Shooting An Elephant Ethos Pathos Logos

Zachary Conners

SUNY – Eng. 12

Mrs. O’Malley

December 15, 2014 “Shooting an Elephant” is a persuasive rhetorical piece written by George Orwell used to describe Orwell’s feelings about imperialism. Orwell uses pathos, logos, and ethos to convey his feelings towards imperialism and how destructive it can be. Born 1903, George Orwell, novelist, essayist, and critic, was best known for his novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty- Four. Son of a British servant, Orwell spent most of his days in India, where his father had been stationed. A year after his birth his mother brought him and his older sister to England. Orwell and his father had never built a bond before or after the services because he found his father to be dull and conservative. Even from a young age Orwell had a talent for writing. He composed his first poem at

Orwell conveniences the reader that imperialism has not only a negative impact on those run by imperialist, but also degrades those holding the power of an imperialist. Like other works Orwell has written they too have expressed his opinion on social and political aspects. In “Shooting an Elephant,” readers can recognize his opinions on imperialism through the narrator’s display of pathos. Orwell over and over expresses his hatred, fear, doubt, and distress for authority of imperialist. The narrator states “As for the job [he] was doing, [he] hated it more bitterly than [he] perhaps make clear.” The reader can become more aware that Orwell hates his job and, the reader can see more of a pathos appeal as they read on. Orwell uses ethos as well, to conduct his feelings about imperialism, his description of being a police officer in a Moulmein, Burma reflects his judgment on