Dead or Alive

George Orwell’s ‘Shooting an Elephant’ plays with the idea of being the enemy, be it as an individual or as a collective force. The British evidently are the enemy for they have invaded the Burmese territory and imposed themselves upon the masses. They have compromised the Burmese integrity and thus are deemed to be the enemy by them. On the other hand, The British consider the Burmese to be their adversary. This is because tyrants are in constant fear of the people they rule. Threats of rebellion and mutiny haunt them for they know the consequences of robbing the public of their freedom.

The elephant in the story is more than a foil. It also denotes a hostile existence. In the absence of its master, an elephant is just as dangerous as an armed man. Similarly, George Orwell himself poses a threat to the elephant, equipped with a weapon and ready to shoot.

It can be concluded that animals and humans are enemies to each other for both, when not in harmony, are working against the other’s interest – be it exploitation for productivity or sustaining the food cycle. Individual(s) may also be labeled as enemy when freedom or authority is challenged, and when the national integrity is nudged with disrespect.