Chosing the right decision
Many times we come to a stage in our lives where we must make a decision about something important, however the choice society would choose and the one believed to be correct don't always coincide. This is just the case in "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell and "Doctor's Dilemma" by James Dillard. In both these stories the main characters struggle with the internal conflict between the decisions that society is pressuring them to make and the ones they believe within themselves are right. Society has taught that we should make decision with the best interest of ourselves rather than the best interest of others. In "Shooting an Elephant", Orwell is in a position that is difficult for most to imagine. He, born of a British official, is in a foreign country as an Indian Imperial Police officer and striving for the acceptance of the individuals in society around him. He thinks that by making the decision they demand, it will be the right one. He has let his environment have much control over
The choice that is so crucial for him is the one to stop driving and help a dying man that was in a car accident but by doing that, he would be risking his entire profession. That's exactly why he was in that profession. He also wants to avoid the embarrassment of looking like a fool in front of these thousands of people who had come to see the elephant shot for its wrong doing. And while they made completely different decisions, in both cases they let the people around them affect what they thought of the situation. They are both men who were forced to make a quick, rational decision to the best of their ability that could have and possibly affected their lives heavily. In both narratives, there were many similarities as well. Both of the main characters were strong men who were doing their best to make it in society. On the other hand, the lesson he had learned though was not quite the same in value. Environments can affect us drastically and sometimes the right selection is unclear because of the perceptions it gives us. His professors, officers, and medical officials reminded him of what he had risked and how much he put at stake by just stopping and helping the man. Dillard chose to attempt to save the man's life and thankfully by the end, his choice was a successful one. So in turn, he states that giving the situation again, he would keep driving. After the long, slow death of the elephant, Orwell is still questioning himself and the decision he made. He gave into society's demands and yet didn't see the wrong in it. He knows within himself though, that shooting the elephant goes against his moral ethics that he believes are right and takes away a huge value to the elephant owner.
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Acceptance Essays
