The central conflict in ‘The Sniper’ by Liam O’Flaherty is a brutal and moral struggle experienced by the protagonist, a sniper during the Irish Civil War. This conflict is both external and internal. Externally, the sniper faces the immediate danger of enemy combatants while trying to survive in a war-torn city. He is engaged in a deadly game of cat and mouse with opposing forces, highlighting the intense and violent nature of civil war.
Internally, the conflict unfolds as the sniper grapples with his emotions and the realities of war. As he kills enemy soldiers, he confronts the moral implications of his actions, illustrating the toll that violence and hatred take on an individual. Ultimately, the story culminates in a poignant twist that forces the sniper to face the personal cost of his conflict, raising profound questions about identity, family ties, and the futility of war.