Most Dangerous Game Characterization

Many stories have unique and interesting characterization. However, Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Cage Man" expresses a different kind of characterization as both have their own way of expressing and showing a character's personalities. In certain ways, the two stories contrast and compare to one another as Connell use the protagonist and antagonist of each story to develop characterization and the theme of the story. The main characters of each story has an antagonist, which goes against the protagonist. This allows the plot to build up and showcase the characterization of each characters mentioned. All in all, Connell's expression of the characters in the story and the building of personalities for each provide the

necessity of story development.
To start off, Connell express the similarities and differences of the protagonists by expressing the characterization. In both stories, Connell develop a further knowledge of the protagonists from each story with a consistent story. "'This weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes-the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.'" ("The Most Dangerous Game" 1). Rainsford, the main character of "The Most Dangerous Game," believes the world is either to be hunted or to hunt. This demonstrates the personality of Rainsford and how he believes humans can't be hunted and the humans are superior. Along with Rainsford, the main character of "The Cage Man," Horace Nimms, indicates the similar thoughts along with Rainsford as the characters are both believing the certain idea which is seen to be never broken. “… the eyes of the employees had turned sympathetically to the pale face of Horace Nimms. How old and tired Uncle Horace looked, they thought… After twenty-one years!” (“The Cage Man” 10). Horace had believed after working as a cashier in his “cage” for so long, he had thought nothing can happen to change him. Nevertheless, his thoughts were changed when Walmsley Cowan, efficiency expert of Oren Hammer’s company, changed his job to an elevator operator. The protagonist of the two stories can be related as both are faced with the sudden change of their expectation and they can’t react to the change. This represents how both Rainsford and Horace was shocked as their belief were overturned when the antagonists were involved. “‘You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?’” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 1). Rainsford believed the humans can never be the hunted and the feelings for the jaguar are unnecessary. In spite of the thought, when Rainsford meets his antagonist, General Zaroff, his thoughts are overturned. “[General Zaroff] was the cat; he was the mouse.” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 11). After Rainsford meets his enemy, he realizes how the thought of never being the hunted can be reversed. Along with Rainsford, Horace regarded his job of being a cashier like being in a cage. As Horace was a cashier for twenty-one years, he took the job for granted. Although when Cowan appeared, Horace thought his “dreams were haunted by a pair of eyes like those of a frozen owl.” (“The Cage Man” 9). As one day Horace is observed, his job is suddenly switched by the efficiency expert. As both protagonists have come out of their comfort zone, the protagonists do not understand or know what to do or act. As the stories continue, Rainsford is explained through indirect characterization. “Rainsford took his knife from its sheath and began to work with all his energy.” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 11). This indicates that Rainsford is nimble, smart, and witty as he is explained with his actions not directly. Horace is explained directly as it states he “was slightly bald, wore convict eye-glasses—the sort you shackle to your head with a chain—kept his cuffs up with lavender sleeve garters…” (“The Cage Man” 2). The description of Horace is shown directly, which shows direct characterization and how it will contribute to the story. This differentiate the two protagonists as the style of the story is different and the actions the characters take separate them. Although Rainsford and Horace both are forced into the change, the actions each take makes them be separate and be unique to their own stories. All in all, the protagonists can relate by having their environment changed by its respective antagonists and the direct and indirect characterizations showcase the development of the story.
In addition, the antagonists of the two stories are similar and different as the development of the stories can hugely depend on the character going against protagonists.

