "Shooting an Elephant," the author, George Orwell contends with imperialism. ... When he faced with the issue of shooting an elephant or not, Orwell was forced to shoot the innocent elephant to satisfy the Burmese who isolated Orwell mentally. ... Everyone faces difficult decisions, even Orwell hesitated before shooting the elephant. ... The elephant which killed the coolie gives Orwell an excuse for shooting the elephant. ... "Shooting an Elephant" recorded an incident when Orwell faced an ethical dilemma and shot the elephant in order to escape from native Burmese's laughin...

• Word Count: 780
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Shooting an elephant as an attack on imperialism. ... In George Orwell's shooting an elephant, deals with the evils of imperialism. ... In the unjust shooting of an elephant, the author uses two main characters, a British officer acts as an imperialism country, while the elephant symbolizes as a victim. By not wanting to look like a fool, the officer decides to shoot the elephant to death even though it stops posting any threats to people. ... When Orwell decides to shoot the elephant, he realizes that is his only option, and if he doesnt do so, he will never hold his ground in front of t...

• Word Count: 301
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Synopsis of "Shooting an Elephant" George Orwell, 1950 Shooting an Elephant is about the experiences the author goes through living as a British police officer in Lower Burma. ... During the story he is called upon to decide whether or not to kill the elephant that had just ravaged a bazaar. ... So he ends up shooting the elephant just to satisfy the people that he disliked, and also to avoid looking a fool. ...

• Word Count: 435
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" demonstrates this when it comes down for the essayist to pull the trigger or not. ... "As soon as I saw the elephant I know with perfect certainty that I ought not to shoot him" (4) were the words mumbled at his first glance. ... When he turned and looked he knew that he had no choice; he had to shoot the elephant. ... Plus, if he would leave with out shooting the elephant, he would most surely be mocked. ... If the Burmese people had not been behind Orwell in "Shooting an Elephant" the creature would have lived. ...

• Word Count: 559
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

George Orwell, Author of" Shooting an Elephant". ... Orwell said(" He did not want to shoot the Elephant")Orwell 136. ... Orwell knows in his Gut that he must shoot the Elephant, So he can earn his stripes again. ... This is Life and death and any second, when he steps forward to the elephant, The Elephant can kill Orwell. So Orwell shoots the Elephant and the crowd of the Burmese roar with excitement. ...

• Word Count: 892
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School