Page 1: Setting the Scene

George Orwell introduces the setting and conflict in "Shooting an Elephant". As a British colonial police officer in Burma, he faces hatred from the local Burmese population.

The narrator describes his conflicted mindset - he opposes British imperialism but also resents the Burmese who torment him. This internal struggle sets the stage for the central incident with the elephant.

One day, Orwell receives word that a rampaging elephant is causing destruction in town. As he investigates, he encounters contradictory stories from locals about the elephant's location and behavior.

Highlight: The confusion surrounding the elephant's rampage mirrors the complex, often contradictory nature of colonialism itself.

Upon rounding a corner, Orwell discovers the elephant has killed a local laborer, crushed to death in the mud. This grim scene sets in motion the events to follow.

Vocabulary: "Must" - A period of heightened aggression in male elephants, often accompanied by a discharge from the temporal glands.

Quote: "Theoretically - and secretly, of course - I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British."

Page 2: The Dilemma Unfolds

As Orwell continues his search for the elephant in "Shooting an Elephant", he finds himself in an increasingly complex moral situation.

He orders a rifle brought to him for self-defense, not intending to actually shoot the elephant. However, a large crowd of Burmese townspeople begins to follow him, excited by the prospect of seeing the elephant killed.

When Orwell finally spots the elephant, it is peacefully grazing. He realizes that the animal's violent "must" period has likely passed, and there is no practical reason to kill it.

Definition: Imperialism - A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.

However, Orwell feels intense pressure from the expectant crowd behind him. He understands that as a representative of British imperial power, he cannot afford to appear weak or indecisive.

Quote: "When the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys."

This internal conflict illustrates the way imperialism forces individuals to act against their own moral judgments to maintain an image of strength and control.

Example: Just as the elephant was driven to destructive behavior by oppression, so too are the Burmese people pushed to resist their colonial rulers.

Orwell's predicament showcases how colonialism creates impossible situations where there are no clear right answers, only choices between different forms of harm.