rhetorical analysis of shooting an elephant (vinetta bell)

8/11/2019 Rhetorical Analysis of Shooting an Elephant (Vinetta Bell)

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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell 1North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

Shooting An Elephant(essay publishe 1'*) by +eor"e ,r-ell

httpor-ell.rulibraryarticleselephanten"lishe/eleph

Biographical Sketch Purpose/Theme/Main Ideas Audience Classical Appeals Writers Craft

Birth name/pseudonym

ne !ric Arthur Blair

pseuonym0 +eor"e ,r-ell0

first use in the early 1'&s

escribes a tiny incient2

3that4 "a5e me a better "limpsethan I ha ha before of the real

nature of imperialism6the realmoti5es for -hich espotic

"o5ernments 3an people4 act7(p. 1)

Past authors historical present

publishe in 1'* (pre 88II)

publishe prior toAnimal Farm

(1'9:) an 1984(1'9')

auience anyone intereste in

the psycholo"ical an economicimpact of imperialism

!ogos audiences sense of logic

and reasoning

I thou"ht then an I thin; no-

that his attac; of


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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell %North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

-ife=s eath

Patterne the female

prota"onist in his no5el0 19840on his secon -ife

Die of tuberculosis shortly

after completin" his no5el01984

@ae secon -ife ($onia

Bro-nell ,r-ell0 no-ecease) the eecutor of hisestate

Jno-n internationally as an

essayist an no5elist

Writers Primary Themes

Interests and Main +oci

otalitarianism

NationalismImperialism

Fuman Nature he a5erse effects of

eploitation0 resentment0 anselfpreser5ation

!ingering issues/concerns

8hy is riicule so feare by

those -ho coloniGe or oppressothersK

-ears a mas;0 an his face"ro-s to fit it. I ha "ot to

shoot the elephant. I hacommitte myself to oin" it-hen I sent for the rifle. A

sahib has "ot to act li;e a sahib>he has "ot to appear resolute0 to

;no- his o-n min an oefinite thin"s. o come allthat -ay0 rifle in han0 -ith t-o

thousan people marchin" atmy heels0 an then to trail

feebly a-ay0 ha5in" onenothin"6no0 that -asimpossible. he cro- -oul

lau"h at me. An my -holelife0 e5ery -hite man=s life in

the !ast0 -as one lon" stru""lenot to be lau"he at.7 (p. )

3an else-here47 (p. 1)

Describes the settin" an

e5eryone in5ol5e

Amits his frustrations -ith the

5a"ueness of Burmese people Recei5es ealy confirmation

of the elephant=s acti5ities

Prepares to shoot the elephant0

if necessary

Is follo-e by practically the

-hole population of theuarter2shoutin" ecitelythat I -as "oin" to shoot the

elephant7 (p. %)

RealiGes fun an foo as "oals

Amits that he ha no

intention of shootin" the

elephant7 but merely -antethe elephant rifle7 for self

efense0 if necessary (p. %) Notes his iscomfort in ha5in"

a cro- follo-in" him

Amits feelin" 3li;e4 a fool7 at

this point (p. %)

Describes the elephant eatin"

"rass0 barely noticin" the cro-

Amits that he ;ne- -ith

perfect certainty that I ou"ht notto shoot him7 (p. %)

Reasons It is a serious matter

to shoot a -or;in" elephant6itis comparable to estroyin" a

hu"e an costly piece of

machinery62the elephantloo;e no more an"erous thana co-2 3losin"4 his attac; of


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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

Burmese people -atchin" him0all happy an ecite o5er this

bit of fun0 all certain that theelephant -as "oin" to be shot7(p. )

RealiGes that he must shoot the

elephant because the Burmesepeople -ille it an -oulriicule him if he in=t0 an

e5ery -hite man=s life in the!ast0 -as one lon" stru""le not

to be lau"he at7 (p. )

Amits his inner stru""le to o

the economically an morally

ri"ht thin" But I i not -antto shoot the elephant.7 (p. )

RealiGes uic; action is neee

As;s the obser5ers about the

elephant=s current beha5ior

#earns that his conclusionsabout the elephant=s passi5ityare correct hey all sai thesame thin" he too; no notice

of you if you left him alone0 buthe mi"ht char"e if you -ent tooclose to him.7 (p. )

