Every stage in life is marked by a form of pressure drive that needs to be overcome by individual principles and values. Peer represent the group of people whom you spend time with and perform most of the activities. The narrative "Shooting an elephant" by Gorge Orwell reflects on his time in colonial Burma as a police officer working for British Raj. The book illustrates how people may be manipulated into doing actions that are contrary to the preservation of their social image. The scene is exemplified by a multitude that followed a man just to watch him shoot and killing the elephant. Basically, the multitude represented the press before. The representation of the people as Burmese and the author mere actions give us the environment in which the story is set.
No matter how strict the law is imposed, Orwell suggests that there will always be one or more people who will be brave enough to violate them. Being just like the other English and a military occupier, he experienced much hatred from the villages. The Burmese never staged a revolt but through harsh harassment to the Europeans, they expressed their disgust. As Orwell walked down the street the Burmese hurls at him with the Buddhist priests tormenting him most. The abuse that Orwell suffers from was rhetorical since he was secretly and theoretically on their side. To some extent, he opposed the very own British administration he served.
Through taking care of the wretched prisoners, Orwell felt guilty for being part of the Europe colonialism though he never knew that this was just a warning since there was a worse regime that was building up. Despite the fact that he hated the unconscionable tyranny he also felt obsessed by the insolent Burmese and the Buddhist priest who torment him. One day an incident erupted that gave Orwell the insight and potential in realizing his true nature of imperialism. He received a call from a colleague policeman informing him that rogue of an elephant was causing harm to the town. As Orwell headed towards the scene, the local informs him about the elephant as a domesticated one, therefore, it was not wild but it had an attack of “must.” They suggested that when a tamed elephant broke the chains and got out control it destroys both the private and public properties and the Burmese were unable to restrain this elephant.
When Orwell arrives where the elephant was spotted lastly in one of the poorer neighborhood he analyses the state of affairs and found to have less sense. The habitat gave contradicting report that almost made Orwell conclude that it was a hoax. Instantly he hears a commotion where he found a laborer who had skinned and crushed by the elephant lying dead in the mud. Orwell ordered for a gun that can kill an elephant, which is delivered to him by his colleague. The local reveals the elephant has been spotted near the rice paddy and Orwell swiftly walks towards the field as the large group locals follow him.
Most people who were no longer interested in the elephant, on seeing the gun they became overwhelmed and anxious to see how the beast will be brought down. Orwell had not planned to kill the elephant, therefore, he felt guilt since he had just requested the gun for his self-defense. On reaching on the paddies, Orwell spots the animals which stood calmly with no signs of violence and was just eating grass. He is determined that the “must attack” of the animal will end soon. He decides to watch the animal to ensure it is not aggressive again to cause harm.
On making the decision, Orwell is astonished to see thousands of people who wanted to see the animal’s demise. At first, Orwell thinks he is a magician granted the role to entertain the people but later he realizes that he was influenced and compelled to take down the elephant. Orwell’s inability to resist the bloodlust from the crowd gives him insight that the locals had a superior kind of influential authority. He realized that the imperialist did what the Burmese expected them to do. He is engulfed and constrained in impressing the empires subject while embodying the figure of western authority. Orwell realized that by ordering a rifle, it was like making a commitment to kill the elephant. The decision of giving the elephant a chance to live would make the crowd, which was eagerly waiting to see his malicious miracle, laugh at him and therefore there was no option of sparing the elephant.
Killing the elephant to Orwell was like committing murder and wastage of a precious commodity. Deciding to test whether the animal was temperament was to endanger Orwell life and at the same time, he would look an idiot especially if the elephant maimed him. This gave Orwell a clear conclusion that extreme and sophisticated. He loads his gun, lies on the load to take aim of his target. This is followed by the sighs in anticipation of the crowd. Orwell takes a good aim at the elephant, far to hit the brain, and then he fires. The crowd applause roars in excitement as the elephant suddenly appears weakened. Sooner than later, the elephants sink on knees which is followed by another shoot which make the elephant wobble to its foot again. The third short makes the elephant tumble on the ground with its trumpet growing louder and its mighty weight shaking the ground.
Orwell waits for the elephant to die but it breathes laboriously on the ground. Even on firing direct to the elephant heart, it still seems hard to notice the bullet. Orwell leaves the scene when he is unable to bear the much suffering of the elephant. Late Orwell is informed that the Burmese stripped its meat off. The killing of elephant became a controversial debate since the owner who was an India had no legal resource. Orwell point of killing the lion was to avoid looking like a fool.
The whole event that drove Orwell in killing the elephant was embedded in social pressure. The pressure and demand from the crowd made Orwell make a decision that was against his will. His will was to see the lion live. The most magnificent moment is when the lion is taken down which is a symbol of the irrational savagery contributed by colonialist. This also reflects on the modern decision and actions that we take to prove our barbarity in the positions that we serve to our peers. Orwell desire not to be laughed at motivates him to kill the lion. He is afraid of the humiliation and the general figure of authority that could be portrayed to the locals. The imperialism conventions compel Orwell to partake an irrational and inhumane role despite his reasoned introspection.
Conclusion
Orwell portrays several incidences which are driven by peer pressure to perform actions that are irrational and against his values. He is also staunch to the colonial master which he knew it was wrong and entrenches himself in barbarism. The decision of shooting the elephant is a mere paradox explaining the extent of social and peer pressure. Orwell represents peer pressure as a force that can push you to extremes of taking an irrational decision such as killing a harmless creature and a valuable property.
Work Cited
Orwell, George. "Shooting an Elephant (1936)." A Collection of Essays (1970).
