Shooting an Elephant

Analytical Essay # 3572

Literature > English

This paper is a critical analysis of George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant."

880 words () | 0 sources | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" and how the author uses metaphors to represent his feelings on imperialism, the internal conflict between his personal morals, and his duty to his country.

From the Paper:

"Orwell expresses his conflicting views regarding imperialism throughout the essay by using three examples of oppression and by deliberately using his introspection on imperialism. In this story, Orwell is taking part in imperialism by proving his power and dignity to the natives presenting imperialism metaphorically through the use of animals. He is using the elephant as a symbol of imperialism representing power as an "untamed animal that has control over the village" (Orwell, 559). He uses a large and very powerful animal to represent a significant metaphor for imperialism. In doing so he leads to the understanding that the power behind imperialism is only as strong as its dominant rulers."