Cupid's Arrows
Who is the author of this story?
Rudyard Kipling
What is a symbol?
An object that represents something in addition to itself.
"The fourth grader who beats me by a whisker" is an example of what type of figurative language?
Idiom
Who wrote "The Sniper"?
Liam O'Flaherty
What is the name of the protagonist?
Prince Prospero
How can the reader tell that Mrs. Beighton is selfish?
She wants Kitty to marry a man that she doesn't love so that she can have enough money to take care of her in her old age.
What is an allusion?
A reference in a work to another work, history, pop culture, etc.
Explain the following allusion:
"The spirit of Sly Stallone bolting through the streets of Philly pushed me forward."
Referencing Sylvester Stallone in the movie Rocky.
What are the names of the two "sides" that the snipers are fighting for?
Republicans and the Free-Staters
The time you have on earth/reminders of your mortality
What does the diamond bracelet symbolize?
Wealth/status and winning Barr-Saggot's hand in marriage.
What is verbal irony?
When someone says something and means another.
Explain the following allusion:
"When I saw the words D-Day, I felt a little queasy."
D-Day references the storming of the beaches at Normandy during WWII.
Explain the irony of the last line:
"Then the sniper turned over the dead body and looked into his brother’s face." (What type of irony is it and why?)
Who prevails at the end of "Masque"?
The Red Death
Explain the allusion to "Diana" of Tara-Devi.
Kitty is compared to Diana because Diana is the Roman goddess of archery/hunting, and Kitty is an extremely skilled archer.
What is situational irony?
When the outcome of a situation is different than what you expect.
Why does the narrator avoid looking at the newspaper in the days following the race?
He feels guilty about beating a "grandpa"/WWII veteran.
He uses his rifle and his hat to fake his own death, then he shoots the other sniper with his revolver.
What does the castle symbolize?
Explain the significance of the following quote:
"Now horses used to shy when Barr-Saggott smiled. Kitty saw that smile. She looked to her left-front, gave an almost imperceptible nod to Cubbon, and went on shooting."
She realized what was at stake -- that she would have to marry a man that she did not love. So, she chose Cubbon and decided to throw the competition.
What is dramatic irony?
When the audience knows something that the character does not.
Explain the significance of the following statement:
"Though I'm normally not a bug motive guy--all that matters is what you do, not why you do it--in this case, motivation matters."
Answers will vary. If you win honorably with your purpose being to do your best, then that's a good thing. If you single someone out and beat them for sport, that's not a good thing.
Give an example of irony in the story (NOT that the other sniper is his brother).
Cigarette light, no remorse for killing the woman, able to "win" after being injured, etc.
What are the two symbolic levels of the seven colored rooms?
The seven ages of man
The seven deadly sins