Orwell describes his experience as a police officer in British-controlled Burma where he faced rejection and hostility from the local population. As an elephant was ravaging the village, Orwell was pressured into shooting it despite it not posing a serious threat, in order to avoid embarrassment. The incident gave Orwell new insight into the oppressive nature of imperialism and he realized he opposed British rule over Burma.

1. CeRPdel Sur,Atlántida,2010 ErnestoMuniz-Junior
SHOOTING AN ELEPHANT ESSAY
The story writtenbyGeorge Orwell ispresentedasaself-experience narration bythe author,who
isthe maincharacter and tellsabouthisjobasa police officerinBurma,India,whenaBritish
colony.
As a Britishhimselfandina positionof control overthe nativeshe depictsthe atmosphere of that
place ina time whenthe BritishEmpire wasreachingitsinevitable end.Orwelldescribesthe
reactionhispresence producedamongthe Burmese,whichof course wasof rejection,mocking,
and insultinghim.He evenpointsoutthe factthat Buddhist´swere the mostviolenttowardsthe
Britishinwhatcan be consideredascriticismof the Buddhistreligion,whichissupposedtopursue
peace and meditation.
However,notonlydoeshe portrayhow he was despisedbythe Burmese people,buthe also
makesreference tothe discriminationamongsocial classesinIndia “theyoungermen,said it was
a damn shameto shootan elephantforkilling a Coolie, becausean elephantwasworth morethan
any damn CoringheeCoolie.”
Orwell usesthe episode of the elephantasthe eventthattriggersthe actionof the story as well as
to cause suspense aboutthe ending-the readerswonderwhetherhe will shootitornot.It works
as the perfectinitiatorof the actionsince anelephantwanderingaround,ravagingandcausing
disturbswaspart of the jobhe had to deal withandput himin the uncomfortable positionof
doingwhathe thoughtwasrightor doingwhathe was expectedtodo.
The fact that the animal thatwas causingtrouble inthe storywasan elephantmakesthe ideaof
killingitgrotesqueandmuchworse thanhad it beenanother,aselephantsinIndiaare tamed,live
amongpeople andare evenusedas a meansof transport.
Beingpushedtodo somethingunnecessary,takingintoaccountthatthe animal wasjustgoing
throughan attack of “must”whichwas alreadypassing, “solely to avoid looking a fool” is whathe
calls“enlightening”and gave him“a better glimpsethan I had had beforeof the real natureof
Imperialism-therealmotivesfor which despotic governmentsact.”
We can assume byhissayingthat, thathe didnot remaininthatpositionmuchlongerandthat it
was whathe neededtolistentohisownfeelingstowardsthe Empire “atthattime I had already
madeup my mind that Imperialismwasan evil thing (…) secretly (…) I wasall for the Burmeseand
againsttheoppressors,theBritish.”