In the memoir “Shooting An Elephant,” George Orwell narrates his experience as a British Colonial police officer in Burma. Despite harboring hatred for the British Empire and his actions, Orwell faces moral dilemmas that contradict his beliefs, ultimately exposing his character flaws.
In the story, Orwell consistently presents evidence of Non¦l’s lack of decision-making ability based on his own morals, refusal to use his power in accordance with his values, and fear of humiliation, which ultimately demonstrates his lack of genuine courage. True courage is defined by possessing strong values and remaining steadfast to them in challenging situations. The difficulties faced by Non¦l begin when he accepts a position as a British colonial police officer.
Despite his disdain for imperialism, the protagonist takes a position in Burma, where he witnesses the impact of British colonial rule. “I had already decided that imperialism was a negative force… In theory, and secretly, I supported the Burmese and opposed their oppressors, the British. As for the work I was assigned, I detested it vehemently beyond words.” Despite his strong emotions, Rowel continues to work as an officer. He opposes the Empire he serves but remains passive in taking any action against it.
Despite his despise for imperialism, Orwell finds himself enforcing it in his daily life. Throughout the story, Orwell contemplates quitting his job but ultimately does not. This decision puts him in a situation where his morals are tested. Faced with the challenge of shooting an elephant that has become a threat to the community, Orwell fails to adhere to his own morals and instead alters them to meet the expectations of the Burmese. He admits, “Moreover, I did not in the least want to shoot him.” In an attempt to delay shooting the elephant, Orwell rationalizes his decision to observe it for a while. However, he later realizes that he has no choice but to shoot the elephant. This illustrates Orwell’s lack of genuine courage as he allows external influences to dictate his actions rather than sticking to his own values and beliefs. His actions display cognitive dissonance, where his actions contradict his own values.
The story by George Orwell illustrates his lack of true courage as he allows others’ feelings to control his actions. As a British colonial police officer, Orwell possesses considerable power, but he demonstrates his lack of courage through irresponsible use of this power. Despite working for the British Empire, Orwell believes that the rules and laws enforced by the British are cruel and unfair. Despite his significant authority, he takes no action to prevent the mistreatment of the Burmese, stating, “In a job like that you see the dirty work of Empire at close quarters.”
The wretched prisoners huddling in the stinking cages of the lock-ups, the grey, cowed faces of the long-term convicts, and the scarred buttocks of the men flogged with bamboos oppressed me with an overwhelming sense of guilt. Orwell, being susceptible to external influences, is considered weak. He feels compassion for the Burmese who are unfairly treated by the British but does nothing to put an end to the abuse. Additionally, he upholds the despised British laws that contradict his own values, enforcing the British Empire due to his weakness.
In the passage, George Orwell’s misuse of power is evident as he enforces rules created by the Empire he despises. This leads him into a situation where he again misuses his power by calling for the elephant rifle. The Barman, unable to do anything, leaves Orwell with the power to handle the situation on his own. Orwell acknowledges his commitment to take action when he sent for the rifle, and finds himself as the white man with a gun facing an unarmed native crowd. The Burmese population, lacking weapons, is defenseless against the elephant. This puts Orwell in a position where he must make a decision.
He alone possesses a gun, making him the sole entity capable of causing harm to the elephant. Despite holding the belief that the elephant should be spared, he chooses to misuse his authority and fatally shoot the animal. This act by Rowel serves as a demonstration of his lack of bravery. Rowel’s most significant personal deficiency lies in his intense fear of being publicly humiliated by the Burmese people. This fear is apparent during a football match, where the Burmese intentionally target and injure Orwell since they are aware of his reluctance to defend himself.
Orwell’s lack of assertiveness when faced with mistreatment by the locals can be attributed to his fear of embarrassment, which ultimately results in feelings of humiliation. In one instance, Orwell recalls being tripped up on the football field by a nimble Barman and despite the referee, who was also a Barman, looking away, the crowd responded with hideous laughter. As a minority, Orwell lacks confidence in defending himself as he is afraid of experiencing humiliation. He feels powerless and out of place, making it challenging for him to muster the necessary courage to stand up for himself.
In another instance, Rowel’s courage is tested when he faces the task of shooting the elephant in front of a huge crowd of Bursars. Initially, George Orwell intends to observe the elephant’s behavior and ensure the safety of the Burmese people. However, he soon realizes that he is becoming the center of attention, as almost two thousand Bursars follow him to the scene. This audience hampers his ability to do what is right, as he becomes more concerned about avoiding humiliation. All I could think of was that if anything went wrong, those two thousand Bursars would witness me being pursued, caught, trampled on, and reduced to a grinning corpse like that Indian up the hill. And if that were to happen, it was quite likely that some of them would find it amusing… which is unacceptable. George Orwell bears immense pressure during this time as he feels the piercing gazes of the thousands of Burmese people. He genuinely believes in the Bursars and desires greater appreciation from them. However, since they despise the British and Orwell is a British police officer, he carries a heavy burden.
Orwell’s desire to gain the gratitude of the natives leads him to alter his values in order to please them. While his values start off in the right place, the pressure from external forces causes him to prioritize avoiding humiliation over fulfilling his responsibilities. Instead of focusing on doing his job, Orwell becomes consumed with the fear of being humiliated. This fear constantly influences his decision-making, preventing him from doing what is right. Throughout the story, Orwell’s lack of courage is evident as the natives easily manipulate and dominate him due to his overwhelming fear of humiliation. True courage, on the other hand, is demonstrated by individuals who act according to their morals despite the external pressures they face.
In George Orwell’s memoir “Shooting an Elephant,” the British police officer in Burma faces external pressures. Amidst a call about a rampaging elephant in a condition known as “must,” he must make a decision on how to handle the situation. Within his memoir, numerous instances depict his character flaws, including his inability to act in line with his own morals, his failure to employ his authority to align with his convictions, and his overpowering fear of being humiliated. True courage involves disregarding external influences and acting in accordance with one’s own beliefs.
