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How are both Orwell and the elephant examples of a seeming control, when in reality each has little control?

In "Shooting An Elephant," both George Orwell and the elephant appear to possess a degree of power and control. Orwell, for instance, is a sub-divisional police officer, in charge of bringing the elephant under control and restoring calm to the town of Moulmein. Similarly, the elephant is in the midst of its "must" and is rampaging across the town. It is so strong and powerful that it tramples and kills a local man.


Looking deeper,...

In "Shooting An Elephant," both George Orwell and the elephant appear to possess a degree of power and control. Orwell, for instance, is a sub-divisional police officer, in charge of bringing the elephant under control and restoring calm to the town of Moulmein. Similarly, the elephant is in the midst of its "must" and is rampaging across the town. It is so strong and powerful that it tramples and kills a local man.


Looking deeper, however, it becomes clear that neither Orwell nor the elephant has any real control. In Orwell's case, he is the victim of British imperialism, forced to shoot the elephant because the situation dictates that he takes decisive action. Failure to do so would result in his humiliation, as he quickly understands:



And suddenly I realized that I should have to shoot the elephant after all. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it.



Likewise, the description of the shooting of the elephant suggests that the elephant does not really possess any power or control. In contrast, the phrase "he sagged flabbily to his knees" implies that the elephant is a vulnerable and powerless creature, brought quickly into submission by Orwell's weapon.

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