Analysis Of American Sniper

Inside the Story of a Navy SEAL American Sniper is a heart-wrenching piece about a man who was willing to sacrifice his life for his country. Written primarily by Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in American history, this memoir is interspersed with revealing excerpts told by his wife, Taya. This literary device, known as “change in narrator,” distinguishes his work from others’. Kyle demonstrates his style through his use of change in narrator; this provides greater emotional context, examines different perspectives, and enhances reader understanding. First and foremost, the periodic change in narrator serves to deepen the emotional context around which this memoir was written. This memoir is written primarily by Chris Kyle, but change

Hearing the story from just one point-of-view is not enough; Kyle remedies this through his stylistic choice. An example of this is when Kyle and Taya talk about the birth of their first child. Taya states, “Chris had trouble handling the baby’s crying at first, and that stressed me as well—you can handle war but you can’t handle a few days of crying?”(Kyle 131). Kyle makes no reference to this in his description. Had it not been for the two different perspectives presented in this memoir, the reader would not have an accurate mental picture of the situation Kyle and Taya were in. Kyle’s stylistic choice allowed the reader to view the same story from two different perspectives.

Lastly, reader understanding is significantly enhanced as a result of this memoir’s use of change in narrator. Kyle often incorporates technical jargon into his writing, making some passages difficult for a reader without military experience to comprehend. For example, in the sixth chapter, Kyle speaks extensively about the various trainings he was obliged to complete. Taya, speaking during a change in narrator, simplifies her husband’s words into common vernacular. The change in narrator enhances reader understanding by offering a simplified reiteration of technical military