Student Question
What do the sniper's actions in paragraph 3 reveal about him and what is the result?
Quick answer:
The sniper's decision to light a cigarette, despite knowing it might reveal his position, shows he is both risk-taking and experienced. His willingness to face potential consequences highlights his bravery and military background. However, lighting the cigarette indeed exposes his location, prompting the enemy sniper to fire at him. Although the shot misses, this event compels the sniper to devise a new strategy for safely leaving the roof.
In the third paragraph of the story, the sniper faces a dilemma. On the one hand, he wants to smoke a cigarette but, on the other, he knows that lighting the cigarette might give away his position to the enemy sniper. After thinking it over, the sniper goes ahead and smokes a cigarette.
This action reveals two key points about the sniper's character. Firstly, that he is prepared to take risks. Although he knows that he may give away his position, he is brave enough to face the consequences.
Secondly, the fact that he understands the consequences of lighting a cigarette shows that he is well-experienced in this role. He has a military background and has carried out this task before.
When the sniper lights the cigarette, his fear is confirmed. It reveals his position to the enemy sniper, causing the enemy sniper to fire a shot in his direction. Luckily, the shot misses the sniper but this near-miss forces him to develop a new plan to get safely off the roof.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.