"Shooting an Elephant" Response

1. Was the narrator inherently a bad person?
2. How can this piece relate to current world situations?
3. What can we take away from this piece?

I was actually very excited to re-read “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, because I had to read it for an assignment in high school and really enjoyed it. In its entirety, the piece is a perfect metaphor for British Imperialism and the way the British, as well as other countries, overtook other nations that didn’t have the ability to defend for themselves.
I think the part of this piece that continues to fascinate me most significantly is the aspect that the narrator, presumably Orwell himself, shoots the elephant because he is expected to, not because he wants to. In fact, he feels immense pain having to witness the elephant die slowly and painfully. It always hits me when I read the closing line, in which he states, “I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” It puts the reader in a very hard position, forcing them to think about whether they feel hatred or pity towards the narrator for his actions. I personally feel pity for him, because although he commits a heinous action, I don’t believe he would do so if he wasn’t so closely scrutinized by those around him. He literally felt as though he was carrying the weight of his country on his shoulders, and he wanted to do what he could to protect his homeland.
This story can be related to current issues, such as the war in Iraq. I’ve heard terrible stories of prisoners in Iraq being tortured by American soldiers, and sometimes it is only because it is what is expected of the American soldiers. When you sign up to protect your country, it is very rare that you understand the full implications that come along with that promise.
This is still one of my favorite pieces to read, and I am glad I was able to read it again.