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Compare And Contrast A Perfect Day For Bananafish And The Sniper

888 Words4 Pages

Diganta,1
Dipta Sarothi Diganta
ENG3U
Teacher: Miss Amellia
January 18, 2023

War’s Trauma in “A Perfect Day For Bananafish” and “The Sniper”
The trauma of war is a prevalent theme in literature, and J.D. Salinger's "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" and Liam O'Flaherty's "The Sniper" are two stories that effectively depict this theme through their use of symbolism and characterization. By using symbolism to illustrate the destructive nature of war and characterization to convey the emotional and psychological effects of war on the individual, these stories serve as powerful examples of the lasting impact of war on individuals. Despite their different literary techniques, J.D. Salinger's "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" and Liam O'Flaherty's "The Sniper" both effectively depict the destructive and lasting impact of war on individuals through their use of symbolism and characterization, highlighting the emotional and psychological trauma caused by war. In "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" the writer uses symbolism to depict the destructive nature of the war on the individual. Seymour …show more content…

We can see that when the writer wrote, “ He was eating a sandwich hungrily. He had eaten nothing since morning. He had been too excited to eat. He finished the sandwich, and, taking a flask of whiskey from his pocket, he took a short drought”’(Flaherty 1). This passage from the story shows that the sniper's physical condition deteriorates as the story progresses, he is hungry, thirsty and tired. He is also wounded, adding to his suffering. The sniper is a shell of the man he once was, and it is clear that war has taken a physical toll on him. The story is a powerful reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of peace. The writer gives powerful descriptions of the scenes in the story. The language used is descriptive, painting a vivid picture of the protagonist's physical

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