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All I knew was that I was struck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beast [the Burmese] who tried to make my job impossible?. Though Orwell?s handling of his subject is detailed, in the end, he subtly condemns imperialism. Orwell finds himself in a moral predicament no different than the ones placed on the white men in the East. Orwell justifies his actions, ?solely to avoid looking a fool,? driven by the instigation of the Burmese (165). Orwell himself, against his will, has oppressed many Burmese. In Orwell?s case, the coolie killed by the elephant represents the invasion of Burma by the British. Just as no one can predict the next victim of the elephant, also no one can predict the next victim of the British. The murder of coolie gives Orwell a justifiable reason to kill the elephant. Orwell does not want himself to be considered as British, but he does not want to be thought the fool either. George Orwell makes his decision to shoot the elephant appear to be
