The SniperBy Liam O’Flaherty

Presented by Nolan, Brett, Clair, Jace

Plot

Introduction- “On a roof top near O’Connell Bridge a republican sniper lay watching.”(Pg 1)Rising Action- “He stooped to pick the rifle up. He couldn’t lift it. His arm was dead. I’m hit he muttered”. (Pg.2)Climax- “He must kill the enemy and he could not use his rifle. He had only his revolver to do it. Then he thought of a plan”.(Pg 3)Falling action- “Then when the smoke cleared, he peered across and uttered a cry of joy” (Pg. 3)Denouement- “Then the sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brothers face”(Pg. 4)

Theme -Obedience

The soldier was doing what he was ordered to do which was to kill the enemy.

If he didn’t do his job the consequences could be fatal to him or the people of which he represents in the war.

People act different depending on what kind of situation they are placed in.

“The blood was oozing through the sleeve of his coat. There was no pain--just a deadened sensation, as if the arm had been cut off.”(pg. 2)

Theme -terrorism

The snipers hate towards the other sniper is so strong that his emotions are set aside for his political standing point

This hate and generated in the Irish civil war has even set family members against each other.

The lack of the snipers emotion makes him want to kill the enemy without thinking about who he is killing

“but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.”(pg. 1)

Characters

The ProtagonistThe Sniper

The other characters

are the brother, the old lady and the driver of the turret

The Snipers Character traits Risk taker.

“The flash might be seen in the darkness, and there were enemies watching. He decided to take the risk. Placing a cigarette between his lips, he struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and put out the light. Almost immediately, a bullet flattened itself against the parapet of the roof. The sniper took another whiff and put out the cigarette. Then he swore softly and crawled away to the left.”(Pg 1)

Remorseful

“The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him. He became bitten by remorse.”

Curiosity

“He wondered did he know him. Perhaps he had been in his own company before the split in the army. He decided to risk going over to have a look at him.”(Pg 4)

Intelligent

“Then he thought of a plan. Taking off his cap, he placed it over the muzzle of his rifle. Then he pushed the rifle slowly upward over the parapet, until the cap was visible from the opposite side of the street. Almost immediately there was a report, and a bullet pierced the center of the cap. The sniper slanted the rifle forward. The cap clipped down into the street. Then catching the rifle in the middle, the sniper dropped his left hand over the roof and let it hang, lifelessly. After a few moments he let the rifle drop to the street. Then he sank to the roof, dragging his hand with him.” (Pg. 3)

Conflict person vs. person

The sniper represents a person vs. person conflict

The sniper is physically trying to shoot and kill the other sniper

“Pressing his lips together, he took a deep breath through his nostrils and fired.”

Conflict person vs. self

Another type of conflict in this short story is person vs. self

The sniper curses to the war and questions why he is fighting for whatever he is fighting for

“The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him. He became bitten by remorse.”(pg. 3)

Third Person (Limited)

The sniper is written in a third person point of view with no fore shadowing this allows the reader to be

surprised with the outcome.We only know what the character knows

The sniper turned the body of the dead solider over and looked into his brothers face.(Pg. 4)

We only know that the enemy sniper is his brother until he kills him at the same point as when he finds out.

Third Person (limited)

We also know the feelings and thoughts of the characters There was no pain just a deadened sensation , as if the

arm had been cut off (Pg. 2)The Sniper feels a deadened sensation in his arm after

being shot by the enemy sniper and it feels like it had just been cut off

Uses pronouns such as (they, she, he, it, etc.)She began to talk to the man in the turret of the car (Pg.

2)Uses the pronoun she, he throughout the story

Effect of Third Person (limited)

Impact- This type of point of view only lets you know what the character knows so the story never foreshadows what is going to happen. It also allows the character to have a variety of emotions about one thing.

At first the sniper feels happy because he has killed his enemy and is out of harms way.“Then when the smoke cleared, he peered across and uttered a cry of joy”.

When the sniper realizes what he has done he begins to feel bad because he has just killed someone.“He became bitten by remorse” Then at the end of story the sniper realizes that he has killed his brother and feels even worse.

The Sniper

"There is also this intense feeling of looking death in the face, tempting fate, challenging the reaper, so to

speak......."

Literary Devices

The author of “The Sniper” used literary devices to engage the reader and get you lost in the story. By using description he is able to make the reader feel like they are right beside the sniper as he fights. By elaborating what the sniper says, sees and hears it makes you feel as if you are the sniper in war torn Dublin.

Other Literary Devices

Personification: “The sniper could hear the dull panting of its motor” The author gives the motor human like characteristics

by implying it pants.