The Sniper Discussion Questions
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“The Sniper” Discussion Questions
Group 1:
In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. Why doesn’t the author use the sniper’s name in the story? Why is he just called “The Sniper?”
The Sniper is not given a name because he wants a mystery and to degrade the enemy. The author did not name the character so that the story can apply to anyone involved in a war, easily substituted part.
2. In line 10: what does the word “student” tell you about the character? What else is said about him in line 12?
The usage of the words show that the sniper is young and the main character is used to people dying, he does not have much experience in the fight. He is not an expert; he was put in this position.
3. What do his actions in lines 16-20 say about him? What happens as a result?
He is unsure of himself as he had hesitated and his carelessness. He is a risk taker, and it also shows that students make mistakes, foreshadowing future mistakes.
Group 2:
In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. Why does the sniper shoot the man in the armored car and shoot the woman? How do you think the writer wants you to feel about the sniper’s actions? The sniper shot the man because he could not trust anyone. The author gives the reader a sense of everyone is against one another. The author wants the give the reader a scope of the action… literally.
2. Do you think the woman deserved to die? Why/Why not?
The woman deserved to die because she put herself in that position. She was an informer and knew the risks; however, she was just a civilian. She was not a military informant.
3. What does the woman symbolize?
The woman symbolizes that the sniper shows no mercy, especially towards his enemy counterpart. She is not innocent to a certain degree.
Group 3:
In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. What conflicts are created by the presence of the enemy sniper?
The enemy sniper poses a conflict when he tries to kill the main character. The sniper is covering his escape, he is also injured.
2. Notice how the sniper refers to the other sniper only as “the enemy” in lines 65-68. In what ways might this help the sniper be effective in war?
The main character only realizes that he is the enemy because he does not want to have any relationship with the enemy. It is psychological warfare.
Group 4: In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. Would he be more or less likely to hate the other sniper and want to kill him if he knew the other sniper’s name? Why?
He would be less inclined to have the need to kill him if he was closely related. If the enemy sniper was not his brother, he would still hesitate should he have known who he was against. There are connections to the enemy and you are less likely to go after the enemy.
2. How does the Republican sniper resolve his conflict with the second sniper?
The Rep. sniper tricks his enemy by feigning his death.
3. How has he shown himself to be clever?
He fakes his death, leading the other sniper to believe that he is out of harm’s way. The sniper celebrates and he is in the open. The main sniper has to use the handgun to kill the enemy.
Group 5:
In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. Re-read lines 95-100: How does the sniper change after seeing his enemy fall?
He is realizing that he killed another human being; it bothers him that he took human lives.
2. Which lines tell you that the sniper starts to realize his fallen enemy is a human being? What does he do? Explain.
He becomes angry and he felt a curiosity over who he just killed and he decided that the enemy was a good shot. He wondered if he was someone he knew and that he deserved to know.
3. Why do you think he laughs in line 104-105? His emotions are confused and he is laughing because he doesn’t know how to react. He is confused over what he should do after he just faced death. It was a coping mechanism.
Group 6:
In your group, read the story and answer the following questions in complete sentences. Be prepared to read your questions and answers to the class. Illustrate something abstract or concrete to represent the story and your set of questions.
1. Consider the last line of the story and the clues you noticed while reading. What is the writer saying about war?
The writer is saying that wars can split families and friends due to their beliefs.
2. Write a theme statement (not just one word) and explain which details prove the theme.
Expect the unexpected; the main character didn’t know that it was his brother. War can also split people and divide families.
3. What is the irony at the end? What type of irony is it?
His brother is the enemy. It is situational irony.