War is an experience that will last with you throughout your life. You may end up traumatized or completely broken. “The Sniper” takes place in an Irish civil war, where the country had split into two parities, the Free Staters and the Republicans. Everyone was dragged into the war, and families were broken apart as they possibly went to different parties. In “The Sniper,” Liam O’Flaherty suggests the horror of war not only by representing its physical dangers, but also by its psychological effects. In war, there is a constant sense of danger, however, the sniper also had to deal with direct dangers. In the background, to add pressure, are “Machine guns and rifles (that) broke the silence of the night.” (Paragraph 1) Machine guns have also
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Throughout the story, the sniper goes through a series of mental states. At first, the sniper feels reckless due to drinking alcohol and debated whether to smoke or not. “He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke. It was dangerous.” (Paragraph 3) He rashly decided to smoke despite knowing that it would give away his presence to the enemy. He was also well aware that drinking will make him feel reckless, but he does them anyways most like due to the pressure and stress of the war. Later in the story, he falls into remorse/regret. “The lust of battle died in him,” (Paragraph 23) when the mission was over. The recklessness from the alcohol fades and he felt guilt and made an oath to stop. He had gone to despise this war, the enemies, and himself. As the sniper was about to leave the scene, he felt curious of who the enemy sniper was. “He decided that he was a good shot, whoever he was. He wondered did he know him.”(Paragraph 25) The sniper had respect for the enemy sniper and wondered if he knew him since the war had split friend and families apart. The sniper finds out that it was his brother that was killed. While it is not confirmed what had happened, it is assumed that the sniper will develop some sort of trauma or shock from it. As the sniper changes mentality so many times in one battle, An entire war would change his entire
Throughout the story, the sniper goes through a series of mental states. At first, the sniper feels reckless due to drinking alcohol and debated whether to smoke or not. “He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke. It was dangerous.” (Paragraph 3) He rashly decided to smoke despite knowing that it would give away his presence to the enemy. He was also well aware that drinking will make him feel reckless, but he does them anyways most like due to the pressure and stress of the war. Later in the story, he falls into remorse/regret. “The lust of battle died in him,” (Paragraph 23) when the mission was over. The recklessness from the alcohol fades and he felt guilt and made an oath to stop. He had gone to despise this war, the enemies, and himself. As the sniper was about to leave the scene, he felt curious of who the enemy sniper was. “He decided that he was a good shot, whoever he was. He wondered did he know him.”(Paragraph 25) The sniper had respect for the enemy sniper and wondered if he knew him since the war had split friend and families apart. The sniper finds out that it was his brother that was killed. While it is not confirmed what had happened, it is assumed that the sniper will develop some sort of trauma or shock from it. As the sniper changes mentality so many times in one battle, An entire war would change his entire