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10. Craft and Structure: Reread Chunk 6 and mark the text for details describing the elephant’s collapse. What do these details reveal about the writer’s attitude?
Students might mark any number of specific details that make clear the animal’s agony and the slowness of its collapse and death (“he sagged flabbily to his knees,” “mouth slobbered,” “desperate slowness to his feet and stood weakly erect,” “legs sagging and head drooping”). The details show that the narrator regards the death of the elephant with a great deal of horror, regret, and even shame at having shot it. He might be drawing a parallel to the British treatment of the people of Burma. RI.11–12.6
11. Key Ideas and Details: What central idea about the value of life in imperial Burma is revealed by the “endless discussions about the shooting of the elephant” in the final paragraph?
By sharing a range of opinions, the narrator reveals a cold view of the value
of life under an imperialist system. Older Europeans say the narrator “was right” to shoot the elephant, but younger men say “it was a shame to shoot an elephant for killing a coolie,” an attitude that shows a stunning lack of respect for the lives of other human beings. The narrator himself explains that he took the animal’s life in order “to avoid looking like a fool,” which suggests his show of strength was motivated not by concern for human life but by his own fear of being shamed. RI.11–12.2
Working from the Text
12. Revisit the essay and write Levels of Questions—literal, interpretative, and universal—to prepare for a Socratic Seminar exploring the text further. Apply a Cultural Criticism lens and your knowledge of imperialism as you develop your questions.
13. Discuss your questions with your assigned Socratic Seminar group. During the discussion, be sure to:
• Explicitly draw on your knowledge of imperialism as well as evidence from the text to support your ideas.
• Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives and interpretations.
• Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
Check Your Understanding
Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is a reflective essay. Look at your annotations for the event, response, and reflection, and compare with a partner. In what order do these three elements occur?
My Notes
Unit 1 • Perception Is Everything 75
ACTIVITY 1.18
continued
ACTIVITY 1.18 continued
16 Ask students to prepare Levels of Questions. Help students think about the essay in light of the Cultural Criticism lens by reviewing the underlying ideas of that perspective from Activity 1.16.
17 Organize students into groups to participate in a Socratic Seminar applying a Cultural Criticism lens and their knowledge of imperialism to the essay. You may consider assigning discussion-group roles to help ensure students address each of the “be sure to” points during their discussion.
18 To check for understanding, have students discuss their annotations in pairs, noting the similarities and differences between their annotations in a collegial discussion. They should explain their own labels and ask respectfully about their partners’ labels that are different from their own.
19 To extend the discussion, ask how the sequence in which the author presents information affects the impact of the essay. How would the effect change if the narrator described the entire incident and only reflected on it in the final paragraph?
20 Guide students to understand the difference between formal and informal styles explained in the Language and Writer’s Craft feature on the following page. Help students see how a juxtaposition of styles balances Orwell’s writing so that the personal, emotional elements do not overwhelm the cultural insights he is trying to examine with some objectivity. Point out that another passage that combines formal and informal writing is found in paragraph 7 (“And it was at this moment ... not to be laughed at.”). Encourage students to find and share other examples.
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© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.