The Sniper-Short Story by: Liam O'Flaherty

In the 1920's, Dublin's streets have become a battlefield in Ireland's struggle for independence. The Republicans and the Free Stater’s are conducting civil war. The sniper lay watching on the rooftop near O’Connell. The sniper was debating if he should take the risk of a smoke. When he did, immediately a bullet had flattened itself against the roof letting him know there was an enemy out there. The sniper soon heard an enemy’s car. There was a women who began to talk to the enemy and pointed towards the sniper. The sniper killed all the enemy’s in the motor with his rifle but also ended up wounded. He nursed his wound and thought of a plan to kill the other sniper. He tricked the enemy by lifting his rifle with his cap on it. The enemy shot the hat thinking he shot the sniper and that’s when the sniper got his chance to shoot and kill the enemy. He suddenly bitten by remorse and went in a quick state of shock. He came back to his senses and went to report to his company commander. The sniper felt curious as to who the enemy sniper was. When he turned the dead body, he saw the face of his brother.

            The author is trying to portray that even your enemies can be your loved ones. In the story, the sniper killed his brother who was also his enemy. War can make people do some rash actions and they have no other choice not to because they are taught who the enemy is. I’m predicting even if it’s your family, you have to do what your trained to. War can change people and make them feel so many emotions such as in the book, the sniper felt remorse and guilt when he saw his enemy falling. I wonder though, what would he had felt or done if he knew that his enemy was his brother? But it’s all an irony, the enemy turning out to be his brother because the sniper and the readers did not even expect the enemy to be his brother