This story begins on a dark and cold night in the Caribbean Sea. In The Most Dangerous Game,” Richard Connell gave many hints throughout the story about Zaroff’s devious plan. One of the most important of conflicts was that it built suspense which showed the change in the characters feelings. All of the events made this an external conflict. Rainsford’s first time meeting Zaroff and Ivan involve a gun, and this gave Rainsford the first clue about Zaroff. “The revolver pointing as rigidly as if the giant were a statue. He gave no sign that he understood Rainsford’s words” (5). Rainsford had no idea who the man was and why he was holding a revolver towards him. The man had menacing eyes towards Rainsford which made him think that he was going to shoot him. “Another man was coming down the broad marble …show more content…
“I suggest to one of them that we go hunting. I give him supply of food and an excellent hunting knife. I am to follow, armed only with a pistol of the smallest caliber and range” (11). Zaroff explains to Rainsford the game which seems unfair since Zaroff had a gun and the other person had a knife. Rainsford thought that something was wrong when Zaroff was explaining him the game, but Rainsford did not pay a lot of attention. “Rainsford did not believe what his reason told him was true, but the truth was as evident as the sun that had by now pushed through the mists. The general was playing him. The general was saving him for another day’s sport. The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse” (15). Rainsford realized that Zaroff was cheating and lying to him since the beginning. After all the things that happened, Rainsford knew that he should have listened to his instincts. Zaroff showed his real personality which is conceited, rude, crazy, and an hypocrite, even though at the end he ended up losing against
In the short story “the most dangerous game”, Rainsford was justified in killing General Zaroff.
Zaroff is extremely pleased when he gets to host Rainsford at his house, as if it's an honor to host this world renowned hunter in his home. He is so pleased when he has the chance to tell Rainsford about his new hunting style. “Dear me. Again with that unpleasant word. But I think I can show you that your scruples are quite ill founded” (26). Zaroff believes that he can change Rainsfords view on his hunting style when he reacts immediatly with great disgust.
After falling off his ship and forced to swim to a mysterious island, Rainsford is faced with a challenge. General Zaroff traps him in a “game” that requires Rainsford to use his skills to survive. He is hunted for three days; where he was chased, tracked down, and shot at. General Zaroff led the hunt to try to kill Rainsford. General was equipped with more firepower and help from his henchman and dogs. But even with his much greater opponent, he was able to survive. Rainsford used his many skills to defeat and kill his enemy. He used quick wit to make traps that would slow Zaroff and kill his dogs and henchman. Then he used his intelligence to escape Zaroff by swimming away, but sneaking back into his own mansion.
If one were to put another character in Rainsford’s position such as Whitney, it is likely that the story would not have ended the way it did. A main reason as to why Rainsford is the dynamic character he is, and can survive such a harsh game, is because he is very self-assured. While passing Ship-Trap Island, all the sailors, aside from Rainsford, are a little anxious because of rumors heard about the island. Rainsford believes that, “one superstitious sailor can taint the whole ships company with his fear,” (page 56). During a firm discussion with Whitney about hunting, Rainsford boldly argues how jaguars are just here to be hunted. Ironically, by the end of the story he thinks just the opposite. The first time he encounters General Zaroff, Rainsford earns the General’s trust instantly because he shows his independence and confidence to him. As he hears about the game, Rainsford does not express obvious fear toward General Zaroff. Being self-assured helps Rainsford to be the strong hunter he is.
Both the men are war veterans and avid hunters, but they both have completely different ideas on how the world works. General Zaroff is unable to adapt to the New World and let go of the ideas that he grew up with as a nobleman of the Romanov Russian Empire. However, Sanger Rainsford is able to adapt to the changes that have happened to the New World. It is because of this that he is able to outsmart General Zaroff at his own game and kill the Cossack, thus, Rainsford was a higher class of human than Zaroff, due to the rules of natural selection
In the story, The Dangerous Game, Rainsford was justified to kill Zaroff. For example, Rainsford figures out that Zaroff doesn't want to hunt for animals anymore, but instead he wants to hunt for people. Rainsford soon realizes that Zaroff is wanting to kill him. Zaroff was originally going to kill Rainsford initially, so it only makes sense for Rainford to kill Zaroff when he can. For instance, Rainsford realizes that Zaroff is suggesting that him and Rainsford should fight each other. “‘Tonight, said the general, ‘we will hunt- you and I’”, “‘You don't mean…’ cried Rainsford… ‘Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine’”(Connell 6). If someone wants to kill a person and the other person knows
In the story “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell when rainsford was trying to survive in the woods from being attacked by a General named Zaroff, he thought about ideas to not be track down,and traps to capture General Zaroff. It was quite hard because General Zaroff had a great technique in finding his prey and he had great skills in tracking footprints,even in the dark. Rainsford used some of his own ideas in trying to defend himself from General Zaroff,others might think Rainsford murdered Zaroff.Strongly understand that Rainsford was trying to protect himself from Zaroff because, Zaroff was trying to play some sort of game to try to kill him. Here are some reasons why he didn’t murder General Zaroff while other believe he did.
