The reason why Orwell killed the elephant in George Orwell's essay "Shooting an Elephant" was mainly due to the following reasons:
1. A large crowd was watching: Orwell felt pressured by the expectations and opinions of the crowd that had gathered to witness the event. He was concerned about maintaining his authority and not appearing weak in front of the spectators.
2. He doesn't want it to hurt anyone else: Orwell felt a sense of responsibility to prevent the elephant from causing harm to others in the future. By killing the elephant, he believed he was protecting the safety of the people in the vicinity.
3. It killed a man: The elephant had previously killed a man, which added to the urgency of the situation. Orwell viewed the elephant as a threat that needed to be eliminated to avoid further casualties.
These reasons combined to create a complex moral dilemma for Orwell, highlighting themes of power, imperialism, and the impact of societal expectations on individual actions.
