In the Midst of Pressures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In the Midst of Pressures - Essay Example He was concerned about how the people would react. He was already a hated man, being a white man and a police officer in a foreign land. He has become, as the storyteller reveals, a tyrant who has lost his freedom; being pushed by the people to do things against his will. He knows that as an officer, he should follow protocol, get near the elephant and test if it is still harmful or it is already safe for it to be left alone. However, the area where the elephant was eating is muddy and it would be dangerous for the officer to get near the elephant because there is the possibility that he would be trampled upon like the Indian killed by the beast. Although he was not concerned about his safety, he was thinking what a laughing stock he would become in his time of death when he gets killed by the elephant. Therefore, in this certain circumstance, he decided to kill the elephant even though that was not really his intention. Similarly, in the second story, the main character gave in to p ressure. When Langston was left all alone in his seat, with his friend looking down at him from the platform and the older members of the congregation and the priest wanting him to move forward and receive his salvation, the young man went to the podium.