“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell

Shooting an Elephant, tells the story of a police (sub commissary), who starts by telling us how was his life at Moulmein, the only place where he was hated in his entire life. Giving us a brief account of the imperialism of the time and his preferences, he tells us how a small accident happened one day when a morning like any other received a call from an inspector from the other end of the city, requesting his help for an elephant which was ruled by a fit of fury. He did not know what to do, but proceeded to the call, leaving in a pony with a small rifle with which it would frighten the elephant.

Although the elephant had already calmed down, the natives believed that the sub commissary was going to kill it, forming a large crowd which intimidated him, making him doubt whether he really should kill the elephant or not because it was something they expected from him.

Sadly, the sub commissary ended up shooting the elephant many times, killing his life slowly, something that he did not really want and that he only did because he was pushed to and fro by the yellow faces behind,’’ perceiving in that moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys’’.

In my opinion, this story is a pure reflection of what we live today. Many times we do things to please others, because if we do not we will not be accepted or we will not be "fashionable," not knowing that the only one injured in a morning will be us.

Works Cited

Orwell, George. ”Shooting an Elephant.” Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. The British Tradition, Ed. Kate Kinsella. Prentice Hall, 2002 pp: 1018-1026.