Often times people do things out of others thoughts and feelings. Their actions may not be what they feel is the right thing to do, but how they feel other’s think they should do it. In the end leaving them feeling regretful in trying to please others instead of doing what they thought was the right. In the story, To Shoot an Elephant, his actions were not of his own. Instead of doing what he saw as the right thing to do he wanted to please others and in doing so he was left feeling pressured, afraid, and regretful. One feeling Orwell felt was pressure. Two thousand people followed him with the expectation of the elephant being shot. The people expected it of me and I had got to do it, Orwell says. While the thought lingered in his mind to not shoot the elephant, but he also did not want to be laughed at. He felt his only choices were to either shoot the elephant and give the people what they wanted or to not shoot the elephant and be ridiculed. He was providing entertainment as well as meat for those that followed, but Orwell expresses that he did not want to shoot the elephant. However, against his better judgement he fell into their expectation, feeling pressured, and shot the elephant. …show more content…
He explains how he seen the man lying after being killed by the elephant and sent an orderly for an elephant rifle. He had also sent the pony back because he was afraid that the pony would throw him if he were to sense the elephant. While pondering on the situation he had decided that he would test the elephant from about twenty-five yards away and if it were to charge, he’d shoot. Another decision he knew was not going to happen because of being afraid. He was also afraid that the elephant might kill or attack him if he were to get too close to him before being able to shoot. More than once he expressed how afraid he was that the people would laugh at him if her were to not shoot the