Orwell's tone in the final paragraph seems jaded and resigned to the realities of empire. Two lines in the final paragraph call special attention to the racial inequalities in colonial Burma. Orwell says that his fellow British officers said that an elephant's life was worth more than a coolie (a native laborer,) and that it was a shame he was forced to kill it. He says himself that he was glad the coolie (that was trampled by the elephant) had died, because that meant he was justified in killing the elephant. He also points out that the owner of the dead beast was powerless to do anything about the shooting, since he is "only an Indian." Orwell also draws attention to the central theme of the story--he wonders, in all of the discussions that take place after the incident, if anyone involves realizes that he killed the elephant "solely to avoid looking a fool." In this story, Orwell demonstrates how the imperial relationship corrupts the colonizers, who are often forced to go against their conscience.
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