Amits that he shoul but -ill

not follo- a rational approachin resol5in" this conflict

ries to ecuse his ine5itable

ecision to shoot the elephantby escribin" his poor shootin"ability0 the -et "roun0 an his

potential eath

Ac;no-le"es the real reasonfor shootin" the elephant is not

his o-n safety or e5en a senseof fear but the -atchful yello-

faces behin 3him42some ofthem -oul lau"h 3if theelephant ha ;ille him4. hat

-oul ne5er o.7 (pp. 9)

Describes in a"oniGin" etail

his shootin" the elephantmultiple times

his ocument is the property of Dr. Vinetta Bell0 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)0 an shoul retain this statement of o-nership. ($eptember %&&')


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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell 9North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

#ea5es the scene before the

elephant ies approimately &minutes after bein" shot

Is tol -hat happene to the

elephant an -hat the Burmesepeople i after his eparture

Conclues -ith the aftermath of

much iscussion about the

shootin"0 an"er by theelephant=s o-ner -ho ha noauthority as a coloniGe person

to aress his "rie5ances0reco"nition of his le"al ri"ht to

shoot the elephant0isa"reement amon" the!uropeans about the 5aliity of

shootin" the elephant0 relief thatthe shootin" ha follo-e the

elephant=s ;illin" of a Burmesecoolie07 an relie5eac;no-le"ment of sufficient

3le"al4 pretet for shootin" theelephant7 (p. 9)

!ns -ith selfisclosure I

often -onere -hether any ofthe others "raspe that I haone it 3i.e.0 shootin" the

elephant4 solely to a5oiloo;in" a fool.7 (p. 9)

Tone/Writers Attitude to$ard the

su*0ect

ambi5alent (sympathetic ancritical)

stoic

Special Characteristics

Dr. Vinetta Bell$eptember %&&'



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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell :North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

Politics and the English Language(essay publishe 1'9*) by +eor"e ,r-ell

httpor-ell.rulibraryessayspoliticsen"lishe/polit

Biographical Sketch Purpose/Theme/Main Ideas Audience Classical Appeals Writers Craft

Birth name/pseudonym

ne !ric Arthur Blair

pseuonym0 +eor"e ,r-ell0

first use in the early 1'&s

@ost people -ho bother -ith

the matter at all -oul amitthat the !n"lish lan"ua"e is in a

ba -ay0 but it is "enerallyassume that -e cannot by

conscious action o anythin"about it27 (p. 1)

It follo-s that any stru""le

a"ainst the abuse of lan"ua"e isa sentimental archaism0 li;e

preferrin" canles to electric

li"ht or hansom cabs toaeroplanes27 (p. 1)

Past authors historical present

publishe in 1'9* (post 88II)

publishe afterAnimal Farm

(1'9:) an before 1984(1'9')

assume auience e5eryone

intereste in the meanin" oflan"ua"e an impro5in" -ritten

communication

inferre or implie auience

-riters -ho mule the !n"lish

lan"ua"e eliberately throu"hsubterfu"e or un-ittin"lythrou"h i"norance

!ogos audiences sense of logic

and reasoning

,ur ci5iliGation is ecaent

an our lan"ua"e6so thear"ument runs6must

ine5itably share in the "eneralcollapse.7 (p. 1)

@oern !n"lish0 especially

-ritten !n"lish0 is full of bahabits -hich sprea byimitation an -hich can be

a5oie if one is -illin" to ta;ethe necessary trouble.7 (p. 1)

"iction #$ord choice%

%&thcentury British !n"lish

mainly con5ersational but also

some ele5ate lan"ua"e

rich escripti5e lan"ua"e

"&B'"&"

b. ?une %:0 1'&0 in @otihari

Inia

. ?anuary %10 1':&0 in #onon0

!n"lan0 +reat Britain

(tuberculosis)

23#4an"ua"e is2an

instrument -hich -e shape for

our o-n purposes.7 (p. 1)

No-0 it is clear that the ecline

of a lan"ua"e must ultimately

ha5e political an economiccauses it is not ue simply to

the ba influence of this or thatini5iual -riter. But an effectcan become a cause0 reinforcin"

the ori"inal cause anproucin" the same effect in anintensifie form0 an so on

inefinitely.7 (p. %)

Present readers present

early %1stcentury

post reunification of +ermany

post i5ision of the L.$.$.R.

epansion of international an

omestic terrorism

multiple simultaneous

international conflicts (-ars)

-orl-ie famines0 rou"hts0

an other natural isasters

"lobally transmitte iseases

-orl economic crises

-orl M "lobal community 5ia

tra5el0 technolo"y0 an meia

Pathos audiences strong feelings

and emotions

A man may ta;e to rin;

because he feels himself to be a

failure0 an then fail all themore completely because herin;s.7 (p. 1)

