The Sniper and The Interlopers

            "The Sniper," by Liam O'Flaherty and "The Interlopers," by Saki are similar in theme, plot, and figurative language. The Sniper is set during the Irish Civil War and The Interlopers is set during a feud between two families over a forest in the Carpathian Mountains in what is now the Czech Republic and Romania. The Sniper is written from the point of view of an Irish Republican Sniper. During the Irish Civil War, the Republican Forces were fighting for a United Ireland that was a Sovereign State and free from British control. The Free Staters supported the treaty that gave Ireland a certain amount of freedom, but still gave a lot of control to the King and the British Government. In "The Interlopers," Ulrich goes into the forest at night looking for his enemy Georg, who he thinks is poaching on his land.
             The Sniper featured in the story is set up on a roof in Dublin, alone without a spotter. It is night time and he is looking for targets from the Free State forces. The Sniper can hear the guns of the battles being fought in the night. The Sniper is described as young, a student and that he has "The gleam of a fanatic in his eyes." The Sniper is also described as being someone who is used to seeing death, The Sniper eats something and takes a drink. He then decides to smoke a cigarette, even thought he knows that lighting one in the dark might give way his position. He lights the cigarette and draws fire from another sniper. The Republican sniper keeps looking for targets and eventually sees a Free State armored car and a woman who points out his position to the gunner. The Republican sniper shoots the gunner and the woman, who he considers an informant. The other sniper fires at the Republican and wounds him in the arm. The Republican sniper tricks the other sniper by dropping his rifle and hat off the rooftop. When the other sniper reveals himself, the Republican sniper shoots him with a revolver and the other sniper falls to the street.