Blog 4.4: "Shooting an Elephant" Analysis
The story is prose written in chronological order, also known as linear form. The narrator begins the excerpt by explaining how he was within “twenty-five yards of the elephant.” The narration then progresses through his decision to shoot the elephant, and how the elephant did not die and its “breathing did not weaken.” This adds to the meaning of the story by creating suspense for the reader, who will wonder what was going to happen next. The reader was kept intrigued by all of the options the narrator could have done.
The story is told in the first person. First person adds to the story as it shows the internal thoughts and feelings of the narrator, creating an internal consciousness continuum. This is especially prevalent when the author is continuously shooting the elephant, as he felt he “had got to put an end to [the] dreadful noise” of the elephant's struggling breath. This makes the reader sympathize with the narrator, as he is put in several dilemmas. Should he shoot the elephant to preemptively save himself or wait and see what the elephant could do? Should he wait for the elephant to die slowly or continuously shoot the elephant and potentially cause more pain? This contributes to the intrigue that the story creates, as these decisions seem extremely emotionally draining.
The excerpt is also told in the past tense. This creates a reflective tone that gives a feeling of reminiscence and remorse. When the narrator said “I did not then know” how to correctly shoot an elephant, he is almost ashamed of what he did and wishes that if he had to go back and do it again, he would have shot the elephant in a way that caused an instant death.
Language is crucial throughout the short story. Modal verbs are especially prevalent within the beginning of the excerpt, seen when the narrator is uncertain about if he should shoot the elephant. The repetition of phrases “ought to,” “should do,” and “could do” emphasize that the narrator is not certain whether he should shoot the elephant or wait to see what the elephant does. However, this might jeopardize his safety.
This fear of danger is further emphasized by the use of a powerful simile that depicts what would happen if the elephant charged at him. The simile compared the narrator to “a toad under a steamroller” if the elephant were to charge. This further enhances the moral dilemma the author is put in. It also doubles as a comparison of the elephant’s strength; the narrator would surely be killed if the elephant charged.
The crowd watching the narrator shoot the elephant is also described using two linguistic devices: similes and metaphors. The narrator described the crowd to have gone “still” and breathed a “happy sigh, as a group of people who see the theatre curtain go up” when he loaded his gun and aimed at the elephant. This shows that the crowd was not having the same moral dilemma as the narrator with killing the elephant. In fact, they were excited as if this was their entertainment, like the simile indicated.
The metaphor describing the crowd depicted their reaction after the elephant was shot. When the first bullet hit, the crowd let out a “devilish roar of glee.” His lexical choice indicates that he did not agree with the crowd’s reaction, since he described them as “devilish,” or evil in their intentions. Additionally, the word “roar” indicates that the people in the crowd were like animals who were stimulated by the primal sense of adrenaline.
The narrator utilizes lexical fields when describing the elephant after it has been shot. One lexical field revolves around aging. The author repeatedly uses words and phrases like “shrunken,” “enormous senility,” and “legs sagging and head drooping.” This emphasizes the dramatic change from the usual vitality of the elephant. It shows the immense pain that the elephant was experiencing, and foreshadowed the imminent death of the elephant. This prolongs the described scene, as it makes the reader vividly imagine the decline of this animal.
Comments
Post a Comment