Questions – “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty

Answer all questions in COMPLETE sentences . Provide evidence from the text where necessary using a MLA quote.

1. In approximately five sentences summarize the Irish Civil War in your own words.

The Irish Civil War started after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1912. This treaty granted
Ireland independence within the British Empire, but many Irish nationalists saw it as a betrayal of
their fight for complete freedom. The war pitted those who supported the treaty against those who
opposed it. The brutal conflict lasted for nearly two years, leaving many casualties on Irish society
before the pro-treaty forces emerged victorious.

2. In five sentences or less summarize what has happened in the story.

The story follows a Republican sniper during the Irish Civil War. He is stationed on a rooftop in Dublin
and engages in a deadly duel with an enemy sniper across the street. After killing his opponent, he is
overcome with remorse and horror at the act. He descends from the roof and discovers that the
enemy sniper is his own brother.

3. Identify and explain the different forms of conflict in the story. Provide at least one quote from the
story.

Man vs. Man: This is the primary conflict, showcasing the brutal war between the Republican and Free State
factions. The sniper actively participates in this conflict by engaging in a deadly duel with an enemy
sniper. This is evident when it says “He was eating a sandwich hungrily. He had eaten nothing since
morning. He had been too excited to eat... Then he thought of a plan… Taking off his cap, he placed it
over the muzzle of his rifle…”.
Man vs. Himself: The sniper also experiences a significant internal conflict. His initial bloodlust and
determination to eliminate his target are replaced by overwhelming remorse and horror upon
discovering the dead enemy is his brother “The lust of battle died in him. He became bitten by
remorse. The sweat stood out in beads on his forehead... Weakened by his wound and the long
summer day of fasting and watching on the roof, he revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of
his dead enemy”.

4. Define the following terms (in your own words – not a dictionary definition) and use each in a
sentence to show its meaning:
 a. Parapet: A low wall built along the edge of a rooftop to prevent people from falling. “He
crawled back to the parapet”.
b. Beleaguered: Surrounded by enemies and under attack. “Around the beleaguered Four Courts
the heavy guns roared”.
c. Ascetic: Someone who practices self-denial and lives a very simple life. “His face was the face
of a student, thin and ascetic”.

5. Find 8 examples of imagery in the text (quotes). Identify which sense is being described.

Visual imagery: “...the dim light of the moon that shone through fleecy clouds…”

Visual imagery: “...the pale light as of approaching dawn over the streets and the dark
waters of the Liffey…”

Auditory imagery: “...the heavy guns roared...machine guns and rifles broke the silence…”

Tactile imagery: “...He felt the injured right forearm. The blood was oozing…”

Gustatory imagery: “...He took a short drought. Then he returned the flask to his pocket…”

Olfactory imagery: “...The sniper took another whiff and put out the cigarette. Then he
swore softly…”

Kinesthetic imagery: “...He rolled over the roof to a chimney stack…”

6. What effect does this imagery have on you as the reader? Elaborate making reference to the text
(quote).

The use of vivid imagery creates a tense and realistic atmosphere. The reader can almost feel
the sniper's hunger, smell the gunpowder smoke, and hear the deafening thumps of gunfire.
This immersive quality allows the reader to connect with the dangers and desperation of the
sniper's situation “He dropped immediately. He had seen the flash…”. This quote uses sight to
show the sniper narrowly avoiding being shot.
7. Who is telling the story – what narrative voice is being used? Find three examples in the text that
confirm your answer (quotes).

The story is being told in third-person limited voice.

“He watched eagerly as the figure turned against the skyline.”

“He decided that he was a good shot, whoever he was.”
“He peered around the corner into O'Connell Street.”

8. Identify all five stages of the story arc. Use evidence from the text (quote) that illustrates each stage.
You may draw and label the picture of an arc if you wish.

Exposition: The passage opens by establishing the setting in Dublin during a civil war “The long June
twilight faded into night. Dublin lay enveloped in darkness…”
Inciting Incident: The sniper is almost shot after lighting a cigarette, revealing his location “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.”
Rising Action: The sniper engages in a tense duel with an enemy sniper across the street “The sniper
shoots an old woman who informs on him, then kills the enemy sniper.”
Climax: The sniper discovers the dead enemy sniper is his brother. “Then the sniper turned over the dead
body and looked into his brother's face.”

9. Analyze the conclusion. Use evidence (quote) from the text to answer the following:
a. What has happened?
b. How does the Republican sniper feel?
c. Who has been killed?

The story reaches its climax as the sniper discovers a horrifying truth. He has killed his
enemy sniper, but upon examining the body, he realizes it's his brother. “Then the sniper
turned over the dead body and looked into his brother's face.”

The discovery evokes a range of powerful emotions in the sniper. The initial satisfaction of
eliminating his target is replaced by a wave of remorse, horror, and despair. “The lust of battle
died in him. He became bitten by remorse... Weakened by his wound and the long summer
day of fasting and watching on the roof, he revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of
his dead enemy”. The sniper's internal conflict reaches its peak at this moment.
 The sniper has unknowingly killed his own brother during the intense duel across the street.

10. The term “brother” is ambiguous (open to interpretation). Answer the following using examples:
a. Who is the narrator referring to?
b. Could the person he is referencing be more than one person? If so, who?

c. What is the purpose of this ambiguous ending? Explain.

Based on the story's ending, the sniper is most likely referring to his biological brother. The
discovery of the dead enemy sniper's identity as his brother is a shocking revelation: “Then the
sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brother's face”. While the literal meaning
suggests a biological brother, the term “brother” can also hold a broader metaphorical
significance. In the context of a war with two sides that were previously united (Irish
nationalists), the sniper could also be acknowledging a former comrade or someone he once
saw as a brother-in-arms. “The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of
battle died in him. He became bitten by remorse”. This quote highlights the sniper's internal
conflict about killing someone he might have considered an ally before the war. The ambiguous
ending, where the sniper refers to the deceased as “brother,” serves a few purposes. It
intensifies the emotional impact of the story by revealing the devastating consequence of war,
the potential to kill someone close to you. Additionally, the broader interpretation of “ brother”
compels the reader to consider the human cost of civil war, where countrymen become
enemies. This ambiguity forces the reader to grapple with the complexities of war and the
tragedy of violence.