Answer: Orwell's failed attempt to kill the elephant quickly.
In "Shooting an Elephant," Orwell shows how the imperialists often mismanaged their colonies and governed their subjects poorly. This is shown in the scene in which the main character fails to kill the elephant quickly. Although he does not have terrible intentions, and he wanted to spare the animal some suffering, he is clearly unprepared to do what is needed to be done. Therefore, his attempt backfires, and the elephant ends up suffering much more than necessary.
