"When the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys." Shooting an Elephant is an autobiographical essay set in colonial Burma where Orwell had served as a police officer. The story of the Englishman forced to shoot a rampaging elephant and then to kill it, even when it is no longer a threat, is used to explore themes of imperialism, power, and personal conscience, and functions as a powerful metaphor for the destructive nature of imperialism. Born Eric Arthur Blair, George Orwell (1903-1950) was a British novelist, essayist, and critic famous for his insightful social and political commentary. His personal engagement with real world issues imbues his work with a sense of social conscience that continues to resonate with readers, and his two most famous novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, continue to captivate audiences worldwide.