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Jackie Mulholland
ENC1101_Online
Essay Three
Professor Brooks
July 26th, 2016
Humanity Lost
In the grand scheme of things, one single life doesnt make a difference to the world,
unless it is a human life, then it takes top priority. As the dominant life form on this planet,
humans are very good at categorizing and labeling: A white mans life is worth more than an
Indians, and an Indians life is worth more than an elephants. This has been the norm from the
dawn of time, and as soon as there was differentiation, ranking also came into play. The animal
kingdom is fraught with both death and survival; humans, however, brought emotion into the
mix. No longer are animals killed for the sole purpose of food or clothing; now they are killed
for sport, out of anger, or out of fear. In Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell, this situation
comes to light, as pressure and fear lead to the death of an elephant. The killing of an animal
solely because one cannot control it, is never justified, especially to the animal.
The laws of man are just that, laws created by men. Being the dominate species on the
planet has imbued the human mind with thoughts of grandeur and importance. Humility is a
fickle thing, its ebb and flow changing with the times to suit the norms of society. George
Orwells statement sums up his society pretty well: [E]very white mans life in the East, was
one long struggle not to be laughed at (240). Times change and so do perspectives, however the

importance of man will always reign supreme. The animal kingdom does not recognize such
laws, and rightly so; after all, they were here first.
If a person was being held captive against their will, they would be justified in using any
means necessary to escape. There would be no uproar, no trial, and no punishment, simply
justification. How could anyone blame an elephant, a beautifully majestic creature, for simply
trying to survive? The blame comes in when they commit a crime against humanity, a human
crime. It is not illegal to do anything in the natural world; kill to eat, kill to protect and kill to
dominate, those are the laws of nature. Knowing the elephant was in musth, a naturally
occurring process, he was chained up and restrained (Orwell 238); this was probably not the best
thing to do to an elephant. He does not know societys rules and he does not know the proper
way to act like a human. An elephant is an elephant, yet they are expected to follow the rules of
man; unless, those rules put the elephant on top, then they must be killed.
The death of a villager was a sad outcome to the situation the elephant was put in; a
situation he did not choose or welcome. Once free, his only goal was to live as such, not to seek
revenge. Once in the paddy fields, there was no attack, no anger, no animosity, simply freedom
(Orwell 240). Unfortunately, that freedom was short lived and the will of man dominated once
again. This was a will not of safety, or protection, or kindness, but one of saving face. Even
Orwell himself admitted I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool (242). This sad realization
shows the true depth of a mans perception of fairness, especially when it comes to animals. Yes,
a villager sadly lost his life, but the motives behind each murder tells more about the soul than
anything ever could.
Justification is something that has no place in the natural world. Animals are always
justified in anything they do; there is no revenge, no confinement, no torture, and no hatred

among animals, only survival. It is humans that bring all those horrible traits to the table. No
longer are animals just used for food and clothing; now they work the farms, they entertain the
masses and they are held captive for ones enjoyment. People forget the situations animals are
put in against their will, some never knowing their natural habitat or what it means to be free.
The survival instinct of the elephant overrides Orwells want to maintain his image. The laws and
rules a society invents, help to maintain order and fairness; those rules, however, need to be
extended to include everyone and everything. The humility of man could do with an upgrade,
and a better realization that justification lies in the eye of the beholder.

Works Cited
Orwell, George. Shooting an Elephant. Readings for Writers: Indian River State College
Special Edition. Eds. Jo-Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthonly C. Winkler. Mason, Ohio:
Cengage, 2013. 237-242. Print.