A Close Encounter

Paper Summary:

This paper presents the personal narrative of an experience that the writer regrets participating in. The writer discusses how, after reading George Orwell, he desired to experience the same conflicting emotions as Orwell when he shot an elephant. The paper describes how the writer came to shoot an elephant in the zoo and the consequences of his actions.

From the Paper:

"Later that night, after being picked up from the local city jail by my parents, I listened as they both sought to understand what I was thinking. I believe that was the first time that I truly understood that what they both desired for me was to live my life, experiencing it to the very fullest, while simultaneously remaining smart about it - and taking responsibility for my decisions. All they wanted was for me to make correct decisions and learn from my mistakes. I guess it was hard for them to understand how they could have raised a child who was willing to shoot elephants, but perhaps they had never read Orwell. In the end, however, I didn't have Orwell to blame - nor could I really blame my best friend Daniel. I had to stand on my own two feet as an adult - and doing so meant living up to a shame I have never been able to completely overcome."

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