![]() ![]() If he acts as a tyrant, he is, he states, the one who loses his freedom. He realizes that everything he’s doing and everything “the white man” does in the east, is a performance for them, the colonized people. He stands with the gun as though he’s the one with power, yet he is entirely swayed by the will of the crowd. ![]() In explicit terms he describes a revelation that he has about “the hollowness, the futility of the white man’s dominion in the east” (33). He feels an obligation to perform for these people. He realizes that he has no choice but to shoot the elephant. He describes the feeling of their collective will bearing down on him. There are now at least two thousand people watching, eagerly waiting for him to shoot the elephant. He plans to leave it.īut as he turns back he sees that the crowd has grown exponentially. He analyzes this rationale and considers his resolve as he observes the elephant grazing and looking entirely harmless. Orwell analyzes his instinct not to kill the elephant, explaining that the animal is like an elaborate piece of “machinery” and the idea of taking it down is antithetical to his instincts (33). The elephant is down in the paddy field grazing, entirely oblivious to the crowd. ![]() When he sees the massive and remarkable elephant he is even more certain that he doesn’t have any inclination to kill it. He says again that he has no intention of shooting the elephant-again, he merely wants to defend himself. Orwell feels unsettled by the attention and the idea of the spectacle that’s being created. Orwell is led down to some paddy fields below, where the elephant is said to be grazing. The Burmese are also interested, he says, in the elephant meat. Orwell remarks that English people would be the same. He attributes their interest to the presence of the gun they want to see the spectacle of the elephant being shot. As he goes, he realizes that a massive crowd has mobilized. The elephant gun arrives and Orwell heads down to see the elephant. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |