Describe the Inner Conflict of the Narrator of “Shooting an Elephant.”

Answer

Describe the inner conflict of the narrator of “Shooting an Elephant.”

Or, why does Orwell hesitate to shoot the elephant?

George Orwell’s (1903-1950) “Shooting an Elephant” (1936) shows the pressure and cruelty imperialism creates for both the rulers and the ruled. When Orwell, a British officer in Burma, kills an elephant to avoid looking weak in front of locals, it becomes clear that “when the white man turns tyrant, it is his own freedom that he destroys.”

George Orwell experiences a deep inner conflict while deciding whether to shoot the elephant. This conflict arises from his feelings about colonialism and his role as a British officer in Burma.

The Elephant is Not Mad: On one side, Orwell does not want to shoot the elephant. He sees that the elephant is not mad. It is calm and harmless as it eats grass in the paddy field. Killing it would be unnecessary and wasteful since the elephant is a valuable animal and no longer causes harm. He also feels sympathy for the elephant.

Pressure of Imperialism: On the other side, the narrator feels pressured by the large crowd of Burmese people following him. They expect him to kill the elephant, and he is afraid of looking weak or foolish in front of them if he doesn’t do it. The crowd will laugh at him if he does not kill the elephant. Orwell writes:

A sahib has got to act like a sahib;

This means that even though he dislikes the colonial system, he is forced to act like a ruler to maintain the image of power. 

Moral Struggle: This conflict reflects Orwell’s moral struggle. He knows the right thing to do is to spare the elephant, but he cannot avoid the expectations of the crowd. Ultimately, he shoots the elephant, not out of necessity but to avoid humiliation. This shows how colonialism traps even the colonizer.

To wrap up, Orwell’s hesitation reveals his guilt and the moral burden of being part of an unjust system.