Shooting an Elephant
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About writer & Essay:
George Orwell (1903-1950)
Born in Bengal to British parents
Served in the Imperial Police in Burma
Famous books - Burmese days, Animal farm,
'Shooting an Elephant' - title essay in "Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays (1980) - written in 1936, collection came later in 1980.
The essay exposes that imperialism is an evil thing.
Summary of Shooting an Elephant
The action of "Shooting an Elephant" begins when the narrator receives a telephone report of an elephant ravaging (favi) the bazaar. He takes his hunting rifle and rides on horseback to the area where the animal was. The narrator remarks on the squalor (e) and poverty of the neighborhood. The narrator asks about the elephant and receives a vague (32) answer. Suddenly, an old woman comes near to a group of children. She is trying to prevent them seeing a corpse, a Burmese man crushed by the elephant. With a death confirmed, the tensed situation has rose. The narrator still hopes not to have to shoot the elephant.
The narrator locates the elephant in a field. The crowd has followed him. He suddenly understands that although the elephant no longer poses a threat, the crowd's expectation of the killing will force him to do it. He loads the cartridges into the gun, pulls the trigger and shoots. The animal staggers (f) but attempts in an agony (3) to rise. The narrator fires a third time and now the animal is down on the earth. Its crash shakes the ground under the narrator's feet. The three bullets have not killed the elephant, however, which continues to gasp ( vara ferg) in pain as it lies in the field. The narrator now takes up his small-calibre hunting rifle and fires into the animal's heart. Still it does not die. Later he knew that it died after half an hour. On the death of elephant, Europeans had duel opinions. Old people thought that Orwell did right by killing the elephant. On the other hand, young people thought that elephant was more valuable than a coolie
Elephant, who had an owner, might have made complicated (f) matters .However, the writer feels happy to have killed it because it had killed a collie (14). So he says "I was very glad, that the coolie had been killed; it put me legally in the right."
To sum up, "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell deals with the evils of imperialism. Orwell uses metaphors to represent his feelings on imperialism, his inner conflict between his personal morals and his duty to his country. Orwell demonstrates his outlook and feelings about imperialism () and how it effects his duty as to being a white man.
What is the purpose of the first two paragraphs? In what ways do they introduce the incident Orwell narrates in his essay? पहिलो दुई अनुच्छेदको उद्देश्य के हो? ओवेलले आफ्नो निधमा वर्णन गरेको घटनालाई उनीहरूले कुन तरिकाबाट परिचय
Ans: The purpose of first two paragraphs is to show Burmese hatred toward British Empire. It is clear that Orwell hates his job as a colonial police officer because of the way locals treat him. In the narrative technique, it tells that to save from their hatred and to show his boldness, he has to kill the elephant.
What thesis about "the real nature of imperialism" does Orwell prove by narrating this "tiny incident"?(" वास्तविक प्रकृति" को बारेमा ओरवेलले “सानो घटना" लाई वर्णन गरेर के सिद्धान्त प्रमाणित गर्छन ?
Ans: The British government strengthened their iron hand every where they ruled. In Burma also, it was seen badly. Realizing the truth, the author also felt sympathy for the Burmese and went against the British. Though he served for the British Government, he was in support of the native people. The condition of the prisoners made him cry. All these created a sense of guilt in Orwell's mind and he thought that imperialism is obviously evil as it never worked for the development of the country but always wanted to suppress the common people.
What is the reasons Orwell considering when he tries to decide whatto do? What does he conclude, was his main purpose in shooting the elephant? (ओर्वेलले के गर्ने भनेर निर्णय गर्ने प्रयास गर्दा बिचार गर्ने कारणहरू के हुन् ? उसले हात्तीलाई गोली हन्नुको मुख्य उद्देश्यमा उके निर्णयमा पुग्यो ?)
Ans:He has killed the elephant because it was a matter of his prestige. Burmese has already blocked the road from one side to another side. They were watching him as Orwell would perform a trick like a magician. He was pressed forward by the will of the thousands. of people. He was with his gun but if he didn't shoot the elephant, it would be matter of shame.
So, unwillingly, he was guided here and there by the will of the yellow faces (Burmese). So, though Orwell had no original. intention of killing the elephant, he was determined to do it as it was a matter of dignity in front of people (Burmese).
What kind of people does Orwell imagine will read his essay?
(ओरवेलले आफ्नो निबन्ध कस्ता मानिसहरूले पढ्लान् भनेर कल्पना गर्छन्?)
Ans:Orwell imagines that his essay would be read by those people who want to know the negative impact of colonization.
Why did he really shoot the elephant?
Ans: He thought that he would shoot if he were attacked again. Otherwise, he would wait until the mahout came back. The ground was very soft and one would sink at every step. If elephant charged and the author missed it, then he would be like a toad under a steam roller. He was not afraid at least in front of the native people. He was always thinking that if anything went wrong, those 2000 Burmese would see him perused, caught, trampled on and changed to corpse like the Indian coolie. He was not in any mood to be an object of fun to others. So, there was no other alternative.
Why did he really shoot the elephant? (वास्तविकरुपमाठनले हात्तीलाई किन गोली हाने ?)
Ans:If he didn't shoot the elephant, it would be matter of his shame. Burmese would think that he is cowardice and can not maintain. peace and security in Burma.
