The Sniper by Liam O Flaherty

Historical Background for “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty

In 1919, the newly formed Irish Republican Army (IRA) launched guerilla warfare during the Irish War of Independence to liberate Ireland from the British. Unable to contain the rebels, London agreed in the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty to create an Irish Free State. However, the agreement would recognize the Free State only as a dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations. Moreover, it would permit six counties in Northern Ireland to withdraw from the Free State, allow the British to maintain ports in the south, and require the Free State to pay part of the debt Britain incurred in waging the war. Consequently, not all Irishmen accepted the agreement, the provisions of which became effective in 1922. The six northern counties seceded, as expected. Once-united Irish fighters were now split into two factions – disgruntled IRA members and supporters of the Free State – and fought a civil war. O’Flaherty, himself a member of the IRA, centers his short story on a scene of fighting in Dublin in which an IRA sniper shoots at Free Staters from a rooftop.

Northern Ireland

Dublin – capital of the Republic of Ireland, setting of “The Sniper” “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty

The long June twilight faded into night. knew it was useless. His bullets would never Dublin lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim pierce the steel that covered the gray monster. light of the moon that shone through fleecy Then round the corner of a side street clouds, casting a pale light as of approaching came an old woman, her head covered by a dawn over the streets and the dark waters of the tattered shawl. She began to talk to the man in Liffey. Around the beleaguered Four Courts the the turret of the car. She was pointing to the roof heavy guns roared. Here and there through the where the sniper lay. An informer. city, machine guns and rifles broke the silence The turret opened. A man's head and of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on shoulders appeared, looking toward the sniper. lone farms. Republicans and Free Staters were The sniper raised his rifle and fired. The head waging civil war. fell heavily on the turret wall. The woman darted On a rooftop near O'Connell Bridge, a toward the side street. The sniper fired again. Republican sniper lay watching. Beside him lay The woman whirled round and fell with a shriek his rifle and over his shoulders was slung a pair into the gutter. of field glasses. His face was the face of a Suddenly from the opposite roof a shot student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the rang out and the sniper dropped his rifle with a cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and curse. The rifle clattered to the roof. The sniper thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to thought the noise would wake the dead. He looking at death. stooped to pick the rifle up. He couldn't lift it. He was eating a sandwich hungrily. He His forearm was dead. "I'm hit," he muttered. had eaten nothing since morning. He had been Dropping flat onto the roof, he crawled too excited to eat. He finished the sandwich, back to the parapet. With his left hand he felt the and, taking a flask of whiskey from his pocket, injured right forearm. The blood was oozing he took a short drought. Then he returned the through the sleeve of his coat. There was no flask to his pocket. He paused for a moment, pain--just a deadened sensation, as if the arm considering whether he should risk a smoke. It had been cut off. was dangerous. The flash might be seen in the Quickly he drew his knife from his darkness, and there were enemies watching. He pocket, opened it on the breastwork of the decided to take the risk. parapet, and ripped open the sleeve. There was a Placing a cigarette between his lips, he small hole where the bullet had entered. On the struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and other side there was no hole. The bullet had put out the light. Almost immediately, a bullet lodged in the bone. It must have fractured it. He flattened itself against the parapet of the roof. bent the arm below the wound. the arm bent The sniper took another whiff and put out the back easily. He ground his teeth to overcome the cigarette. Then he swore softly and crawled pain. away to the left. Then taking out his field dressing, he Cautiously he raised himself and peered ripped open the packet with his knife. He broke over the parapet. There was a flash and a bullet the neck of the iodine bottle and let the bitter whizzed over his head. He dropped immediately. fluid drip into the wound. A paroxysm of pain He had seen the flash. It came from the opposite swept through him. He placed the cotton side of the street. wadding over the wound and wrapped the He rolled over the roof to a chimney dressing over it. He tied the ends with his teeth. stack in the rear, and slowly drew himself up Then he lay still against the parapet, behind it, until his eyes were level with the top and, closing his eyes, he made an effort of will of the parapet. There was nothing to be seen-- to overcome the pain. just the dim outline of the opposite housetop In the street beneath all was still. The against the blue sky. His