Question

How does the cultural conflict influence the narrator’s actions in “Shooting an Elephant”? The fear of appearing foolish to the Burmese causes him to kill the elephant. The concern over British imperialism causes him to kill the elephant. The guilt over being British causes him to kill the elephant. The desire to be one of the Burmese people causes him to kill the elephant.

Answer 1

Answer:

The fear of appearing foolish to the Burmese causes him to kill the elephant.

Explanation:

The narrator believes the elephant is valuable, almost like a "huge and costly piece of machinery." He realizes that soon the animal will calm down and won't  be dangerous anymore. He does not want to kill the elephant, but the natives are excited  to see the beast shot. And so the narrator realizes that he is now compelled to shoot the elephant. At the end of the story, Orwell wonders if any of his comrades understood that he killed the elephant “solely to avoid looking a fool.”