Mr. Denman

Mr. Nunez

English 9 Honors

“The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty

Summary:

The Plot of the Sniper is taking place in Dublin Ireland during the Irish Civil War. The main character is a republican sniper. During the story the Sniper is on top of a roof waiting for an unexpecting free state soldier. While he was on the rooftop an informer told a free state soldier that the sniper was on the roof. The soldier, using a gun turret, shot at the sniper. However the sniper was quick to react and shot the soldier in the head and then shot the informer. Then a Free State sniper shot at the sniper striking him in the arm making his arm immobile. However he still needed to kill the enemy. But with out the use of his right arm he could not use the rifle, so he used his revolver. Using a ruse to make the other sniper believe he was dead the sniper had an open shot, from about fifty yards away, and shot his opponent. His curiosity enticed him towards the dead soldier because he wanted to find the identity of the soldier. When he turned over the dead body he saw that the soldier was his brother.

The Crisis:

The sniper is caught in a man vs. man battle on the roof tops of Dublin. This battle is a battle to the death between a Free Stater and a Republican.

Conflict:

Person vs. Person because there were two soldiers shooting at each other

Person vs. Society because the war is forcing the soldiers to hate each other

Character Development:

In the beginning of this short story, the sniper had a thirst for blood. He wanted to kill any Free Stater in his sight. However, after the sniper had seen the enemy soldier plummet to the ground below the roof that the Free Stater was on, after being shot by the sniper, all the snipers lust for the war fled away from him.

Themes:

1. War is MADNESS because it put brother against brother.

2. Things aren’t always as they appear because the sniper saw the enemy sniper just as an enemy but it turned out to be his brother.

3. Pride in your beliefs can make you sacrifice the things you love because the sniper believed in the Republicans and killed his brother because he didn’t have the same beliefs.