Posted by Paul Gilbert on July 03, 2002 at 06:07:07:
In Reply to: Shooting an Elephant posted by Susan on June 30, 2002 at 09:36:07:
The background to the story is Orwell's life in Burma and the growing hostility and contempt for British rule in that part of the Empire. There is the literary focus of irony in the expectation of one thing happeneing and what actually happens. In the end it was just to "save face" that Orwell kills the elephant.