Do you know someone who is an incredible sniper, or do you know someone who can
shoot and kill a man from fifty yards away with a pistol?The Sniper, in “The Sniper” by Liam O’Flaherty, is a very great shooter based on how he thinks and how other characters react to him, but he is not a smart character based on his appearance.
One reason why the sniper is not smart because is through his appearance. The sniper
seems to be a upright and attentive soldier, but when no one is looking he tries to fulfil his desires, for example O’Flaherty wrote “He finished the sandwich and, taking a flask of whiskey from his pocket, he took a short draft”. (O’Flaherty 6) This characteristic of unawareness would almost cost him his life.
As you have read earlier, the sniper is a great sniper which can be observed through his
thoughts. His creative mind is a characteristic that would later change his life. For example, after being shot he cleverly escaped the jaws of death and outsmarted his opposing sniper by crafting a plan to trick him, in the story it reads “After a few moments he let the rifle drop to the street. Then he sank to the roof, dragging his hand with him”, “His ruse had succeeded”(Pg 8). This statement evidently shows the the ingenuity of the sniper.
Lastly, the sniper is a fantastic shooter based on other characters reaction. For example
the sniper ends up shooting his enemy through his cunningness from fifty yards away. In the passage it says “Then the dying man on the roof 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.” (Pg 9). The quote clearly demonstrates the length that the sniper can go to, but only when provoked.
So in conclusion, even though the Sniper has amazing talent in the art of shooting, he is
very reckless and careless about his own safety. He appears to be a no good, non-intelligent, drunk soldier, but when his life is on the line he becomes a lethal, deadly, and sharp-eyed sniper. Undoubtedly, he curses the world often when he’s hurt or mad, but besides that he is usually a quiet and quick witted character, and a character who is always unpredictable.