Shooting an Elephant

After reading George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant," I truly felt bad for him. He hated being a police officer in Burma, as he was constantly laughed at and insulted by the natives. It was very clear that he felt terrible after shooting the elephant, but he had to do it for the sake of the town's safety. I thought the story was very well written and descriptive. He showed the other side of imperialism, according to the Indians. He gave a different definition of imperialism in that it is all about pleasing the weaker country. 

Orwell shot the elephant because he did not want to be thought of as a coward or as a joke. He was laughed at and ridiculed by the Indians many times and couldn't let that happen again. His main intention was to either scare the elephant with the sound of the rifle or to leave it alone until the owner came back to town. When he looked behind him and saw all of the eager faces, he knew the elephant would have to be shot. After Orwell shot it the first time, you could tell that he regretted what he had done. I think every other shot was to just put the elephant out of its misery. 

Imperialism is when a strong nation takes over a weaker nation and dominates its economic, political, and cultural life. Orwell says that imperialism is not about the benefit of the stronger country. Yes the strong country has access to the weak country's natural resources, but at what cost? The stronger will constantly have to please the weaker so no riots and uprisings occur. Orwell actually shooting the elephant was an example of how imperialism works, as defined in this story. Orwell, from the powerful Britain, was trying to please the weaker Indians. If he didn't shoot the elephant, the Indians might have gotten angry and acted out harshly. 

Extra Credit

I had trouble agreeing with President Obama on his decision to use military force against Syria. I understand that what is happening to innocent people in Syria is terrible, but that doesn't mean our military has to get involved. From reading the article in the Washington Post, it is evident that Syria is currently an extremely unstable country. If Assad can kill thousands of Syrians without hesitation, who knows what he would do to American soldiers. He is already using chemical weapons against his own people, who is to say he wouldn't use these weapons against us?

 I understand that Obama is making this decision with the best interest in mind, but it seems too dangerous. American citizens will not be able to handle going into another war after just ending one. If we put our military into Syria, we would not only be battling Syria but also Russia. Great Britain has already disagreed to take action, and I think that was the right thing to do. I think it is very risky to retaliate with force on such an unstable country. When listening to the speech, I thought I heard President Obama contradict himself. If I heard correctly, his opinion changed from the beginning to the end of the speech regarding the option of sending American military troops over to Syria. At the end of the speech, it sounded like he no longer wanted to take military action. In conclusion, I think it is in America's best interest to stay out of Syria for now, and wait until they are absolutely needed.

The Olive Tree

"Olive tree." The name that belongs to the fair skinned girl of Irish, Scottish and German descent, but with the dark hair of an Italian. The girl who only grew an inch since sixth grade. Who looks just like her mother and grandmothers. The left-handed girl with a freckle in her right eye. The peculiar girl who loves odd colors and drives a light green Fiat 500. 

In a biblical sense, this name is a symbol of fruitfulness, beauty, and dignity. Whenever I think of an olive tree, I imagine a full, beautiful tree swaying in the wind on a hill in Italy. "Olive tree" is translated to Olivia in English. The name was actually coined by Shakespeare when he was in need of a name for a female character. 

When I hear the name "Olivia" in public, a mother is usually calling for her young daughter, since the name has shot up in popularity these past years. Young girls also find a small, pink pig on television with the same name quite entertaining.

My name is Olivia. I am that one of a kind girl with a passion for all that is unique. To be short and sweet, I am the olive tree swaying in the wind on a tall, grassy hill. 

Response to "The Sanctuary of School"

When reading a narrative, I always hope to get a reaction out of it. A proper narrative should have a lot of relatable material in it with a strong message. 

I thought "The Sanctuary of School" was a well written narrative. From the first few sentences, I could tell the author put a lot of emotion into her writing. I could imagine myself watching the little girl struggle to be seen at home and sneaking out to go to school early. I agree with her opinion on the preservation of art in public schools. She knows how it feels to be a child who doesn't have a home life and uses school as her escape. 

In this narrative, the author addresses the issue of public school budget cuts. For the past few years, public schools have been losing their art, music, and other creative activity programs due to budget cuts. On page 87 from paragraphs 19-21, she explains how art is an escape for some children who struggle at home. Extra activities in school give children the happiness that they might not have at home. "Babysitting" is the wrong term to describe creative activities after school. They are meant to broaden children's minds and to let them express their individuality. If activities like art were taken away, some children would become invisible, not knowing how to express themselves. 
Barry's usage of the word "light" in her narrative was symbolic. I think light stands for hope, and that hope is "as far away as stars" in some children's lives. For children in struggling homes, hope is not something they have confidence in. Children can feel like they will be living the same limited life with no way out.