"Shooting an Elephant" SOAPSTone

Emory Parsons

SOAPSTone

Subject

The subject of George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” the main idea is people do things they don’t wan to do in situations of group pressure. This police officer does not want to kill the elephant, but he does because 2,000 people are watching and expecting him too. He would not have done it of he was alone. The pressure from the group to act in a way he normally wouldn’t, and this happens to all people in one way or another.

Occasion

“ Shooting an Elephant” was written during 1936. The officer riding a horse, and loading a rifle exhibits the essay’s time creation.  It had to have occurred before the 1900s because people didn’t ride horses in the 1900s, we had cars. Although, the story was written in 1936.

Audience

George Orwell’s specific audience for “Shooting an Elephant” is the entire human society. The target audience is shown by Orwell trying to send the message that people in general, teens, kids, adults, can be subconsciously persuaded to do bad things in the presence of others.

Purpose

George Orwell’s purpose in writing this is that anybody, no matter how strong, will conform to a group. He is warning human society that this situation occurs all the time. It can happen to you. Although, it might not be as severe as killing something or someone. This is proved when the officer knows with all his heart he shouldn’t kill that elephant, but when he turns around and sees 2,000 people, he kills without fear.

Speaker

George Orwell, a man with a intense opposition totalitarianism, believes the reason people do activities they don’t want to do is because of group pressure. He strongly believes that, and he shows it through his example and story of the elephant.

Tone

Orwell articulates a depression tone and blatant attitude about conforming under group pressure. He conveys how sad it really is that people will murder an animal just because people want them to, or the murderer wants the viewers to like him/her. He is very blatant when discussing this; he lays it all out there on the table for you to see. There is no beating around the bush.