Compare And Contrast Rainsford And General Zaroff

In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell, Sanger Rainsford, the protagonist, arrives at the mysterious Ship-Trap island, owned by the ruthless antagonist, General Zaroff. Once Rainsford is at Zaroff’s private estate, both men realize they share similar beliefs regarding how animals understand, however, their feelings diverge on the issue of hunting humans. Their contrasting views on human hunting makes Zaroff turn on Rainsford, which is the driving force behind their feud. Rainsford views Zaroff’s game, of hunting humans for pleasure, as cold blooded murder, although Zaroff believes, “No animal had a chance with me anymore,” (7). Zaroff creates an island that he presumes will grant him great pleasure because it will

present him with the most exciting hunting in the world. The general explains to Rainsford that the most ideal animal to hunt should have, “courage, cunning and, above all, it must be able to reason,” (8). Rainsford is in horror when he realizes that Zaroff is hunting humans. Zaroff tries appeal to Rainsford’s military experience, but, Rainsford continues to disagree with Zaroff’s desire to hunt humans.

Rainsford is a dynamic character whose values are under constant refinement while in the center of Zaroff’s game.

Whereas Zaroff’s character is static and too arrogant to change. Initially Rainsford states that, “Who cares how a jaguar feels,” (1) This shows that Rainsford does not show empathy towards his prey. Rainsford also declares, “Bah! They’ve no understanding,” (1)

Once he became the huntee, he had full recognition of the horror and anxiety of being the hunted. Rainsford utters, “I will not lose my nerve. I will not,” (13), in an attempt to stay calm. Rainsford began to see the world of hunting in a new frame of mind. Zaroff’s opinion of his prey does not change throughout the story, and continues to lack empathy. Zaroff begins the story with the desire to, “Hunt the scum of the earth: sailors from tramp ships-- lassars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels,” (9). Zaroff’s proclamation depicts him as shallow and racist. Zaroff is disappointed in Rainsford’s lack of initiative and desire in Zaroff’s game. Zaroff continues to tempt Rainsford into his deadly game, although Rainsford wants nothing to do with Zaroff’s twisted game. Then Zaroff deems Rainsford as weak and begins to force Rainsford into a hunt for his life. As Zaroff continues to hunt Rainsford, he is amused by Rainsford’s struggle for survival. Zaroff’s arrogance and over estimation of his own abilities leads to his death. In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff are

two different characters. The most ironic part of the story is the exchange of roles where Zaroff becomes the hunted human and Rainsford becomes the one to murder. The dissimilarities between the two hunters causes a lethal game of wits and strategy, in which no one truly wins in the end.