When Rainsford first arrived in Ship-Trap Island, he met with General Zaroff, the main antagonist. General Zaroff has believed hunting has become too easy for him, thinking no animal can reason. “The general smiled the quiet smile of one who has faced an obstacle and surmounted it with success. ‘I had to invent a new animal to hunt…’” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 6). General Zaroff have believed that hunting humans is the riskiest and exciting hunting yet, which goes against Rainsford’s thoughts on humans being superior. As the opinions of Rainsford and Zaroff oppose each other, conflict is occurred where the overall action is to play a game where Rainsford is the hunted and Zaroff the hunter. Similarly, Horace “had a disquieting sensation. He had heard rumors of [Cowan] prowling about in the company, subjecting random employees to strange tests, firing some, moving others to different jobs, but he had always felt that twenty-one years of service and the steel bars of his cage protected him.” (“The Cage Man” 5). When Cowan has started observing Horace’s daily life of a cashier, he eventually takes a test that made him change to an elevator operator. Horace thought his experience years will keep him safe from changing jobs, but Cowan has shown how the belief of Horace can easily switch. When Horace’s job was changed, Cowan reasons that “‘He was in the wrong cage. So I am going to transfer him from a mathematical cage to a mechanical cage.” (“The Cage Man” 10). By taking unreasonable tests to change jobs shows how it goes against Horace’s certainty of staying steady and building a cage that can support him and his family. In both stories, the antagonists have made the protagonists change their minds on the certainty they believe in. General Zaroff and Cowan have made Rainsford and Horace think the

other way and make their absolute inevitability false. As the antagonists are against the protagonists’ thoughts, this eventually leads to conflict as the two will have to meet up and solve their issue. By letting the antagonists go against, the characterization of the main characters can be improved. During the hunting of Rainsford, General Zaroff wasn’t able to find Rainsford in the time limit of three days. When Zaroff sees Rainsford, he congratulates him, but “Rainsford did not smile. ‘I am still a beast at bay,’ he said, in a low, hoarse voice. ‘Get ready, General Zaroff.’” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 13). The antagonist has changed the main character to act and learn certain things. Even though the game was over, Rainsford still believed he was a prey at bay and attacked the general. Adding on, Horace also learned certain things while being the elevator operator. When Horace sees that the president was on the elevator, he “stalled the car between the twelfth and eleventh floors and slipped the controlling key into his pocket. Then he turned and faced the big president.” (“The Cage Man” 12-13). As Horace is able to control the elevators, he took a chance to meet the president and discuss with him ideas for new accounting system. After proposing the new idea, the president brings Cowan and tells him Horace “‘is going to install a new cost-accounting system for us. Just step down to the cashier’s cage with him, will you, and get your salary to date.’” (“The Cage Man” 14). The situation is switched as Horace is back to being the cashier and Cowan is demoted to a cashier. After being the elevator moderator, Horace was able to take advantage of the situation and make good of the condition. In both of the stories, the main characters were able to take their disadvantage into an advantage as the antagonists helped develop the protagonists’ characterization. In both of the stories, the antagonists help develop the protagonist. However, the two antagonists do it differently for their situation. General Zaroff, is explained brutal and cruel. “‘That is why I use them. It gives me pleasure. They can reason, after a fashion. So they are dangerous.’” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 7). This represents indirect characterization as the enemy is explained as cruel and brutal based on Zaroff’s words. On the other hand, Cowan uses different approach to observe Horace. Whenever Cowan says, “please,” “Clearly it was tossed in as a sop to the hypersensitive. His ‘ple-e-ese’ could have been translated as ‘you worm.’” (“The Cage Man” 6). The direct characterization shows the true personality of Cowan and how he deals with the workers. Overall, the antagonists’ styles are different, yet, the same as the effect it had on the protagonists were the same as they still went and revolt against the antagonists.
In conclusion, the characterization in antagonists and protagonists display the development of the story. The antagonists have supported the protagonists and their improvement of the characterization. The characterization and the impact of the antagonists on the protagonists have shown the change of the main characters and how they portray certain ideas. By letting the antagonists go against the ideas of protagonists, “The Most Dangerous Game” and “The Cage Man” both express the similarities and differences of the characters and how each are changing. Richard Connell has written the two stories in a similar, but different way in which the antagonists and protagonists’ depiction are developed by direct and indirect characterization. In the end, Connell leaves the two stories with an unexpected ending, showing the change of characterization in main characters and rivals.