Belovich 1

Benjamin Belovich

English 105

Professor J. Westley

13 February 2017

Responses to George Orwells Shooting an Elephant

1. Orwell indeed uses specific language use, organization and, selection of details to

provide insight into the real nature of imperialism. A Burmese perspective of

Orwells overall message is that the people who may be in control in an imperial

type of government system are not in control. Often times, the Burmese people for

example, in an Imperial system are forced to do various things they may not want

to do, for example mandatory military service.

2. With this description, Orwell is using somewhat of a contradiction to make his

point. By crucified and devilish, he means that he was destined to be killed by the

elephant. This is also another reference to the aforementioned Imperial System.

3. Orwell does argue in Shooting an Elephant that imperialism has severe effects on

the imperialists themselves. He proves that imperialism itself is truly a form of

appeasement rather than dominance (even if it can present itself as such). When

Britain claimed Burma as its territory, they were incredibly outnumbered. The

Burmese people did not welcome them into their land. Orwell proves that the

British rule in Burma and their power was solely based on the Burmese tolerance

of them.
4. The impulse connected to language deprivation when Orwell says it would be

pleasurable to [stab] a Buddhist priest, is derived from his own personal feelings

towards the issue, faced by the British rule in Burma and its consequences.