Question

Write a short note on the treatment meted out to the europeans by the native burmese

Answer 1

Shooting an Elephant presents an account of George Orwell’s, originally Eric Blair, life in Burma where he was posted as a subdivisional police officer of the British. Burma was a major inspiration for Orwell and his works and remained an important influence throughout his literary career. His experiences in Burma shaped his career in a way and its effect could be clearly felt in his works including his best one ‘1984’. ‘Burmese Days’ presents a detailed account of his life in Burma but apart from that there are other works including ‘A Hanging’ & ‘Shooting an Elephant’ that highlight the beautiful and ugly aspects of life as the author got to live and experience in Burma.  Despite a strong anti European feeling among the natives making him feel guilty and bitter, the author could not help feeling for the helpless local people who just did not have better means to express their anguish and disgust over imperial forces. Orwell felt a strong sense of guilt and therefore resigned when he was in England on a leave. However, he continued to publish several literary pieces that showed his strong disgust against the imperial evil in Asia. ‘Shooting an Elephant’ presents an interesting account of life in Burma and vividly portrays how the less developed orientals felt about their oppressors.  However, his works also show Orwell’s sensitivity to the inhumanity perpetrated by the imperialist forces and the everlasting impact it was going to have on the Eastern people’s conscience.