In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford is clever and determined. While running from General Zaroff, he makes several traps.
Rainsford is disgusted by Zaroff, and says, “Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke,” (8). Zaroff dismisses Rainsford’s feelings and refuses to believe “that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life,” (8). In the narrative only one of these men go through changes in their character. Rainsford is a dynamic character who goes from disregarding how the “huntee” feels, to keenly understanding their fear and pain. During the exposition of the story, Rainsford tells his hunting partner, Whitney, “Who cares how a jaguar feels?” Then, during the falling action of the story, he takes the place of a huntee, and he is able to understand what they feel. Rainsford also experiences a shift in morals considering he declares during the rising action that his experience in the war did not make him “condone cold-blooded murder” (8). In the resolution, the general says, “One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford.” Rainsford fights Zaroff and feeds him to the hounds,
In the “Most Dangerous Game” General Zaroff can be described as a smart, dangerous, and precise person. General Zaroff is smart because he persuades Rainsford to play his “game”. This is seen in the story when it says “the choice rests entirely with you, but may I not venture to suggest that you will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivans.” (Connell 52) This shows he is smart because Ivan practically whips you to death. He can also be described as dangerous because he lures people his island. An example of this is seen in the story, which states, Rainsford saw a flash of lights. The general chuckled, “they indicate a channel,” he said, “where there’s none: giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a sea monster.” (Connell 50) It shows the general is dangerous because he lures his prey to his
In the story this happened when Zaroff dogs found rainsford. Rainsford knew that Zaroff had a advantage with the dogs. The lights from the windows sent a flickering illumination that made grotesque patterns on the courtyard below, and Rainsford could see moving about there a dozen or so huge black shapes; as they turned toward him, their eyes glittered greenly.(9). Since Zaroff had a lot of advantages, it made rainsford work hard to survive. Rainsford had to make traps and he had to kill Ivan. At the end of the story Rainsford showed up in Zaroff's room. Rainsford slept in the bed and Zaroff slept with the hounds. Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. Rainsford didn't have anything to kill with. He had nothing to survive. Zaroff had weapons and dogs. Rainsford tried but believe he couldn't win while Zaroff didn't try and believed that he will win. As the result of Rainsford surviving he won the
He simply sees them as another type of prey. Another way that they were different that may have been overlooked by the reader, but is still an equally important distinction, is that Rainsford is able to make friends. Rainsford has friends as proofed by the beginning when he and his friend, Whitney were on the boat talking like old friends “I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the fall brush at four hundred yards...”(1). This shows that Rainsford and Whitney have hunted before and are likely close friends. Zaroff has no friends and never once in the story does it mention family members friends or even any acquaintances. The story even states that he treats Ivan more like property than like a real person and shows no emotion towards him. Zaroff probably has no friends because he has a hard time connecting with other people or because of his homicidal tendencies. Even Ivan wasn’t a friend, he was more like property “Ivan would be difficult to replace”(15), this shows us that he has no emotion towards Ivan. He probably is a psychopath because he is so lonely and has very limited interaction with other people. Rainsford and Zaroff each have both killed at least one man by the end of
That evening, Rainsford began his search. All of a sudden, he heard a scream. Not very wise, Rainsford noted. Now he knew exactly where one of the prisoners was located. Then, he heard a loud snarl and growl. But that’s not all that he heard. He also heard a bark. One of the dogs is still loose! Rainsford had to hurry back, or else he will be the next one killed. Rainsford began to sprint. He soon heard the sound of paws hitting the ground. He heard the snarl, and the growl. He heard the deep bark of the beast right behind him. Rainsford ran for his life. Suddenly, he tripped on a rock and hit the ground hard. Excruciating pain shot through his body. But that would be nothing compared to what was next. The very same beast who killed Zaroff had now killed Rainsford. There were no more survivors left on the island. Only the dogs
First, in “The Most Dangerous Game,” General Zaroff displays murderous, psychopathic behavior. He lures his clueless prey into a dangerous game of Tom and Jerry. General Zaroff explains his psychopathic decisions to rainsford:”We’ll visit my training school tomorrow,’’ smiled the General.”It’s in the cellar. I have about a dozen pupils down there now”(connell226). This is barbaric because he tells Rainsford about the twelve people he is training for him to hunt. This relates to random shootings and kidnappings. These instances are usually committed out of frustration;
G. Zaroff is untrustworthy because in the end after Rainfords has beaten him he still has to fight him. He shows this when Rainsford meets him in the bedroom the General says “I see, Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in a very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford…..” This means that he didn’t keep his promise of letting him go after three days and still made him fight.