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Orwell’s Elephant On Shooting an Elephant Officer Blair received a report of a run away elephant within his jurisdiction. Leaving in response to the emergency, he is followed. The crowd following him swells to the thousands, all intent on witnessing the killing of the elephant and profiting from the carcass. As they grew nearer to the beast, the crowd grew more agitated. They were expecting him to shoot the elephant. Oddly, the nearer Blair/ Orwell came to the elephant the less he wanted to shoot the beast. The elephant had not intentionally caused harm; he was just being an elephant. The villagers had, by now whipped themselves into some kind of vigilante frenzy, hell-bent for the elephant’s execution. Orwell felt as though he had no choice but to kill the giant. If not, all respect for the territorial police and authority would be lost. The sahib, as he expresses it must maintain the allusion of authority and respect. He had to shoot the elephant now. To fail at this would seal his fate as any type of authority figure. Orwell eventually shoots the elephant and watches as the elephant reacts. Not mortally wounded, Orwell shoots repeatedly. Each time he fires at the elephant there is a different and violent reaction by the elephant; a reluctance to die. Orwell empathizes with the elephant’s suffering. There is no reason for this animal to suffer like this except ego and crowd rule. Orwell could just as easily not killed the elephant. His position, one of authority, shielded him to a degree; He could have just made a proclamation in favor of sparing the animal, showing an imperial largess, and mercy in sparing the elephant. These animals were after all; extremely valuable as work animals being able to move huge loads and pull whole trees out of the ground. Orwell continues to justify his action. He sought validation through the members of the village. Polling the older men then the younger ones there is a difference of opinion. The older men approve of the killing, the younger ones see the value of the beast and the possibility of some other solution. Eventually Orwell succeeded in justifying his action to himself. His conscience is clear, although he expresses no remorse for the coolie that was killed by the elephant. Orwell had alternatives available. He was the authority in this Gary Hammontree :: Free Essay Writer Orwell’s Elephant On Shooting an Elephant Officer Blair received a report of a run away elephant within his jurisdiction. Leaving in response to the emergency, he is followed. The crowd following him swells to the thousands, all intent on witnessing the killing of the elephant and profiting from the carcass. As they grew nearer to the beast, the crowd grew more agitated. They were expecting him to shoot the elephant. Oddly, the nearer Blair/ Orwell came to the elephant the less he wanted to shoot the beast. The elephant had not intentionally caused harm; he was just being an elephant. The villagers had, by now whipped themselves into some kind of vigilante frenzy, hell-bent for the elephant’s execution. Orwell felt as though he had no choice but to kill the giant. If not, all respect for the territorial police and authority would be lost. The sahib, as he expresses it must maintain the allusion of authority and respect. He had to shoot the elephant now. To fail at this would seal his fate as any type of authority figure. Orwell eventually shoots the elephant and watches as the elephant reacts. Not mortally wounded, Orwell shoots repeatedly. Each time he fires at the elephant there is a different and violent reaction by the elephant; a reluctance to die. Orwell empathizes with the elephant’s suffering. There is no reason for this animal to suffer like this except ego and crowd rule. Orwell could just as easily not killed the elephant. His position, one of authority, shielded him to a degree; He could have just made a proclamation in favor of sparing the animal, showing an imperial largess, and mercy in sparing the elephant. These animals were after all; extremely valuable as work animals being able to move huge loads and pull whole trees out of the ground. Orwell continues to justify his action. He sought validation through the members of the village. Polling the older men then the younger ones there is a difference of opinion. The older men approve of the killing, the younger ones see the value of the beast and the possibility of some other solution. Eventually Orwell succeeded in justifying his action to himself. His conscience is clear, although he expresses no remorse for the coolie that was killed by the elephant. Orwell had alternatives available. He was the authority in this