Consier for instance some

comfortable !n"lish professorefenin" Russian

totalitarianism. Fe cannot sayoutri"ht0


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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell *North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

@yamar)

ra5ele to $pain (ci5il -ar)

#i5e amon" the poor on

se5eral occasions to unerstan

an recor that eperience

Recei5e reEection by .$. !liot

(poet an eitor) to publish hisno5ella0Animal Farm0 -hich

also recei5e criticism for its5ie- of leftist hypocrisy

Aopte a son -ho is currently

his heir an li5es in !n"lan

@arrie briefly (three months)

a secon time after his first-ife=s eath

Patterne the female

prota"onist in his no5el0 19840on his secon -ife

Die of tuberculosis shortly

after completin" his no5el01984

@ae secon -ife ($onia

Bro-nell ,r-ell0 no-

ecease) the eecutor of hisestate

Jno-n internationally as an

essayist an no5elist

Writers Primary Themes

Interests and Main +oci

otalitarianism

NationalismImperialism

he politics of lan"ua"e

!ingering issues/concerns

Fo- much selfa-areness an

s;ill are necessary to use

lan"ua"e as +eor"e ,r-ella5ocates an to a5oi the

errors that he criticiGesK

Fo- -oul +eor"e ,r-ell

critiue the time influence

tac;e to"ether li;e the sectionsof a prefabricate henhouse.7

(p. %)

!A@P#! (p. 9)

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (K!" 1#11$

Eli%a&ethan English': but time an

chance happeneth to them all.=7

rwell)s Paraphrase in*odern English (194#':,bEecti5e consierations of

contemporary phenomena

compel the conclusion thatsuccess or failure in

competiti5e acti5ities ehibitsno tenency to be

commensurate -ith innatecapacity0 but that a consierableelement of the unpreictable

must in5ariably be ta;en intoaccount.7 (p. 9)

As I ha5e trie to sho-0

moern -ritin" at its -orst

oes not consist in pic;in" out-ors for the sa;e of theirmeanin" an in5entin" ima"es

in orer to ma;e the meanin"clearer. It consists in "ummin"

to"ether lon" strips of -ors-hich ha5e alreay been set inorer by someone else0 an

ma;in" the results presentableby sheer humbu". heattraction of this -ay of -ritin"

is that it is easy.7 (p. :)

By usin" stale metaphors0

similes0 an iioms0 you sa5e

reesi"n or reconfi"uration of

family units0 political states0employment0 eucation0 another acti5ities an institutions

probable shifts in "lobal po-er

probable continuation of

international an omesticterrorism0 -ars0 political

uphea5als0 economic crises0 annatural isasters

possibility of "erm -arfare

possibility of shiftin"

international political an

economic alliances

#oo; bac; throu"h this essay0

an for certain you -ill finthat I ha5e a"ain an a"aincommitte the 5ery faults I am

protestin" a"ainst2hisin5asion of one=s min by

reaymae phrases2can onlybe pre5ente if one isconstantly on "uar a"ainst

them0 an e5ery such phraseanaesthetiGes a portion of one=s

brain.7 (p. O)

halfconscious belief thatlanguage is a natural "ro-th

an not an instrument which

we shape for our own

purposes.7 (last sentence0

para"raph 10 bol face italicsae to ientify the thesis)

Aresses casual analysis for

the ecline of a lan"ua"e7

Lses an analo"y (the classical

appeals) to illustrate theecline of a lan"ua"e7

A5ocates for e5eryone

re5ersin" the process of ecline(political re"eneration7)

Presents fi5e representati5e but

not necessarily the -orseeamples of passa"es thatillustrate 5arious of the mental

5ices from -hich -e no-suffer7 in the !n"lish lan"ua"e

Notes the common faults7 in

all fi5e passa"es he first is

staleness of ima"ery> the otheris lac; of precision7 (pluso5erall a5oiable u"liness7)

Decries the miture of

5a"ueness an sheerincompetence 3as4 the most

mar;e characteristic ofmoern !n"lish prose0 an

especially of any ;in ofpolitical -ritin"7

#ists an iscusses 5arious of

the tric;s by means of -hichthe -or; of proseconstruction

is habitually o"e7 (1)Dyin" @etaphors0 (%) ,perators

or Verbal Halse #imbs0 ()Pretentious Diction0 an (9)@eanin"less 8ors

+i5es si rules that one can

rely on -hen instinct fails7 (1)a5oi familiar epressions0 (%)

use short -ors -hene5er



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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell ONorth Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

