George Orwell’s style
In Shooting an Elephant, George Orwell uses informal language and vivid descriptions in describing his experience shooting an elephant. Writing in first person, Orwell includes the reader in his thought process and the emotions he feels. After shooting the elephant, he shares his uneasiness with the reader when he writes, “the thick blood welled out of him like red velvet, but still he did not die. His body did not even jerk when the shots hit him, the tortured breathing continued without a pause” (155). The imagery he uses gives the reader a vivid image as well as a feeling of discomfort. Also in his descriptions, Orwell describes all the senses that are relevant to his experience.
In addition to his graphic images, Orwell uses dashes to give emphasis and the reader context. He writes, “I had no intention of shooting the elephant - I had merely sent for the rifle to defend myself if necessary - and it is always unnerving to have a crowd following you” (151). It almost seems that Orwell is interrupted by other thoughts as well as giving the reader comforting information.
Unlike other writers, Orwell draws the reader into the scene and makes the readers think about his subject (in this case, British Imperialism).
Personally, I really like Orwell’s storytelling-like style. Even though he was writing non-fiction, he made his experience come out as fiction. In manipulative way, he convinces the reader an opinion or thought without giving obvious clues and predictable characters.
