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Literary analysis for the most dangerous game
Literary analysis for the most dangerous game
Literary analysis for the most dangerous game
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‘“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 …show more content…
He thinks like his prey so that it is easier to find them. General Zaroff is a hunter who has been everywhere and has hunted everything. General Zaroff knew who Rainsford was from the start. ‘“It is a very great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford the celebrated hunter to my home”.’ (Connell pg. 26). Rainsford has written many books about his hunting experiences. Along with being a well known and skilled hunter, Rainsford is also very smart. He uses his prior knowledge in tough situations to figure stuff out. An example would be when Rainsford fell off the yacht when it was pitch black out. He heard a noise and used his prior knowledge to connect that with a pistol shot. ‘“Pistol shot,” muttered Rainsford, swimming on.’(Connell pg. 24). Later on in the story, he also uses his smarts to determine the position of the sun. Rainsford has an amazing ability to react fast to tough situations. When Zaroff tells Rainsford that he will hunt him, Rainsford stays calm and starts thinking of a game plan. ‘Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours. “I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve,” he said through tight teeth.’(Connell pg. 34). Rainsford used his other skills in running from the General such as, making traps, making a trail to follow, and using nature to camouflage himself. Rainsford knew what he had to do to survive, so he did what had to be done to make Zaroff’s army of dogs fewer. He set up traps throughout
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.
Robert Rainsford from “The Most Dangerous Game” is a very open character. He always shows what he’s thinking verbally or just with facial expressions. When he landed on Ship-Trap island and was lost in the woods, he found a pathway. “They pointed along the cliff in the direction he had been going.” Rainsford’s attitude toward the pathway is what brought him and General Zaroff together. Rainsford had the opportunity to just not follow the hunting boot tracks and walk down a different trail but then the story would never have ended the same. “‘Thank you, I’m a hunter, not a murderer.’ ‘Dear me,’ said the general, quite unruffled, ‘again that unpleasant word. But I think I can show you that your scruples are quite ill founded.’”This quote signifies the start of conflict for the two characters.
Where does the line of sport and murder intersect in hunting? Is it when the species being hunted is able to reason? Or is it when the species being hunted looks just like the hunter? In both movie and film, we see a man fight for his life and another going against all codes of ethics. While Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s film adaptation both have several similarities, the difference are also apparent in each respective media.
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.
When world renowned hunter, Sanger Rainsford ends up marooned on an island, he finds himself in an unimaginable word. A world full of murder. He must find a way to save himself and the ones around him. Rainsford is the lesser of two evils he may have a passion for hunting but unlike General Zaroff he has limits, Rainsford kills Zaroff to save himself and many future victims.
A skilled hunter sprints desperately through the woods, realizing the futility of hiding from his greatest foe: his own kind. Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” is the story of a hunter that becomes the hunted. The story explores the sense of extreme terror the protagonist feels being pursued by a psychopath living on a mysterious island. This protagonist, Rainsford, has many traits that aid him in his battle with the general. By demonstrating his cunning, sly, and remorseful traits, Rainsford shows the story’s theme of “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes”.
“You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”. The story “The Most dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell introduces an adventurous type of thriller with two main characters named Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff. Both of which are hunters who in the story play a “game” invented by General Zaroff out of pure fear of becoming bored of the hunt. General Zaroff is a big fan of the hunt and everything he says about the hunt is to be taken serious. Rainsford and General Zaroff are described to be excellent hunters through the traps Rainsford makes, all the big game Zaroff has hunted, but Zaroff is better at hunting through the fact that the hunt has began to bore and he needs more of a challenge hunting humans.
