The Sniper Quiz

What is the point of view of “The Sniper”?

• It is first person because the story is told from the perspective of the sniper.

• It is third person objective because a neutral narrator observes the action, but the reader never reads how any character thinks or feels.

• It is third person limited because a narrator relays how one thinks or feels.

• It is third person omniscient because an all-knowing narrator relays how more than one character thinks or feels.

All of the following conflicts are present in “The Sniper” EXCEPT which?

• Man vs. man

• Man vs. self

• Man vs. nature

• Man vs. society

How is the last sentence of the short story an example of situational irony?

• The protagonist discovers that he has killed someone he wouldn’t have want killed.

• The protagonist discovers that his brother said he was loyal to the IRA but wasn’t.

• The protagonist has to kill for the first time, but it will likely be the last time he’ll kill.

• The protagonist kills his brother who he never really liked anyway.

What is the main theme of “The Sniper”?

• War is badass.

• War is honorable, noble, and righteous.

• War is horrible, especially on family.

• War is unlikely to scar soldiers.

Why does author Liam O’Flaherty likely not name the protagonist nor any other character?

• The lack of a name suggests the everyman nature of the sniper: He could be anyone in Ireland.

• The lack of a name suggests the lack of importance of the sniper.

• The lack of a name suggests the invisibility of the sniper to a world that can’t see him.

• The lack of a name suggests the sniper’s alienation from the war, its beliefs, and supporters.

How does the sniper’s action of lighting the cigarette indirectly characterize them?

• This action indirectly characterizes the sniper as being reckless and foolish.

• This action indirectly characterizes the sniper as being sexy and sophisticated.

• This action indirectly characterizes the sniper as being smart and wise.

• This action indirectly characterizes the sniper as being suicidal and forlorn (i.e lost).

Why does the sniper finish his flask, and how does this action indirectly characterize him?

• The sniper finishes his flask to destroy the evidence of his drinking because he’s guilty.

• The sniper finishes his flask to cope with what he has done because he’s insecure.

• The sniper finishes his flask to impress any other snipers around because he’s proud.

• The sniper finishes his flask to party and celebrate his success because he’s excited.

By the story’s resolution, is the sniper likely going to be a static or dynamic character? Why?

• The sniper is likely going to be a dynamic character because he will kill more people.

• The sniper is likely going to be a dynamic character because he will regret his actions

• The sniper is likely going to be a static character because no one close to him died.

• The sniper is likely going to be a static character because the deaths won’t affect him.

What event in the story acts as the initiating event that escalates the story’s central conflict?

• when the sniper eats a sandwich

• when the sniper shoots the gunner in the tank

• when the sniper tricks the other sniper into thinking that he has been shot

• when the sniper lights a cigarette and draws fire from the other sniper

O’Flaherty has the sniper experience several emotions, but what does he deprive readers from knowing?

• how the sniper feels about being a sniper and fighting in this civil war

• how the sniper feels about having killed the other sniper

• how the sniper feels and reacts to realizing that a sniper is shooting at him

• how the sniper feels and reacts to realizing that he has killed his brother