SOAPStone for "Shooting an Elephant"

Subject

            The subject of Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is the growing pressures in Burma between the British and the natives. The building conflict between these two peoples is illustrated with the narrators hate for both the British and the Burmese, and also his own job as a police officer. This supports the subject because the narrator is a firsthand account of the hate and growing pressure between Britain and Burma in the time of this story.

Occasion

            “Shooting an Elephant” was written during Great Britain’s control over Burma in 1936. The essay’s time of creation is illustrated by the fact that Britain is ruling over Burma which ended in 1948, while Orwell repeatedly refers to Britain’s cruel rule over Burma. The probable place of the essay’s creation is in Burma because there are a lot of details about Burma such as how he talks about the hundreds of Buddhists that lived there and how harsh they were. In order to know details such as this, the author must have lived in Burma for at least a small amount of time.

            The time and place of the essays creation influence the essay because it is a good time period to show how social pressures and hate affected people’s decisions. In the essay, Orwell talks about how the Burmese natives felt imprisoned by the laws and unfair treatment of their British rulers. This illustrates the influence by showing how the Burmese people truly felt about their imprisoning situation.

Audience

Orwell’s specific audience for “Shooting an Elephant” is people that are high up in government in Britain. The author’s general audience is shown by how Orwell feels towards the British government such as when he says that their actions are wrong and that they should be stopped. I view these statements as a sort of call-to-action to the British government to make a change in how they treat the Burmese natives.

Orwell’s general audience for “Shooting an Elephant” is people around the world that were unknowing of the events that were occurring in Burma. The author’s target audience is revealed by Orwell’s attitudes towards Britain’s treatment of the Burmese natives. This reveals the target audience because in one way or another, Orwell is asking people to watch what is going on in Burma and make an opinion and/or take action.

Purpose

            Orwell’s purpose in “Shooting an Elephant” is to get government officials in Britain and other people around the world to understand what is going on in Burma. Orwell’s attempt to enlighten people is illustrated by the way that he describes what bad shape Burma is in. This proves this purpose because he is attempting to enlighten people on how oppressing Britain is over Burma.

Speaker

            Orwell, who also wrote “Animal Farm,” believes that authoritarian government is oppressive. This value is illustrated by Orwell’s recurring theme in his stories of the fall of authoritarian governments. This illustrates this value because Orwell is attempting to show that totalitarian governments are doomed to fall. This influences the author’s purpose because it is a recurring theme in his stories that Orwell always uses.

Tone

            Orwell exhibits a harsh and conflicted attitude about the growing pressures in Burma between the British and the Natives “Shooting an Elephant.” These attitudes are expressed with the way that Orwell refers to the British government and the natives of Burma.