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
“A man who had been hiding in the curtains of the bed, was standing there. ‘Rainsford!’ Screamed the General. ‘How in gods name did you get in here?’(80).” The General left that day knowing he hadn't caught Rainsford after he jumped out into the sea. The General believed he would not come back but until he found Rainsford in room, did he start to think anything bad would come to him. Up until this point in the story the general is enjoying hunting Rainsford, and Rainsford has the exact opposite feeling about this situation. Rainsford says himself “I am still a beast at bay”(80). The General challenged Rainsford, “‘One of us will furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On Guard, Rainsford…’(80).” The General never thought he would lose at his own game. That was until he was fed to his own
As the sweltering, hot sun signified the start of a scorching afternoon, a young boy lay in the fields harvesting vegetables for another family. He had been enslaved to perform chores around the house for the family, and was only given very few privileges. While his stomach throbbed with pangs of hunger, he continued cooking meals for them. After the family indulged in the cozy heat from the fireplace, he was the one to clean the ashes. Despite his whole body feeling sore from all the rigorous work he completed, the young boy had been left alone to suffer. As months passed by, he desired independence. He wanted to cook his own food, make his own fire, harvest his own plants and earn money. The lad soon discovered that he needed faith and courage to break away from his restricted environment. When put in a suppressive situation, every person has the aspiration to escape the injustice. This is what Harrison Bergeron and Sanger Rainsford do to liberate themselves from the external forces that govern their lives. Harrison, the main character of “Harrison Bergeron” written by Kurt Vonnegut, is a strong, fourteen year old boy whose talents have been concealed by the government. Growing up in an environment where equality has restricted people’s thinking, Harrison endeavors to change society’s views. Rainsford, the main character of “The Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell, is a skilled hunter who believes that animals were made to be hunted; he has no sympathy for them. Stranded on island with a killer chasing him, he learns to make rational choices. While both Harrison and Ranisford are courageous characters, Rainsford’s prudence enables him to overpower his enemy, whereas Harrison’s impulsive nature results in him being ...
“Indifference to me is the epitome of all evil.” (Elie Wiesel). The short story “The Most Dangerous Games” by Richard Connell relays a shocking exposé of a man who believes that regardless of what is right or wrong, that this should not matter as long as it meets his needs. General Zaroff is an expatriate Russian Cossack who now lives on an island with his henchman and hounds. He is the antagonist or the adversary of Rainsford and remains static throughout the short story always remaining as he did in the beginning. However, it does not take the reader long to discover that Zaroff portrays himself as a “man of the world”, “psychopath” and “egotist”. As the reader proceeds through the short story ‘the most dangerous game’ the idea of General Zaroff being a sophisticated, intelligent, cultured ,well educated, and civilized man quickly changes as his true self is revealed.
In the story, Zaroff and Rainsford are both enjoy hunting, and are both excellent and skillful hunters
"Get ready, General Zaroff," (Connell) states Rainsford as he is about to fight the General. "The Most Dangerous Game" is an adventurous story, written by one of the greatest American Literature authors. The story includes all the works: a detailed setting, an intriguing point of view, an interesting conflict, a protagonist and antagonist, a theme that shines throughout the story, and a mysterious twist at the end. "The Most Dangerous Game" won the O. Henry Memorial Award for short fiction in 1923 and 1924, which is proof that this story is worthy of reading. "The Most Dangerous Game" is analyzed as an exciting journey and a must-read short story for young adults everywhere.
When Rainsford falls off of the boat, he has to try his best to stay afloat until he can find something to latch on to. He swims vigorously until he reaches Ship-Trap Island. "Jagged crags appeared to jut up into the opaqueness... dense jungle came down to the very edge of the cliffs." It is midday and he is just searching for a place to rest when he runs into Ivan, the astonishingly large guard of the island. Zaroff, the owner of the island, joins in on their conversation about hunting. The conversation is interesting to say the least. Zaroff says, "You'll find this game worth playing…your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?" Zaroff is trying to point out that he finds interest in hunting humans, and he wants to know if Rainsford will rise to the challenge. Rainsford is left with a choice to make; will he fight Zaroff, or will he decline and get killed by Ivan. The choice in this situation is pretty self- evident.
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.