In Shooting an Elephant, Orwell asserts that the system of imperialism has the power. Orwell says referring to the role of the colonizers, “For it is the condition of his rule that he shall spend his life in trying to impress the ‘natives’, and so in every crisis he has got to do what the ‘natives’ expect of him. He wears a mask, and his face grows to fit it.” Orwell attributes his actions to “the condition of his rule”, demonstrating that he is bound by structure, just like the Burmese. He also presents in this quote the argument that performance shapes attitudes (i.e. the mind and the body become blurred). These arguments are very similar to Havel. Also like Havel, Orwell believes that the system is absolute. He presents his decision to shoot the elephant as the only option, because deviating from the role of the “sahib” would undermine the system.

Orwell contradicts this argument at the beginning of the essay. In the first paragraph, he describes the small actions of the Burmese, in the streets and on the football field, which served to demonstrate their hatred towards Europeans. These small acts of defiance are not performative of the roles of the Burmese in this system and therefore would not be allowed to exist if in fact the system was absolute. Orwell therefore also had a choice to not shoot the elephant. He falsely attributes his insecurities, of “looking a fool”, to his powerlessness under the system of imperialism.