“He could stay where he was and wait. That was suicide. He could flee. That was postponing the inevitable.” (Narrator Pg.11). In The Most Dangerous Game by “Richard Connell,” we learn the suspenseful story of how Rainsford survived General Zaroff’s hunting game. He did this by thinking ahead. Humans can survive dangerous situations by reasoning about the future. This can be seen in plot, characterization, and setting. The plot is an essential short story element because it shows hints of human reasoning at the compilations and the climax. While Rainsford was thinking of ideas, “...he stopped where a dead tree leaned precariously on a smaller, living one.” (Narrator Pg.10). As soon as Rainsford saw the dead tree, he knew it would be the perfect trap. When he …show more content…
As Rainsford waited in the forest, “...he heard the padding sound of feet on the soft earth, and the night breeze brought him the perfume of the general’s cigarette.” (Narrator P. 11). Rainsford knew the unique smell of the general’s cigarette to conclude that he was coming towards him. Once he reasoned this out, he set the trap up.
Rainsford also though, “Where there are pistol shots, there are men, where there are men, there is food.” (Rainsford P.3). He understood that if guns are shot, they have to be shot by a man. He reasons that animals cannot shoot guns and then starts swimming in the direction he heard the sound. So now we can see human reasoning in the short story element, setting. We can now see human reasoning skills through plot, characterization, and setting. We also learn through Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game that humans need to have reasoning skills to survive dangerous situations. What would happen if Rainsford stayed and waited because he couldn’t reason what to do next? This is why we need to think and reason out our situation the next time something dangerous
Survival, a life or death situation, one wrong move and you could die. It’s hard to remain calm in these situations, but some can do it. Lee had to escape from North Korea, Ralston was trapped alone under a rock, and Rainsford was being hunted alive, they survived from three things. It took Lee’s courage, Ralston’s Endurance, and Rainsford’s Intelligence to show they were survivors.
“Rainsford’s second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the general smiled? Why had he turned back?” This quote is important for us to know because it creates suspense overall in the story and helps to keep it interesting. It also helps to show more of the dynamic change that Rainsford is going through. “Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.” At the beginning of the story, Rainsford was overconfident and was not fearful of much.
Rainsford is known for his extravagant hunting skills, even General Zaroff speaks of Rainsford as is if he has inspired him to become a hunter. Rainsford talks about hunting with passion, while he is speaking to Whitney he tells her it’s “the best sport in the world” (19). Rainsford has no guilt when he kills animals, he even tells Whitney that it’s nonsense when she mention the jaguars have feeling. But Rainsford shows immediate disgust when Zaroff brings up his hunting of humans, “hunting, great heavens, what you speak of is murder” (26). This only the first of many times that he reacts with great displeasure.
In the beginning of the story, Rainsford has a conversation with his friend, Whitney, about hunting animals. Rainford does not care about the animals that he hunts. He believes hunting is only a sport to kill innocent creatures. “‘Who cares how a jaguar feels?’” (1) Showing the reader exactly what he thinks of hunting. Rainsford does not understand that the animals he hunts are like the people that Zaroff hunts. They are innocent, and he is murdering them when he hunts them. Rainsford thinks that Zaroff is insane for murdering people, but Rainsford is also a murderer. When Zaroff hunts Rainsford, the protagonist realizes the terror and pain the jaguars must have felt when he hunted them. Now the roles are reversed, and Rainsford is the one being hunted. “The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. The general was saving him for another day’s sport! Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.” (17) Rainsford has changed his feelings about hunting animals now, and he has become a better person. He now takes into account how his prey feels. His interactions with people will also be different, because instead of being extremely overconfident, he realizes that he is not perfectly adept at hunting, and everyone has feelings that matter. In conclusion, Rainsford is now more humble and less overconfident than he was when he began his
There is evidence in both Lord of the Flies and A Separate Peace that display the savagery of man. In Lord of the Flies there is savagery found when the choir boys and most of the bigguns separate from Ralph’s authority and form their own tribe. In A Separate Peace, savagery is found in unnamed characters during Leper’s war experience - he feels such a need to escape from evil and savagery in the war that he takes the risk and actually does. In both of these novels, the archetype and motif of savagery is present in young boys, ultimately resulting in the downfall and degenerating of man.
