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An essay on character development
An essay on character development
An essay on character development
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Sanger Rainsford: The Realist
The most dangerous game began as a sport for one man. His name is Sanger Rainsford. In Richard Connell’s story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Sanger Rainsford, an avid hunter, is lost at sea, stranded on “Ship-Trap” Island-every sailor’s worst nightmare. Rainsford goes through a series of events that prove to be life-altering. Even though Sanger Rainsford went through many trials and tribulations, he never lost his intelligence, composure, or his bravery.
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.
Rainsford kept his composure. He stood for right and wrong, but was content through dinner. ‘“...
In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, Sanger Rainsford is shown as intelligent, determined, and competitive. Rainsford is shown to be intelligent in the story when he beats General Zaroff back to his house with only two options for beating him to his house. Nevertheless, he thought of a faster route to General Zaroff’s house so he could surprise him and catch him off guard, which is alarmingly smart. “ ‘Rainsford!’ screamed the general. ‘How in God’s name did you get here?’ ‘Swam,’ said Rainsford. ‘I found it quicker than walking through the jungle’ (Connell). This quote definitely shows that Rainsford is intelligent. Consequently, his knowledge of accurate timing and overall understanding of his surroundings help him outsmart
Richard Connells “The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story which illustrates how calm analytical thinking can increase your odds of survival and controlling panic. We are introduced to the protagonist and main character, Sanger Rainsford, who is a big game hunter and a WW1 veteran. The story starts off with a conversation between Whitney and Rainsford discussing the island, so we can understand the reputation it holds. Whitney is a fellow hunter, a flat character and used mainly as a plot tool.
Rainsford was furious and he didn't want any part of that serial killer to stay alive. He had found the General’s pistol the night before in his nightstand. That afternoon, after a splendid lunch, Rainsford set out to hunt his hunter.
The most dangerous game isn't just a game, it's life or death. “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, shows how Rainsfords mind goes from being the hunter, to being the hunted, back into the hunter. In this story Rainsford instincts go from being a hunter to becoming the prey for someone but he is turning back into the hunter he once was.
Rainsford does, indeed, consider himself superior to General Zaroff. Both the General and Rainsford think they are superior to the other and make this obvious by the way they talk to each other. (SSVV) Rainsford and the General act as if they are better than each other. They try to one up each other every chance they get. (SSV) He also thinks he better after he knows when the General is an accomplice, and that what he does for hunting is wrong. (I,cI) I think some of these thoughts may come from him being an author of books that the General has read and he loved his books. “"I've read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see.” Also, the General treats him with respect as if he is more superior than him, when he raises his hand
Rainsford continued to rely on his reason on the next day. He made a trap, but Zaroff was but slightly wounded. He next dug a pit. “Rainsford had dug himself in in France, when a second’s delay meant death. That had been a placid pastime compared to his digging now. The pit grew deeper; when it was above his shoulders, he climbed out and from some hard saplings cut stakes and sharpened them to a fine point…” (Page 16) Rainsford clung desperately to his hunting skills and tried to outsmart Zaroff. Again, he failed. Zaroff was uninjured, but entertained. “Thank you for a most amusing evening.” (Page
“For a seemingly endless time he fought the sea” after he fell overboard. (Connell 22). He falls overboard but Rainsford doesn’t succumb to the thrashing waters, instead he decides to fight harder to survive. Rainsford is made more determined by his misfortune rather than give in. Rainsford “had never slept in a better bed” after he shows his determination by beating Zaroff at his own game (Connell 25). Rainsford goes from being the hunted to being the hunter and he does this through his dogged mindset. To put it simply, Rainsford never gives up. Rainsford’s determination and perseverance are what push him to overcome the obstacles that stand in his
Rainsford needs to outsmart General Zaroff in his own game. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.’’I will not lose my nerve. I will not’’(connell pg19). Rainsford used his hunting experience to create a trap for Zaroff. Zaroff’s foot touched the trigger, but he felt the danger, and lips back. The trap still managed to slightly injure Zaroff(connell).
Challenges are a big part of life and it trains people to persevere through difficult situations and circumstances. When faced with a difficult challenge, characters in literature often find a way of overcoming it in one way or another. In Richard Connell's “The Most Dangerous Game”, Rainsford is forced to fight for his life when General Zaroff challenges him to a dual on his island. To survive and win, Rainsford must think of creative ways to attack Zaroff from a distance. In short, Rainsford is only equipped with a hunting knife and a small supply of food. He has three days to evade Zaroff, who has a small pistol and band of hunting dogs. This challenge Rainsford faces can very easily lead to a certain death but protagonists are typically
Moreover, Rainsford wouldn’t need to worry about anything because he can outsmart them. He most likely felt accomplished because of the trail he retraced. He did a “series of intricate loops” he retraced them over and over “recalling all the lore of the fox hunt and all the doges of the foxes” (Connell 32). He did this due to the fact in which he thought retracing the path will cause Zaroff to get confused and lost. This shows he's creative. Meanwhile around the same time, he was being careful. In this case, he was “at a big tree with a [wide] trunk and outspread branches was nearby, and [being careful] not to leave any marks” (Connell 32). Once again he was trying to outsmart the cays to where they wouldn’t sense him so he climbed up the
In a man vs nature situation when Rainsford is running and trying to hide he ran into some problems which almost got him killed. In this journey Rainsford does not only run into problems with general Zaroff he also has some problems with the outside world. “Then as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ozone”(12). As rainsford gets loose in the jungle from Zaroff, Rainsford runs into some quicksand and almost dies. But Rainsford is really smart and knew what to do because he was a very
Rainsford is first introduced as an unwavering, unapologetic character who is determined to kill his prey, although when he is first introduced to Zaroff’s “new animal” to hunt for sport, he is riddled with angst (69). As the story comes to an end Rainsford’s character is, once again, a determined and impenitent character, which is evident as Rainsford surprises Zaroff in his room, asserting he is “still a beast at bay” (78). It becomes clear that Rainsford is no longer concerned with surviving the game, but killing his adversary. Rainsford clearly has no remorse (similarly to when he was on the yacht) after he kills Zaroff. When Rainsford lays down to rest the last thing he communicates is he has “never slept in a better bed”
Rainsford was faced with two choices, after he was given supplies and led into the woods by Ivan and Zaroff. He could do as many did before him and let his emotions overcome him, and allow his body to access his primal fight-or-flight instincts. Rainsford’s other option was to focus on the task of survival, and use his skills as a hunter to help him defeat General Zaroff in “The Most Dangerous Game”.
Appalled at first, by faced with no other choice than to confront the very source of evil, General Zaroff, face to face, Rainsford realizes the danger of his position and takes what he is dealt right in stride. He was now the wanted prey of the most dangerous of hunters. "He had not been entirely clear-headed when the chateau gates snapped shut behind him. His whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff. . . Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation." Mr. Rainsford, an experienced hunter himself, had found himself in a position he probably had never imagined before. This kind of hunting was new to him, for this time the quest was for him and his pursuer was of the most wicked species; the devil, so to speak. "Is there anything a man don't stand to lose when the devil wants to take it all away?" To try an out run, out fox and altogether put an end to the 'devil' was the task, and Rainsford did it the only way he knew how; by being the poacher and the quarry, setting traps while taking flight, and leaving no traces behind to be followed.
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.