What techniques does Orwell use to describe the shooting as a drama? Who is the audience? How does their attitude influence the leading actors ? (सुटिङलाई नाटकको रूपमा वर्णन गर्न अर्वेलले कुन प्रविधिको प्रयोग गर्छन्? दर्शक को हो? तिनीहरूको मनोवृत्तिले प्रमुख कलाकारहरूलाई कसरी प्रभाव पार्छ?)
Ans: He uses narrative technique as Orwell uses to describe the shooting as a drama. His audience are oppressed by imperialism. Their attitude influences the leading actors that colonialism leads to contradictory thinking as Orwell is able to better understand imperialism through his run-in with the elephant because the elephant serves as a symbol of colonialism. For example, much like the Burmese who have been colonized and who abuse Orwell, the elephant has been provoked to destructive behavior by being oppressed. While its destructive behavior, and the Burmese' more subtle rebelliousness may not be unequivocally good things that they are made understandable given the oppressive conditions both elephant and Burmese have had to endure..
How does Orwell pace the shooting of the elephant in paragraphs 11 and 12? How does the elephant's slow death affect Orwell's point of view toward what he has done? (ओवेलले अनुच्छेद ११ र १२ मा हात्तीको गोलीलाई कसरी गति दिन्छन् ? हात्तीको मृत्यु ढिलो हुनुले उसले गरेको कामप्रति ओरवेलको दृष्टिकोणलाई कसरी असर गर्छ?)
Ans: In the story as he looked around, he found himself virtually surrounded with a sea of yellow faces, eager and excited at the prospect of an elephant being killed. They had taken it for granted
Visions A Thematic Anthology | 87 that the sahib was going to kill the elephant and so they were going to have their bit of fun. Besides, they wanted its meat, too. Suddenly and with a feeling of horror, the author realized that he would have to kill the elephant even against his own will and better judgment.
Burma's insulted and laughed at him because he could not kill the elephant at once even if he shot many bullets, it shows that imperialism can be rooted easily and take time. In this regard, elephant stands for colonizer or imperialism. For, the huge crowd of natives was expecting him to shoot the elephant and he, as the representative of the omnipotent British Imperial Rule, was bound to live up to that expectation. That was the irony of imperialist domination, the author felt. The white men deprive the natives of their freedom and, in the process, lose his own. At that moment, the author felt that he had no will of his own, but was being driven on by the will of the multitude that surrounded him.
Why is it important to "avoid looking a fool" (14)? What does it mean to be laughed at? What is the difference between acting like a joker and acting like a fool? ("मूर्ख नदेख्नु" किन महत्वपूर्ण छ (१४)? हाँस्नुले के अर्थ राख्छ? जोकरको जस्तो अभिनय गर्नु र मुर्खको जस्तो अभिनय गर्नुमा के फरक छ?)
Ans: It is important to "avoid looking a fool because he has killed an elephant on which young people think that he did wrong to kill it because it was more valuable than man. As he has killed, the elephant was in calm so that his shooting to the elephant seems to be a work of foolish man. Acting like a joker can make us laugh but acting like a fool make us insulted and can harm us.
Much of Orwell's essay assumes a knowledge of the word's "imperialism" and "despotism." What do these words mean? How do they apply to the essay? What current events you can identify in which these words might also apply? (ओरवेलका धेरैजसो निबन्धले शब्दको “साम्राज्यवाद" र "तानाशाही शब्दको मान राख्छ । यी शब्दहरूको अर्थ के हो? तिनीहरू निबन्धमा कसरी लागु हुन्छन् ? कुन वर्तमान घटनाहरू तपाईंले पहिचान गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ जसमा यी शब्दहरू पनि ला हुन सक्छन् ?)
Ans: Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means. Despotism is the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.
Throughout the essay, Orwell explicitly discusses the nature of British imperialism, specifically the way that he, as a police officer represents and internalizes the imperial project. He opens by revealing the brutality of British colonialism in Burmese with images of tortured prisoners. He discusses his distaste for the empire's impact in Burma. He says that he's on the side of the "Burmese," yet he also resents Burmese people for the way they perceive him. Orwell's self-consciousness as the face of British imperialism is central to his internal conflict as he tries to uphold the image of the impenetrable empire while going against his personal inclination, and killing an elephant that he doesn't want to kill.
Have you ever been placed in a situation in which you were forced to do something that you did not entirely agree with? Discuss such an incident and detail your feelings before, during, and after in an essay. (के तपाईंलाई कहिल्यै त्यस्तो परिस्थितिमा राखिएको छ जसमा तपाईं पूर्ण रूपमा सहमत नभएको कुरा गर्न बाध्य हुनुभयो? निबन्धको अघि, निबन्धभरी र पछि यस्ता परिस्थितिका बारेमा आफ्ना भावनाहरू व्यक्त गर्नुहोस्।)
Ans: Once, as I was studying in class 9, I fell in love with Rahul. I thought that our love was true and we decided to love forever. Without him, I could not think my life. As I would write and read, I would see his face. One day, he invited me to watch movie in Jaya Nepal Film Hall. As we moved out from the hall, our headmaster saw us and complained to our parents.
My parents told me that it was not the age of love making but the time of studying hard. Later, Rahul's parents' also convinced me and Rahul. At that time, I got confusion whether to be with him or leave. Later, I decided to desert him thinking that my parents had seen the dream of my good future.