Pride and Power in George Orwells Shooting an Elephant...

Every writer has that one special quirk that keeps readers coming back for more. Whether it is the humor or the characters, most authors carry their quirks from story to story. In â€Å"Shooting an Elephant,† George Orwell describes his experience of shooting an elephant. In â€Å"A Hanging,† he describes the emotions that run through him as he watches the hanging of a prisoner. Both essays have similar key ideas that identify Orwell as a writer. The results of pride and power contribute to the themes that connect his essays and identify Orwell as a descriptive writer. One of Orwell’s distinctive characteristics is his emphasis of his emotional response to life and death in every situation. Orwell engages readers in his pieces because they feel†¦show more content†¦Orwell is a very descriptive writer who emphasizes a different moral in every essay. He is not simply describing an elephant shooting or a hanging; he is trying to make readers listen to his messages. One of the messages that Orwell wants his readers to understand is the power that role playing has on the human mind. Orwell demonstrates this theme quite easily in both essays. Before killing the elephant, Orwell states, â€Å"I had got to shoot the elephant. I had committed myself to doing it when I sent for the rifle. A sahib has got to act like a sahib†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Orwell: Shooting an Elephant). This statement illustrates how people with power must live up to their expectations to keep that power. He knows he has the power to kill the animal, so he makes himself fit t he role of a killer. Power can affect the way people act. A modern day example of this is shown when gang members act on thoughts of the group to gain acceptance by other members. The acceptance gives them power and this is a universal idea that Orwell focuses on. Orwell also stresses power to describe human nature. Orwell likes to use this in both essays because it explains the inconsistency that humans have when power takes over. This is one of Orwell’s morals he stresses to his audience to make them realize the poor decisions people make when in power. Orwell’s writings are most identifiable by the idea that a sense of pride in one’s actions and thoughtsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of George Orwell s The Voice Of A Generation 884 Words   |  4 PagesWhat would make a story the voice of a generation? George Orwell’s pieces of writing were the voice of an age due to his style of writing. Orwell follows the principles of imagery, tone and ethos, meanwhile creating his own rules. Orwell weaves these principles together to write two famous stories that are packed with ethos and told in great detail. Why give a common man more credibility than an emperor? Orwell’s writing style gives him immense credibility because of the sheer detail, vivid color