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The Republican Sniper is young, with a face that looks like that “of a student, thin and ascetic.” He eyes reveal his fanatical commitment to the conflict and cause, and they show that he has seen death often enough that it has become commonplace to him. He is dedicated and thoughtful, enduring hunger and extraordinary pain. As he plans his escape, he demonstrates an ability to think under fire. He bravely shows himself to his opponent as he kills the man in the armored car, quickly and without consideration for his own safety. He also kills the old woman, a civilian, who had informed the man of the sniper’s location, with no indication of regret.
Although the sniper seems suited to the tasks of warfare, he eventually experiences remorse over his participation in combat. On his success, he feels a degree of respect for his opponent, and he later wonders if he had known him as a fellow soldier. He is revolted by the sight of the man’s fallen body and finds himself “cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing everybody.” As the story concludes, the Republican sniper seems to have been transformed from a cutthroat soldier to a resentful participant in the conflict, primarily because of his realization that the man he killed, and who would have killed him if he could, is not only a former fellow soldier but his own brother.