-ritin"s an preferre -ritin"styles of -riters such as

Nathaniel Fa-thorne an!rnest Femin"-ayK

much mental effort0 at the costof lea5in" your meanin" 5a"ue0

not only for your reaer but foryourself2it can be ta;en ascertain that the -riter is not

seein" a mental ima"e of theobEects he is namin"> in other

-ors he is not reallythin;in".7 (p. :)

It is at this point that the

special connection bet-een

politics an the ebasement oflan"ua"e becomes clear.7 (p. :)

,rthooy0 of -hate5er

colour0 seems to eman alifeless0 imitati5e style.7 (p. :)

A spea;er -ho uses that ;in

of phraseolo"y has "one some

istance to-ar turnin" himselfinto a machine.7 (p. *)

234his reuce state of

consciousness0 if notinispensable0 is at any ratefa5ourable to political

conformity.7 (p. *)

In our time0 political speech

an -ritin" are lar"ely theefence of the inefensible2

hus political lan"ua"e has toconsist lar"ely of euphemism0uestionbe""in" an sheer

clouy 5a"ueness2$uchphraseolo"y is neee if one

-ants to name thin"s -ithout

callin" up mental pictures ofthem.7 (p. *)

he "reat enemy of clear

lan"ua"e is insincerity.7 (p. *)

All issues are political

issues27 (p. *)

8hen the "eneral atmosphere

is ba0 lan"ua"e must suffer.7(p. *)

But if thou"ht corrupts

lan"ua"e0 lan"ua"e can also

possible0 () elete unnecessary-ors0 (9) use acti5e 5oice

-hene5er possible0 (:) prefer ane5eryay !n"lish eui5alent7to unfamiliar lan"ua"e0 an (*)

brea; these rules to a5oisay3in"4 anythin" outri"ht

barbarous7

Notes the elementary nature of

these essential rules

Amits I ha5e not here been

consierin" the literary use of

lan"ua"e0 but merely lan"ua"eas an instrument for epressin"

an not for concealin" orpre5entin" thou"ht.7

$ays that Political lan"ua"e2

is esi"ne to ma;e lies soun

truthful an murer respectable0an to "i5en an appearance ofsoliity to pure -in.7

Conclues that chan"e is not

uic; but that habits can bechan"e0 sen3in"4 some

-ornout an useless phrase2into the ustbin -here it

belon"s.7

Tone/Writers Attitude to$ard the

Su*0ect

Belie5es stron"ly in the precise0

concise0 unpretentious use of

lan"ua"e

Lses a critical but informati5etone to con5ey personal an

professional ;no-le"e aboutlo"ical critical thin;in" anclear -ritten epression

Demonstrates the use of

lan"ua"e that he a5ocates

Special Characteristics

Lses analo"ies freuently an



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Rhetorical Analysis of Nonfiction by Dr. Vinetta Bell Bell North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)!n"lish #an"ua"e Arts (!#A) ($eptember %&&')

corrupt thou"ht.7 (p. *)

I sai earlier that the

ecaence of our lan"ua"e isprobably curable.7 (p. O)

8hat is abo5e all neee is to

let the meanin" choose the-or0 an not the other -ay

aroun. In prose0 the -orstthin" one can o -ith -ors is

surrener to them.7 (p. O)

But one can often be in oubt

about the effect of a -or or aphrase0 an one nees rules that

one can rely on -hen instinctfails.7 (p.O)

I ha5e not here been

consierin" the literary use oflan"ua"e0 but merely lan"ua"eas an instrument for epressin"

an not for concealin" orpre5entin" thou"ht.7 (p. )

If you simplify your !n"lish0

you are free from the -orst

follies of orthooy.7 (p. )

Political lan"ua"e2is

esi"ne to ma;e lies soun

truthful an murer respectable0an to "i5e an appearance ofsoliity to pure -in.7 (p. )

,ne cannot chan"e this all in a

moment0 but one can at leastchan"e one=s o-n habits0 an2sen some -ornout an

useless phrase2or other lump

of 5erbal refuseinto theustbin -here it belon"s.7 (p.)

effecti5ely to con5ey meanin"

Inclues author=s ennotes

Dr. Vinetta Bell$eptember %&&'


rhetorical analysis of shooting an elephant (vinetta bell)

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