"The Sniper" is a short story by Irish writer Liam O'Flaherty, first published in 1923. Set during the Irish Civil War, the story follows a Republican sniper who is positioned on a rooftop in Dublin, waiting for his enemy, a Free State sniper, to show himself. As the two snipers play a deadly game of cat and mouse, they are forced to confront the reality of war and their own mortality.
The story is told from the perspective of the Republican sniper, and we see the world through his eyes. The narrative is sparse and straightforward, with the focus on the sniper's thoughts and actions as he waits for his prey. The atmosphere is tense and oppressive, as the sniper must constantly stay alert and keep his finger on the trigger, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
One of the central themes of the story is the dehumanizing effects of war. The Republican sniper is described as being "gray with fatigue and the dust of the chalk" and his face is "haggard." He is reduced to a mere shadow of his former self, consumed by the violence and brutality of war. Similarly, the Free State sniper is depicted as a faceless, nameless enemy, a faceless threat that the Republican sniper must eliminate in order to survive.
Another important theme in the story is the idea of brotherhood. Despite being enemies on the battlefield, the two snipers are linked by their shared Irish heritage and their shared experiences of war. When the Republican sniper finally shoots and kills the Free State sniper, he is overcome with grief and regret, realizing that he has taken the life of a fellow Irishman. This moment of realization highlights the futility and absurdity of war, as the two snipers are forced to fight and kill each other for no other reason than the political ideology they represent.
Overall, "The Sniper" is a powerful and thought-provoking story that offers a poignant commentary on the horrors of war and the dehumanizing effects it has on those who are caught up in it. Through the experiences of the Republican sniper, the story illustrates the devastating impact of conflict on individuals and societies, and the importance of finding ways to avoid and resolve conflicts peacefully.
The Sniper Summary & Analysis
While reading the text, the reader can feel how tired, lethargic, yet exciting war can be. The last paragraph shows that during the war people lose their relatives and close friends. SETTING: What time of day is the story set? This phrase reveals more about the character. What kind of person is the sniper? Suddenly the enemy sniper on the other roof takes his chance and shoots the sniper. Background Information, Detailed Comprehension Questions, Plot Diagram, Story Element Analysis, Summarizing Activity, and a creative Literature Response Activity are all included.
The Sniper Short Story Elements Worksheet Answers
Can you think of more than one interpretation of brother's face in the last line? A world where the strong should survive as a result of natural order. Give one direct characterization of the main character. According to The Sniper plot, when a young man turns the dead soldier over, he discovers that he knew the dead fellow. Although the sniper realized that he had killed his enemy, this phrase still creates a very tense atmosphere; because the reader has the image in their mind of a hurt person falling from the rooftop of a building, which is very dramatic. Reading the last paragraph, one can decide that it doesn't matter if the dead man was really the sniper's brother or not, but the important thing is that he knew the dead one well before the war. For example when Felix sees the blood of the Jews who were shot, running in the river, he says "The water 's so red it almost looks like blood. But even with all those gunshots the hunter couldn 't have killed that many rabbits.
Analysis of 'The Sniper' by Liam O Flaherty
In this paragraph, readers can feel how the thrill of war can overcome a person, taking over their actions, emotions, and feelings. The two corpses seem to be a reminder for the sniper of the fate that might befall him if he is not ingenious enough or is too slow. The reader doesn't know, was the dead really the sniper's brother or the soldier was his best friend before the civil war. This short story is about a civil war taking place in Dublin. By doing this, it also shows the effect that killing someone may have on a person. For example, writers often present their ideas through characters, especially through those whose views change drastically.
Structure
As the action takes place during the summer, we can place the time setting at the beginning of the conflict, in the summer of 1922. So, the theme of this story is how the war frustrates people's lives and ruins their minds. He has disinfected his wound and bandaged his shoulder, suffering from pain. The sniper rips off his sleeve and ascertains that the bullet has lodged in his bone. Then he shoots an enemy sniper. Here the sniper proves himself to be an ingenious soldier, one who masters physical pain and outsmart his enemy. DOCX The Sniper—Predictions, Vocabulary, And Theme SHORT STORY ELEMENTS WORKSHEET - Fill in the following as appropriate: SETTING a Place - b Time - c Weather conditions - d Social conditions - e Mood or atmosphere - PLOT a Exposition - b Inciting Incident - c Rising Action - d Climax - e Falling action - f Resolution - CONFLICT Types 1 External - 2 Internal - PDF The Sniper - Mr.
