One interpretation is that the elephant represents Imperialism, which is oppressing the Burmese people. The elephant already killed a coolie, which represents imperialism taking over the people on a small scale. The elephant needs to be killed before it oppresses the people even further.
To look at the story from a literal sense, the elephant needed to be killed simply because it already killed one of the citizens and it posed as a threat to the people's safety.
Shooting an Elephant was created in 1936.
There will be 1 less elephant
Shooting an Elephant is set in Burma, Afghanistan.
the elephant
In a recent class discussion we came to the conclusion that the elephant symbolizes the imperialistic regime.
The crowd following Orwell in his story "Shooting an Elephant" is described as being large and growing as they gather to witness the potential shooting of the elephant. The crowd consists of a mix of locals and curious onlookers.
In "Shooting an Elephant," the elephant symbolizes the power dynamics between the colonizers and the colonized. The decision to shoot the elephant represents the internal conflict faced by the narrator in upholding the oppressive system of imperialism. Ultimately, the elephant's death highlights the destructive nature of imperialism for both the colonizer and the colonized.
The purpose of the story "Shooting an Elephant" is about to put a light on imperialism. It is also to show that what is legal, and what is morally acceptable may not be compatible.
Orwell's purpose in giving details about the elephant's slow death was to emphasize how unnecessary it was to have killed the elephant. George Orwell was an English writer.
Very informal
The protagonist in "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell is the narrator, who is a British police officer in colonial Burma. The antagonist could be seen as the pressure and expectations from the local Burmese population, who are watching and goading the narrator to shoot the elephant.
The narrator leaves before the elephant is dead because he feels increasing pressure and scrutiny from the crowd to act decisively. He is conscious of the expectations placed upon him as a representative of the British Empire and feels compelled to maintain his authority and status, even though he is conflicted about shooting the elephant.