Free Custom «Imperialism» Essay Paper

Shooting an elephant is anarrativeof a British officer based at Moulmein. The narrator in the story has theaimof deriding imperialism in the world by using the British and Burma case.The essay tells the wrongs ofnewimperialism and the,extremeill feelings against Europeans in the east.The narrator also tells on howconsciencecanpreventone from executingoppressivecommands. The narrator puts one supremelysignificantincidentin his career as a police officer that is shooting an elephant for not appearing a fool. After receiving information about a must elephant destroying the village area, he goes on a journey combing for the mammoth savage. In the first phase of the search, he finds a coolie treaded down. The death of the coolie gave him legal andpossiblymoralevidencein the killing of the beast.

The police requests for a rifle and finds the elephant in a rice field, he is notalone, but thewatchof animperialculture blazes at his battle. The glaring of the imperialculturedepicts the tension between the locals and the foreign officers enforcing the law because the British powers had takenpower. Thewriteralso tells us that the locals did not like him but with the weapon in his arm he was worth of watching by the oncehatefulpopulation. Theofficernever intended to harm the beast, but since he never wanted todisappointtheanxiouscrowd, he killed the elephant withoutregardof loses that would cause to the owner.

 

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The story is a metaphor for British imperialism and for thepersona’sperceptionthat when the white man turns a dictator he destroys his ownliberation. The narrator promotes thethoughtthat imperialism destroys the winner and theloser. In his essay, Orwell candidly states hisannoyancewith the colonial Britain.He says that he had decided that imperialism was awickedthing and he was in support of the Burmese, and against the oppressive British tyrants.Orwell admits that the Conqueror is not in control, but the citizens’ will dictates their actions.

The narrator gives the British and the Burmese natives remarkablydistinctdescriptions. The Burmese localshavethedescriptionaslittlebeasts while the elephant representing the British is the key beast. Because of responsibility, he holds theenormousbeastin higher esteem than the locals do.However, he held theforemostbeastwith much esteem his conscience provoked himexceedinglyand entangled him between the hatred of hisempireand his anger against the wicked-spirited little beasts who attempted tomakehis jobdifficult.

All theliteraryelements in thestoryhave been usedartistically and help tocreatethe effect ofrepulsionto imperialism and its barbarities. The message in theessaysensitizes readers about the destruction caused by the tyrannical governments. The story assists the reader tocomprehendmetaphorically how incurrenttimes imperialism can bedestructiveto the conquered and theconqueror. The “shooting an elephant” theme portrays Orwell’s denotativeinvasionon imperialism and its wickedness. Theattackis centeredon hisordealback when he worked at Burma under the British government. All the used elements help toaffirmthecentraltheme with the inclusion of pertinent details.

The plot,atmosphereand conflict among other things all circulate around the narrators theme. The arrangement of theplothelpscreatesuspenseand in expressing ideas clearly. The atmosphere of the story is rich withhatredbecause the Burmese hated the British invader, while the police officials hated the Burmese. Eventhough,Orwell did not hate the Burmese people, he didloathehis job and harborssympathyfor the people. The story is highly reliable since itsnarrationis in the first person’s point of view; this makes the story trustworthy and consistent in its ideas. The country of Burmais knownfor use of elephants in transportation and other things; this makes the elephant symbolism most relevant in the essays context.