Analysis Of The Sniper By Liam OFaherty

As General Sherman of the American Civil War once stated, “War is hell.” In the short stories “The Sniper,” by Liam O’Flaherty, and “Cranes,” by Hwang Sunwon, characters suffer from divided loyalties during civil war. Through their situations, conflicts, and resolutions, both stories successfully illuminate the theme of the cruelty of war-especially civil war, but the short story “The Sniper” is more effective, because the sniper shot his own brother because he was the enemy.

Liam O’Flaherty’s realistic fiction story, “The Sniper,” takes place in Dublin, Ireland during a civil war. In the story, a Republican Sniper is stuck on a roof with enemy snipers surrounding him. He shoots two enemies down before he is shot in the arm causing his rifle to brake. Now he must find a way to make a hard shot in order to kill the enemy with just a revolver and a hurt arm. By using word choice and sensory details O’Flaherty demonstrates the theme that actions have serious repercussions.

“Wars never hurt anybody except for the people who died” -Salvador Dali, leader of the Surrealist Movement. In both stories men who are at war are described, both of these men have killed a man who are known as their foes. Both of the men realize that the man they killed could've been a friend, and were someone who really wasn't the enemy. The relationship between these two stories is that war can tear families apart. In Liam O'Flaherty's “The Sniper” and “The Man He Killed” by Thomas Hardy both show similarities and differences in plot, irony, and theme.

"The Sniper" places a strong emphasis on the evils of war, and yet paints a vivid image of mankind's qualities and their society. Employing the technique of describing one particular sniper to symbolise a general subject, readers are able to gain a deep insight into the evils of war. In this story, the assembly of setting, contrasting characters and themes of fanaticism and division of loyalties are vital to conveying the horror of war. On the other hand, "The Sniper" also discusses the power of war, depicting it as the decider of life and death for men. Its force is further emphasised when neighbours are turned into enemies under war's influence.

Written in 1923 by Liam O’Flaherty, The Sniper is a gruesome short story that is narrated in the third person point of view. I decided to analyze this short story because this introduction had caught my attention unlike other short stories that I had read. I enjoy to read stories that are exciting and give you thrilling rush to keep reading. I enjoy reading mystery, warfare, and horror novels, because you really never know how much the plot can deviate, that can relate to action thrilling movie genre, as well as O’Flaherty imaginative use of technique that the best of his reliance reflects in his writings. Liam O’Flaherty was born in distant village in Gort na gCapall, on Inis Mor which is one of the few Aran islands, living a very

Copious bullets, like that of torrential downpour, reign over the battlefield; a setting in which man created through dispute, engulfs each and every individual caught within it. Some are immediately spun into a downward spiral, while with others, it hits them in the midst -- even if they have built an immunity to war’s ways. Two fictional characters, both sharing a similar atmosphere, experience the true affects to war in their own ways. Although war never changes, the individuals do, no matter the situation. This is exemplified through the fictional tales, told by Liam O’Flaherty’s “The Sniper,” as well as Tim O’Brien’s “Where Have You Gone Charming Billy,” and as the main characters are to each their own story, they bear contradistinction to one another in the aspect of war, personality, and the emotional reactions to war.

Through literature, Liam O’Flaherty, the author of the short story The Sniper, clearly illustrates how horrific and destructive war really is. He illustrates the appalling agony of the Irish civil war through a dramatic story of two brothers against each other in the war. Through the the author's writing, readers can conclude that the theme of The Sniper is that war destroys families. O’Flaherty sets emphasis on this theme by using many strong literary devices. The literary devices used that apply the most emphasis on the theme are situational irony, setting, and the author's use of direct characterization .

War can destroy a man both in body and mind for the rest of his life. In “The Sniper,” Liam O’Flaherty suggests the horror of war not only by presenting its physical dangers, but also by showing its psychological effects. We are left to wonder which has the longer lasting effect—the visible physical scars or the ones on the inside?

The characteristics of the characters in a story are something that makes them who they are and what you start to learn about them. In The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty, the protagonist shoots and kills the antagonist. The two characters in the story are, the protagonist which was the narrator (main sniper) and the antagonist (enemy sniper). The protagonist saves the lives of others because of his his intelligence, his determination, and his risk-taking.

I will be writing an essay called The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty. During a irish war in 1922, There was a sniper, on top of a building, that had was spotted by another sniper across the street. One example of situational irony was when the sniper got shot on the arm we may have thought he was going to retreat but he didn't, example of dynamic character is the brother of the main character and the tone of this story was intense, scary and sad.

Most people agree that a soldier is still a human when at war. O’Flaherty, however, may say that war turns humans into soldiers that kill without remorse until they have realized they just took human lives. Furthermore, O’Flaherty depicts said soldiers as having little regard for human beings. Using irony and foreshadowing in his short story “The Sniper” O’Flaherty shows that war turns a person into an unpredictable soldier that views people as objects.

War is it really worth fighting ? In the story ” the sniper ‘by: Liam O ’ Flaherty read about a sniper who is fighting in a civil war inside of Ireland. In the story they talk about how the sniper was in battle with an enemy. The theme of this selection is people are seen as more objects in war.

“War does not determine who is right - only who is left”-Bertrand Russell. In the story “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty there is an Irish war with two sides, which can be reflected in the two halves within the protagonist. The story takes place in Dublin with the Republican against Free Staters. Our main character is crazed fanatic as stated in the text through his trigger happy finger and joy to kill. The author suggests the horrors of war as the solider endures physical dangers and psychological trauma.

Soldiers and veterans deserve the credit and support that their countries give them. In the US, if a soldier or veteran passes by, somebody will thank them for serving their country. In “The Sniper”, written by Liam O’Flaherty, O’Flaherty illustrates how the dangers of war are the reason soldiers get that amount of support. “The Sniper’ is about a Republic Sniper in the Irish Civil War. Through mood, internal conflict, and setting, O’Flaherty illustrates the damaging effects war has on soldiers.

The characteristics of the characters in a story is something that makes them who they are and what you start to learn about them. In The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty, the protagonist shoots and kills the antagonist. The two characters in the story where, the protagonist which was the narrator (main sniper) and the antagonist (enemy sniper). The protagonist saves the lives of other because of his his intelligence, his determination, and his risk-taking.