Detailed Analysis of George Orwell's 'Shooting an Elephant' Essay

This assignment is a comprehensive analytical paper examining George Orwell's essay, 'Shooting an Elephant'. The paper begins with an overview of the literary work, followed by a brief discussion of the author, George Orwell, and his background. It then assesses the language used in the essay, highlighting its clarity and effectiveness. The paper further explores the educational benefits of studying this work, including insights into imperialism, colonial life, and the development of self-awareness. Finally, the author reflects on the personal impact of the essay on their own life and learning, demonstrating a deeper understanding of the text's themes and implications. The paper utilizes Smitherman's text as a reference and adheres to MLA format, providing a well-structured and insightful analysis of the selected literary work.

Running head: ANALYTICAL PAPER
ANALYTICAL PAPER
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

Running head:
Overview of the literary work
The text that has been selected for the analysis is ‘Shooting an Elephant’. It is an essay by
British author George Orwell. It vividly describes an event that took place in the Burma, which
at that time was a British colony. The main event was the killing of the elephant by the narrator
or the author himself.
Discussion of the Author
George Orwell was born in 1903. He died in 1950 at the age of 46. He is one of the most
popular English journalist, essayist and critics of the Twentieth century (Hollis). He was known
to be a sharp critic of the Colonialism and Imperialism. He criticised the operations of the British
Empire in their various colonies. Among his best known works is the novella, Animal Farm
(1945).
Language assessment of the text
The language of the prose is very lucid and engaging. It displays the essential
characteristics of the modern English language. The language is quite straightforward and
presented in a matter-of-fact manner. It presents the reality of the picture that is being showcased
much effectively.
Gaining from the literary work
Students can gain better learning about the history of imperialism. Moreover, students
can learn more about the daily life and the social conditions that were present in the British
colonies of the past (Pordzik). It can help students to gain further insights about the effect of
power dynamics on the common people of any place.
Creation of self-awareness
The students would be more self-aware as the text provides a more humane commentary
on the situations that prevailed under imperialism. Students would learn to look at a given
situation from different perspectives. This would help in the development of better self-
understanding.
Implications on personal life and learning
The text has greatly impacted my personal life. It has helped me to develop my thinking
with more reason and rationality. The text has been an important source of learning and
understanding about life.

Running head:
References
Hollis, Christopher. A study of George Orwell: the man and his works. Skyhorse, 2017.
Pordzik, Ralph. "George Orwell’s Imperial Bestiary: Totemism, Animal Agency and Cross-
Species Interaction in “Shooting an Elephant”, Burmese Days and
“Marrakech”." Anglia 135.3 (2017): 440-466.