Shooting a Elephant

I thought this reading was a very sad, but very understanding reading. It showed that if while under peer pressure from people, people will do about anything to be accpeted. If its killing a elephant or drinking at a party for example. The guy didn't want to kill to the elephant but he said he had to to be accpeted by the people watching him. I didn't understand the reading of why he was going to shoot the elephant until he looks back to see if anyone was looking and they were. I understand what he was thinking the gun was for his safty, but I also understand what the people thought since the elephant has killed someone that it should die or that he would kill it. Overall the reading was good not too wordy or long it got to the point fairly quickly.