“Shooting an Elephant” seminar prep name: __________________________ MC QUESTIONS: Use paragraphs 1-3 to answer these questions 1. Orwell’s attitude toward imperialism as revealed in the first two paragraphs is one of a. ambivalence c. enthusiasm e. neglect b. antipathy d. indifference 2. Orwell’s attitude toward his own position in relation to imperialism is one of a. neglect c. enthusiasm e. ambivalence b. indifference d. antipathy 3. In paragraph 1, Orwell uses each of the following EXCEPT a. ironic contrast c. colloquial diction e. variety of sentence structure b. specific example d. shift in the point of view 4. Paragraph 1 serves each of the following purposes EXCEPT a. establish the speaker’s tone b. locate the setting of the piece c. identify the central event of the essay d. establish the point of view of the narration e. identify the narrator’s position in relation to the events 5. The speaker’s tone in the first three paragraphs can best be described as a. argumentative and outraged c. lugubrious and regretful e. candid and reflective b. polemical and didactic d. formal and authoritative 6. Each of the following quotations contains irony EXCEPT a. “the crowd yelled with hideous laughter” (1) b. “[t]he young Buddhist priests were the worst of all” (1) c. “all these oppressed me with an intolerable sense of guilt” (2) d. “[a]ll this was perplexing and upsetting” (2) e. “[t]heoritically—and secretly, of course—I was all for the Burmese” (2) 7. In the statement “Feelings like these are normal by-products of imperialism; ask any Anglo-Indian official, if you can catch him off duty” (2), the last phrase serves as a a. fact c. claim e. rebuttal b. warrant d. qualifier 8. Orwell makes use of which of the following in paragraph 2?

I. Periodic sentence II. Parallel structures III. Extended metaphor

a. I only c. I and II only e. I, II, III b. II only d. I and III only 9. The statement “All I knew was that I was struck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil-spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible” (2) involves each of the following EXCEPT a. ambivalence c. frustration e. reflection b. antipathy d. devotion 10. One assumption held by the speaker is that a. honest expression can be expected from the servants of imperialism b. a seemingly trivial event can be of immense significance c. the delight of the crowd arises from their uncivilized nature d. the value of a Burman’s life is less that of an Englishman e. the Buddhist presence had a salutary effect on the situation

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: Use paragraphs 1-2 to answer these questions 1. The background explains what “white man’s burden” is. Is Orwell conscious of this notion? Does he feel beholden to it? 2. Orwell calls the antipathy felt toward the European imperialists as “petty” and “aimless” (1). How does he exemplify this characterization? Does he reveal himself to be at the least prejudice and, in the extreme, racist? 3. Do you feel any pity or sympathy for Orwell after the first paragraph? Explain. 4. In the second paragraph, Orwell claims to feel “oppressed.” Is he being ironic? Explain. 5. The second paragraph brings up several paradoxical (or, at least, contradictory) statements. What causes Orwell to feel this sense of perplexation?

George Orwell: “There ain’t no elephants on my animal farm.”