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![]() ![]() In the 1946 essay Politics and the English Language, Orwell talks about how to write English prose in an precise and rhetorically forceful style. He says in his essay, “when the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys.” The content of the essay is interwoven with Orwell’s thesis of how imperialism takes a heavy toll on not only the oppressed but also the oppressors. The elephant, like the Burmese people, has become the unwitting victim of the British imperialist’s need to save face. He goes through with it and the death of the animal is elaborated in excruciating detail. Despite his reluctance to kill the elephant, Orwell realizes that if he does not do so, he will be humiliated. The crowd is urging Orwell to kill the animal but Orwell is aware that the animal is probably no longer dangerous. Orwell’s job is to respond to the death of a man killed by the elephant. The essay is set in Moulmein, in Lower Burma, and is based on the author’s personal experience with the Indian Imperial Police. ![]() He did it, for fear of being considered weak. ![]() The animal had been terrorizing a bazaar, but the narrator had grave hesitations about killing it. In this essay, Orwell recalls his own experiences of shooting an elephant in Burma. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. ![]()
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