The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty Historic Background Literary Analysis and Essay Planning

Background Knowledge: Ireland is an island near Great Britian (which is an Island off of Europe). Ireland is split into the Republic of Ireland (its own nation) and Northern Ireland (under British Rule as part of the United Kingdom)

The Irish Civil War 1916-1923 1916: Many Irish begin to fight the British Rule that has kept Catholics from owning land, voting, and other rights for several hundred years 1921: The British Government proposes a splitting of Ireland, ceding most of the island to the Irish (it became the Republic of Ireland)

The Battle of Dublin June 28-July 5 1922 200 IRA members occupied Four Courts. The British were still there, but wanted the new Irish Government to do the fighting. Therefore, the two sides were the IRA the (Irish who were against the new treaty) vs Provisional Irish Government (Irish who accepted the new treaty with the separation of Northern Ireland)

Paired Activity: Imagery Scan the story The Sniper, specifically looking for descriptive language. Identify as much as you can of the following: metaphor simile personification imagery onomatopoeia alliteration

Planning Organizer Title: The Sniper Author: Liam O’Flaherty Genre: Short Story Theme: War is devastating to everyone Literary Elements Example or Quote: Author’s Purpose How it Fits Theme Figurative Language 1. 2. Imagery Irony

Some Similes: “…rifles broke the silence of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on a lone farms” (110). “…his right arm was paining him like a thousand devils” (113). “…he was slowly falling forward, as if in a dream” (113).

Some Metaphors: “His bullets would never pierce the steel that covered the gray monster” (111). “The cloud of fear scattered from his mind . . .” (114).

Some Personification “…a bullet flattened itself against the parapet”(111). “The sniper could hear the dull panting of the motor” (111). “He became bitten by remorse” (114).

Finding the Irony “The enemy on the opposite roof covered his escape. He must kill that enemy” (113). he does not know who the opposing sniper is “Then the sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brother’s face” (114). now that we know who the enemy is, the irony of the sniper wanting to kill him is revealed.