Student Question
In "Shooting an Elephant," how does the dialogue contribute to the story's authenticity?
Quick answer:
The authenticity of "Shooting an Elephant" is not significantly enhanced by dialogue, as direct dialogue is minimal. The story includes only a few instances where speech is reported rather than quoted, such as an old lady's shout and the Englishmen's comments. These elements illustrate Orwell's critical view of imperialism, highlighting the indifference of imperialists toward the natives, which aligns with historical accounts of colonial attitudes, thereby adding to the story's realism.
I am a bit confused by this question because there is essentially no dialogue in this story. The only line I can think of where someone is actually quoted is when the old lady yells at the children to go away. There are other places where Orwell reports what people say (like what the other Englishmen say about Orwell's action) but the people are not quoted.
If you are talking about that last paragraph where the Englishmen's comments are reported, I think it shows Orwell's attitude towards imperialism. It shows that he thinks the imperialists don't care about the natives. This seems realistic to me from things I have read about colonial attitudes.
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