By George Orwell

Joel Kim
 Shooting An Elephant is based on Orwells
experience while serving in the British Imperial
Police during the occupation of Burma.
The British were in control of Burma up until
their independence in 1948.
 The Imperial Britain
The Europeans
Orwell is speaking to the British population
about their Imperial government.
He mentions how it is.
IneffectiveHurtful..and oppressive to all!
 This essay describes George Orwells
experience in Burma when he was confronted
with the issue of whether or not to shoot an
elephant that had caused trouble in the town.
He compares this situation with the British
occupancy of Burma.
He also discusses his internal debate of
whether or not to shoot the elephant.
He speaks of the British occupancy of Burma
and the hostility of the Burmese people toward
the British.
 Orwell's purpose was to show the oppressiveness of
British Imperial rule.
Imperialism is harmful to everyone, to the
oppressed and the oppressor!
Quote to Prove it
I perceived in this moment that when the white man
turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.
Imperialism can take away freedom even the
Imperialists
But I did not want to shoot the elephantIt seemed
to me that it would be murder to shoot him.
 George Orwell uses
Formal Diction
Syntax
Process analysis
Appealing to ethos
Orwell uses process analysis because he shows the
steps of the story in which the elephant is shot.
Ethos is established in the first few paragraphs,
where we understand that he is a reasonable man.
W/O the ethos found at the beginning of the story,
we would not understand the irony that the
purpose of the story holds!
 Tragic Tone.
Orwell describes the elephants death and the
moments leading up to its shooting with much
detail.
Also uses some elements of distress to express
his controversy with shooting the elephant.
The tone transitions to having an Angry Tone.
Orwell is angry at British Imperial rule
AndHis role.
 Think for a moment about how many of your
decisions are influenced by people in your life.
For Example:
Parents or friends may influence college or
work choices.
Laws may influence decisions
Parents and teachers may influence academic
performance.

Orwell, George. Shooting an Elephant. George Orwell: Shooting an
Elephant, www.orwell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e_eleph.
Cummings, Michael J. Cummings Study Guide. Shooting an Elephant:
a Study Guide, www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides6/Shooting.html.