The Sniper, Summary and Theamatic Paragraph

In your own words, summarize this text. 

 

The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty is a short story set in downtown Dublin describing the battle going on between a Republican Sniper, who’s in enemy territory and a Free Staters Sniper. The Republican sniper is locked in place, as he slowly risks a quick smoke after food and a short drink, a bullet whizzes right past him. The light from his cigarette was spotted, but the light from the Free Staters sniper was also seen. Just than an enemy car pulls up, an armored truck with a turret, knowing of the Republican snipers location through an informant. Having no choice he fires killing the man arming the turret forcing everyone else to flee. Seconds later as the Republican was distracted the Free Stater took his shot, a clean shot to the arm. As the Republican wastes precious minutes tending to his wound he thinks of a brilliant idea. As he places his cap on his rifle and baits in the Free Stater he feels the bullet pierce his hat. Acting like he himself had been shot he drops the rifle and plays dead waiting for the Free Stater to drop his guard. As the Free Stater turns away the Republican takes aim with his pistol and kills the enemy. He bites back feelings of remorse and continues on with his job. He is curious and goes to check out who this worthy opponent was, escaping machine gun fire he reaches the body only to find out that it was his brother.

What is the author's message? Provide evidence from the text and explain your thinking. 

The authors message is explaining to us how war has no boundaries, that anyone no matter who they are can be affected by it. The point is emphasized by many things that took place throughout the story. How war doesn’t care about age, that the informer was an old lady who should be at home being taken care off but instead she was out there full out in the middle of war with bullets whizzing past her. How the sniper was a young man who should have been out living his life, getting an education and getting married yet he was out trying to kill people. Also that war has no boundaries not even relations as it turned the brothers into mere objects like rocks, they had no feelings, didn’t value other’s lives. It even broke the barriers of relationship and set two brothers off against each other meaning war is limitless, it truly has no boundaries.