Fratricide For Freedom: Personal Costs In “The Sniper”

While it may seem absurd to wage war against family members over a dispute about politics, it has been a common occurrence in history. The Irish Civil War began as the Irish had no choice but to choose between partial freedom from Great Britain and fighting for independence. The Irish Army was divided after fighting against Great Britain. Civil wars like the Irish Civil War can cause countries to split and end up in conflict with each other. Civil wars often cause harm to soldiers and their families. While most families can support one another, some families will break down and fight on the opposite side of battle. The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty is a short story that focuses on a sniper who fought for the Republican side during the Irish Civil War. He is eager to combat during the night. However, his calm actions, quick responses, and lack of war experience show that he is very rational. The Sniper, although he is enthusiastic about combat at first, later discovers that he has been horrified by his own actions. The “The Sniper,” a fictionalized story about a Republican sniper who kills his brother because he is no longer capable of seeing people as anything other than enemies or allies, loses control and becomes a fanatic in civil war.

The sniper’s incessant violence early on makes it difficult for him to see that his actions cause harm to people. After a long, anxious wait for combat, he lies undercover drinking whiskey from a Dublin roof. He takes the risk and lights a cigarette. However, the Republican is not hurt. The sniper spots an old woman, who informs the driver an enemy vehicle’s location. He instantly jumps at the chance and kills both without second thoughts. The sniper’s unrestrained thirst for violence is reflected in his desire to fire at the vehicle, but he restrains himself from doing so because he knows it will be ineffective due to its armor (263). The sniper’s enthusiasm and inability to stop firing is evidence that he is addicted to violence and war, and has killed two people. It is clear that the Sniper believes Free Staters are not worthy to be alive. The sniper is a dedicated warrior and enjoys violence. He also loves to kill people. This is a sign of how cruel people can be when forced into war. It symbolizes the human need to kill. War is a just and acceptable way for people to express their inner needs. Although violence and hatred are not acceptable in society, war can be justified as a form of cruelty against human beings. It is not just this situation that the sniper is affected by. After shooting the driver and an informer, the Free State counterpart of the sniper identifies his location to target the sniper. The bullet that struck the enemy sniper inflicted severe injuries to the Sniper’s right forearm. He managed to get the wound under control and is now able to shoot the sniper from the opposite rooftop. Excited by the chance to shoot the Free State spyer, he sets up a ruse for him and shoots his target. He “trembled in eagerness” as he waits to shoot his enemy (264). The sniper’s enthusiasm fades when he sees the silhouetted enemy and is “crumpled up” and falls forward. Authors use words such as “shuddered”,” bitten by guilt”, revolted”, and even “gibbered”. When he starts cursing war, cursing himself and cursing everyone, the sniper really expresses his hatred of war (264). “The Sniper was shocked back into reality. He looked at the smoking revolver and took an oath to throw it at his feet. The concussion was over and the bullet went past the sniper’s skull. The sniper blames his anger on alcohol. The author demands that the sniper take drastic action if his emotions get out of control. He hurls his revolver on the ground to show his regret and resolve not to repeat the same mistakes. But he decided to blame alcohol and move on to the next phase of the war. He can achieve his goals and satisfy others expectations. The sniper’s actions contradict each other and show how war’s emotional affects can cause panic and confusion within soldiers. Combatants suffer severe panic attacks and stress if their defense mechanisms can’t withstand the grief and loss. Although the panic attack by the sniper was over, it is not over.

It is now clear that Civil War had a personal impact on the sniper’s character, as he was a combat-driven character. After a moment of remorseful depression, the sniper decides to ignore his emotions and report back his commander. The sniper decides to look into the identity his enemy and does so after regaining his composure. The sniper is nearly shot by a machinegun to reach his brother, but he realizes he’s killed himself. The author’s shock is reflected in the words, “The sniper looked into the eyes of his brother and turned over the body” (265). The fight between brothers shows that choosing to join either the Republican or Free State Army was difficult. The story is told without any background information and the sniper’s emotional reaction. It is up to the reader to draw their own conclusions. The author leaves the reader with more time to consider the intentions. The author suggests that the sniper’s brother and the sniper chose opposing sides in the war, whether they were aware of it or not. Perhaps the sniper’s brother and the brother knew they were making a decision to join opposing sides in the war. Liam O’Flaherty pointed out that family members could be pitted against their relatives by showing such devotion to civil conflict. The loss of the brother to the sniper shows the hardships families go through during Civil War. It also illustrates how this affects individuals.

The Republican character in The Sniper reminds us how civil war is difficult because of strong devotion. The sniper was driven to war by his fanatical devotion. He eventually died in shock and great remorse. Liam O’Flaherty portrays the sorrow and grief of soldiers who were so adversely affected by the Irish Civil War. Although many soldiers go to war seeking glory and excitement, they often find themselves shocked at the brutal truth of war. Inevitable, there is constant warfare and combat all over the globe. “The Sniper”, a novel that pushes boundaries in war and reveals what it takes to see when a conflict goes beyond human comprehension, is called “The Sniper”.

Work Cite

O’Flaherty, Liam. 2007. The components of literature. Ed. Winston, Holt, & Rinehart N.p. : Holt, n.d. 262-65. Print.