Unit3-Text2Shooting-an-Elephant

ShootinganElephantGeorgeOrwell1(Abridged)1Theelephantwasstandingeightyyardsfromtheroad,hisleftsidetowardsus.Hetooknottheslightestnoticeofthecrowd，sapproach.Hewastearingupbunchesofgrass，beatingthemagainsthiskneestocleanthemandstuffingthemintohismouth.AssoonasIsawtheelephantIknewwithperfectcertaintythatIoughtnottoshoothim.2ButatthatmomentIglancedroundatthecrowdthathadfollowedme.Itwasanimmensecrowd,twothousandattheleastandgrowingeveryminute.Itblockedtheroadforalongdistanceoneitherside.Ilookedattheseaofyellowfacesabovethegarishclothes—facesallhappyandexcitedoverthisbitoffun,allcertainthattheelephantwasgoingtobeshot.Theywerewatchingmeastheywouldwatchaconjurorabouttoperformatrick.Theydidnotlikeme,butwiththemagicalrifleinmyhandsIwasmomentarilyworthwatching.AndsuddenlyIrealizedthatIshouldhavetoshoottheelephantafterall.ThepeopleexpectedofmeandIhadgottodoit;Icouldfeeltheirtwothousandwillspressingmeforward,irresistibly.Anditwasatthismoment,asIstoodtherewiththerifleinmyhands,thatIfirstgraspedthehollowness,thefutilityofthewhitemen，sdominionintheEast2.HerewasI,thewhitemanwithhisgun,standinginfrontoftheunarmednativecrowd—seeminglytheleadingactorofthepiece,butinrealityIwasonlyanabsurdpuppetpushedtoandfrobythewillofthoseyellowfacesbehind.Iperceivedinthismomentthatwhenthewhitemanturnstyrantitishisownfreedomthathedestroys.Hebecomesasortofhollow,posingdummy,theconventionalizedfigureofasahib3.Foritistheconditionofhisrulethatheshallspendhislifeintryingtoimpressthe“natives4”andsoineverycrisishehasgottodowhatthe“natives”expectofhim.Hewearsamark,andhisfacegrowstofitit.Ihadgottoshoottheelephant.IhadcommittedmyselftodoingitwhenIfirstsentfortherifle.Asahibhasgottoactlikeasahib:hehasgottoappearresolute,toknowhisownmindanddodefinitething.Tocomealltheway,rifleinhand,withtwothousandpeoplemarchingatmyheels,andthentotrailfeeblyaway,havingdonenothing—no,thatwasimpossible.Thecrowdwouldlaughatme.Andmywholelife,everywhiteman，slifeintheEast,wasonelongstruggletobelaughedat.3ButIdidnotwanttoshoottheelephant.Iwatchedhimbeatinghisbunchofgrassagainsthisknees,withthatpreoccupiedgrandmotherlyairthatelephantshave,itseemedtomethatitwouldbemurdertoshoothim.AtthatageIwasnotsqueamishaboutkillinganimals,butIhadnevershotanelephantandneverwantedto.(Somehowitalwaysseemsworsetokillalargeanimal.)Besides,therewasthebeast，sownertobeconsidered.Alive,theelephantwasworthatleastahundredpounds;dead,hewouldonlybeworththevalueofhistusks—fivepounds,possibly.ButIhadgottoactquickly.Iturnedtosomeexperienced-lookingBurmanswhohadbeentherewhenwearrived,andaskedthemhowtheelephanthadbeenbehaving.Theyallsaidthesamething:hetooknonoticeofyouifyoulefthimalone,buthemightchargeifyouwenttooclosetohim.4ItwasperfectlycleartomewhatIoughttodo.Ioughttowalkuptowithin,say,twenty-fiveyardsoftheelephantandtesthisbehavior.IfhechargedIcouldshoot,ifhetooknonoticeofmeitwouldbesafetoleavehimuntilthemahoutcameback.ButalsoIknowthatIwasgoingtodonosuchthing.Iwasapoorshotwitharifleandthegroundwassoftmudintowhichonewouldsinkateverystep.IftheelephantchargedandImissedhim,Ishouldhaveaboutasmuchchanceasatoadunderasteam-roller5,ButeventhenIwasnotthinkingparticularlyofmyownskin,onlythewatchfulyellowfacesbehind.Foratthatmoment,withthecrowdwatchingme,Iwasnotafraidintheordinarysense,asIwouldhavebeenifIhadbeenalone.Awhitemanmustn’tbefrightenedinfrontof“natives”,andso,ingeneral,heisn’tfrightened.ThesolethoughtinmymindwasthatifanythingwentwrongthosetwothousandBurmanswouldseemepursued,caught,trampledonandreducedtoagrinningcorpselikethatIndianupthehill6.Andifthathappeneditwasquiteprobablethatsomeofthemwouldlaugh.Thatwouldnevertodo.Therewasonlyonealternative.Ishovedthecartridgesintothemagazineandlaydownontheroadtogetabetteraim.5Thecrowdgrewverystill,andadeep,happysigh,asofpeoplewhoseethetheatrecurtaingoupatlast,breathedfrominnumerablethroats.Theyweregoingtohavetheirbitoffunafterall.TheriflewasabeautifulGermanthingwithcross-hairsights,Ididnotthenknowthatinshootinganelephantoneshouldcutanimaginarybarrunningfromear-holetoear-hole7,Ioughttotherefore,astheelephantwassidewayson,tohaveaimedstraightathisear-hole;actuallyIaimedseveralinchesinfrontofthis,thinkingthebrainwouldbefurtherforward.6WhenIpulledthetriggerIdidnothearthebangorfeelthekick—oneneverdoeswhenashotgoeshome—butIheardthedevilishroarofgleethatwentupfromthecrowd.Inthatinstant,intooshortatime,onewouldhavethought,evenforthebullettogetthere,amysterious,terriblechangehadcomeovertheelephant.Heneitherstirrednorfell,buteverylineofhisbodyhadaltered.Helookedsuddenlystricken,shrunkenimmenselyold,asthoughthefrightfulimpactofthebullethadparalyzedhimwithoutknockinghimdown.Atlast,afterwhatseemedalongtime—itmighthavebeenfiveseconds,Idaresay—hesaggedflabbilytohisknees.Hismouthslobbered.Anenormoussenilityseemedtohavesettleduponhim.Onecouldhaveimaginedhimthousandsofyearsold.Ifiredagainintothesamespot.Atthesecondshothedidnotcollapsebutclimbedwithdesperateslownesstohisfeetandstoodweaklyupright,withlegssaggingandheaddrooping.Ifiredathirdtime.Thatwastheshotthatdidforhim.Youcouldseetheagony