Situational Irony In The Sniper

Liam O'Flaherty, the author of "The Sniper," uses situational irony and internal conflict to show how societal conflicts, such as a civil war, can have a harmful impact on individuals. An example of O'Flaherty emphasizing the impact of the war on an individual is when the sniper succeeds in killing his victim. Rather than having him celebrate his victory, the author shows the regret felt by the sniper in this detail, "The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered. The lust of battle died in him." The imagery of the falling enemy makes the sniper and the reader cringe with empathy, but it is the use of diction that really indicates the feelings of the sniper. "Shuddered" seems to be an intentional choice by the author here to show
At the end, the sniper's curiosity gets the best of him and drives him to identify his victim: "Then the sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brother’s face." A visceral twist in plot shocks readers, no doubt making them reflect on the feelings of the sniper, his actions, and their own views of war. By choosing the sniper’s brother as the victim, the author is emphasizing how civil war in particular often divides loved ones. What is most disturbing to readers is the fact that the author does not follow up this line with any more detail. Through this choice of ending the story with this ironic twist of fate, the author is leaving the reader to reflect on their own response, rather than that of the sniper. Instead of providing readers with the emotional response of the main character, they are left to sort through their own feelings. Some readers may even put themselves in the situation, leaving them to think about what they would do. Regardless of the specific actions each reader would take, it is reasonable to believe that most readers are saddened by this lack of complete closure. In turn, readers walk away from this story learning that societal conflicts can have a severe impact on the individuals within