enemy was under armored car had retired speedily over the bridge, cover. with the machine gunner's head hanging lifeless Just then an armored car came across the over the turret. The woman's corpse lay still in bridge and advanced slowly up the street. It the gutter. stopped on the opposite side of the street, fifty yards ahead. The sniper could hear the dull panting of the motor. His heart beat faster. It was an enemy car. He wanted to fire, but he continued… The sniper lay still for a long time The sniper looked at his enemy falling nursing his wounded arm and planning escape. and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him. Morning must not find him wounded on the He became bitten by remorse. The sweat stood roof. The enemy on the opposite roof coverd his out in beads on his forehead. Weakened by his escape. He must kill that enemy and he could wound and the long summer day of fasting and not use his rifle. He had only a revolver to do it. watching on the roof, he revolted from the sight Then he thought of a plan. of the shattered mass of his dead enemy. His Taking off his cap, he placed it over the teeth chattered, he began to gibber to himself, muzzle of his rifle. Then he pushed the rifle cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing slowly upward over the parapet, until the cap everybody. was visible from the opposite side of the street. He looked at the smoking revolver in his Almost immediately there was a report, and a hand, and with an oath he hurled it to the roof at bullet pierced the center of the cap. The sniper his feet. The revolver went off with a concussion slanted the rifle forward. The cap clipped down and the bullet whizzed past the sniper's head. He into the street. Then catching the rifle in the was frightened back to his senses by the shock. middle, the sniper dropped his left hand over the His nerves steadied. The cloud of fear scattered roof and let it hang, lifelessly. After a few from his mind and he laughed. moments he let the rifle drop to the street. Then Taking the whiskey flask from his he sank to the roof, dragging his hand with him. pocket, he emptied it a drought. He felt reckless Crawling quickly to his feet, he peered under the influence of the spirit. He decided to up at the corner of the roof. His ruse had leave the roof now and look for his company succeeded. The other sniper, seeing the cap and commander, to report. Everywhere around was rifle fall, thought that he had killed his man. He quiet. There was not much danger in going was now standing before a row of chimney pots, through the streets. He picked up his revolver looking across, with his head clearly silhouetted and put it in his pocket. Then he crawled down against the western sky. through the skylight to the house underneath. The Republican sniper smiled and lifted When the sniper reached the laneway on his revolver above the edge of the parapet. The the street level, he felt a sudden curiosity as to distance was about fifty yards--a hard shot in the the identity of the enemy sniper whom he had dim light, and his right arm was paining him like killed. He decided that he was a good shot, a thousand devils. He took a steady aim. His whoever he was. He wondered did he know him. hand trembled with eagerness. Pressing his lips Perhaps he had been in his own company before together, he took a deep breath through his the split in the army. He decided to risk going nostrils and fired. He was almost deafened with over to have a look at him. He peered around the the report and his arm shook with the recoil. corner into O'Connell Street. In the upper part of Then when the smoke cleared, he peered the street there was heavy firing, but around here across and uttered a cry of joy. His enemy had all was quiet. been hit. He was reeling over the parapet in his The sniper darted across the street. A death agony. He struggled to keep his feet, but machine gun tore up the ground around him with he was slowly falling forward as if in a dream. a hail of bullets, but he escaped. He threw The rifle fell from his grasp, hit the parapet, fell himself face downward beside the corpse. The over, bounded off the pole of a barber's shop machine gun stopped. beneath and then clattered on the pavement. Then the sniper turned over the dead Then the dying man on the roof body and looked into his brother's face. crumpled up and fell forward. The body turned over and over in space and hit the ground with a dull thud. Then it lay still. “ The Sniper” Comprehension Questions

1. Using a dictionary, define the following words that appear in the story “The Sniper”: - beleaguered - spasmodically - ascetic - parapet - turret - paroxysm - ruse

2. What is the plot of the story? Create a plot graph in your notes using examples from the story to support your response.

3. What is the mood of the story? (note: the mood can change as the story progresses)

4. Who is the enemy sniper whom the protagonist kills?

5. Who is the antagonist?

6. What types of conflict appear in the story “The Sniper”? List as many conflicts as you can find with examples from the story to support your response.

7. What is the theme of “The Sniper”?

8. What is the setting of the story?

9. Provide examples from “The Sniper” which show suspense.

10. What is the point of view of “The Sniper”?

Four Courts along the Liffey River

Four Courts