Survival skills can take over when in a life or death situation. The protagonist, Rainsford, in the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is a clear example of this. While on the way to hunting expedition Rainsford is thrown overboard his ship and swims to the nearby shore of Ship Trap Island. He explores the island and finds a chateau. He is invited in by the owner, General Zarroff, and they begin to converse. Here Rainsford learns something dark about this man that will lead to him being on the run for his life. He is forced to let his survival skills, resourcefulness, thinking on his feet, and his good eye, take center stage in the fight for his life.
Ray Bradbury points out many thinks in this novel some obvious some not so clear. He encourages readers to think deep and keep an open mind. Ray Bradbury wrote a short story that appeared in Galaxy science fiction in 1950, which later became the novel Fahrenheit 451 in 1953. This novel takes place in a dystopian society where books are illegal and firemen start fires.
Richard Connells “The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story which illustrates that calm analytical thinking can increase your odds of survival and controlling panic.
History has seen advancements in technology, philosophy, and industry, all of which radically changed the lives of those witnessing such developments. Slower, more relaxed lifestyles have given way to lifestyles of a faster paced nature. George Eliot describes her preference for the leisure of the past, conveying the message that the rushed leisure of her time is hardly leisure at all. She accomplishes this by using several stylistic devices, including personification, imagery, and diction.
Being able to overcome anything in life is a great feeling. There is a special feeling in the body and the mind when the body achieves a goal, and the mind gets a feeling of satisfaction. Since, the mind chooses to go against the body's will to quit, you have to be mentally strong. In Richard Connell's short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” large game hunter Sanger Rainsford is tested in the following ways: strong versus the weak, the value of life, and becoming what he fears. To begin with, Rainsford has to pose as the weak against the strong, General Zaroff.
Rainsford is an intelligent man. Early in the story, “Rainsford remembered the shots. They had come from the right, and he doggedly swam in that direction” (34). Rainsford had just fallen in the water, swam fifty feet further out, but he kept his senses in the right direction. In total darkness, Rainsford used his intelligence and intellect to reach the land. Also, I don’t think that Rainsford knew he was being sized up when Zaroff was staring at him, but when “Rainsford’s bewilderment showed in his face” (100), he quickly understood what Zaroff was leading too. Rainsford wasn’t a murderer. Sure he liked to hunt game, but he wasn’t bored as Zaroff was. Rainsford never bought into all the old tales. ‘“One superstitious sailor can taint the whole ship’s company with fear”’ (20). He never got worked up or stressed out.
Would you have been brave enough to play a “game” that was to most likely end in death? In the story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, a man by the name of Rainsford is clearly brave because of the fact that he played the most dangerous game. His bravery can be proved by his actions, appearance, and speech.
‘“Here in my preserve on this island,” he said in the same low tone, “I hunt more dangerous game”.’ (Connell pg. 28). In this story, it all starts with a character named Rainsford, who is going on a hunting trip with his friend named Whitney. They travel on a yacht, but while Whitney was sleeping, Rainsford falls off and swims towards gunshots he hears. Rainsford reaches an island, and in the morning he looks around. He came across a mansion, and walked up to it and met two people, Ivan and General Zaroff. From there, the story takes an exciting twist, Rainsford learns that General Zaroff hunts humans. Rainsford can’t get of the island because of the remoteness. Zaroff decides to hunt Rainsford. Rainsford is a great character, he is a great
In the book, Fahrenheit 451,written by Ray Bradbury, he had put in literary devices to help readers understand what is going on throughout the context of the story. The literary devices used in the book were imagery and personification. These literary devices will help shows how technology ruins personal relationships.
...ountries, then, result in war? If life were merely a contest with fate, then should we not think before we act? Though some may argue that the proper time to reflect is before acting, I have learned from experience that, more times than not, this is not the best approach. The ability to act on instinct is crucial to success, in many situations. During an earthquake, for instance, one must quickly respond in whichever ways necessary to protect themselves, as well as their loved ones. No matter how prepared, or trained, one may be, there is no way to predict what the essential motions should be taken in the time of an emergency. Although we are born with some instincts, other, more specified, ones can be developed through experience and training. In any situation instincts can be good or bad in the outcome, but this is the foundation of how we learn: experience.