CYOA - Shooting an Elephant

http://orwell.ru/library/articles/elephant/english/e_eleph

We're sharing this piece with you for a few reasons.

First I thought it was interesting that this piece is now categorized narrative journalism because it was written before the genre was developed/named.  With this in mind was wanted to ask what you thought what message George Orwell wanted to deliver to the reader by writing a creative nonfiction piece?

Another reason I wanted to share this is because there is a dispute that Orwell never shot an elephant.  Credibility is a heated issue in creative nonfiction, especially memoir because memory very difficult to document.  In journalism there is an even higher demand to be factual.  Do you think Orwell actually shot the elephant?  Why or why not?  Does it matter? (I can feel the heat with this question).

i.e.: "When one biographer questioned his wife, Sonia Brownell, she replied, "Of course he shot a fucking elephant. He said he did. Why do you always doubt his fucking word!""

Finally, in what ways does Orwell talk about imperialism in the shooting of the Elephant?  How does he develop his metaphor?  Is it successful?

Enjoy!

Ellen