Similarities Between The Cask Of Amontillado And The Most Dangerous Game

Connecting and Differentiating Stories of Divergent Themes
When reading books, there is a particular difference and similarity between any two novels that makes one better than the other. Stories could have cliche resemblances, such as the hero of the story thinking of the greater good, that relate them together. On the other hand, originality and uniqueness support contrasting features too. Albeit the stories “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell are different in certain ways, but can also be similar. Between the two stories, a point of view, characters and its setting are just some of the ways they are alike and varied. But that is what makes a story surpass the alternative and gain

the readers’ attention.
Initially, a point of view of “The Cask of Amontillado” and The Most Dangerous Game” show semblances and variations among both.

As the reader, you know the thoughts and feelings of one character, Rainsford, and a changing narration from the antagonist, General Zaroff. Within “The Most Dangerous game is a first person point of view with a changing narration, which is shown throughout the story because it starts off on the protagonist’s point of view and occasionally switching to the antagonist’s point of view. In Poe’s, there is a focus on limited narration with a first person point of view. This is shown in the sentences: "‘The pipe,’ he said. ‘It is farther on,’ said I; ‘but observe the white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls.’” and “I was so pleased to see him that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand.” (62). The sentences use I, demonstrating the use of first person in the first quote while showing third person limited in the second quote because the reader knows the characters thoughts. Connell’s use of point of view excels over Poe’s because in “The Most Dangerous Game,” two point of views are experienced, therefore giving a deeper insight on possible outcomes of the

story.
Likewise, the characters in the two stories have similar and different aspects also.

Rainsford, a flat character and the protagonist, is described as a man who is a hunter with experience and is the quarry of the antagonist, General Zaroff. As a fellow huntsman, General Zaroff had said that from age five, he has been hunting game for most of his life, making him proficient. In “The Most Dangerous Game” the male protagonist succeeds in killing the antagonist. Since Rainsford became the quarry, he was hunted down by General Zaroff. Eventually Rainsford came to kill Zaroff because it was a requirement to survive. The protagonist in “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor, is a male and flat character who wants revenge on Fortunato, the antagonist. Fortunato is lead astray from the party, drunk. He is then lead to the catacombs where he will be killed and buried by the hands of Montresor, who feels no remorse. Both protagonists in the story are flat characters and males whose motivation is to kill the antagonists. Whereas Rainsford’s motivation for murder is a matter of survival, Montresor’s is an act of hateful revenge. Essential to stories, characters are the reasons why a book is remembered and a connection is formed between the reader. To conclude, figures in “The Most Dangerous Game” exceeds those in “The Cask of

Amontillado.”
As a final point, setting of the novels are in comparison and contrasting with each other. Set in the Caribbean on an island named Ship-Trap, the overall setting of is illustrated as “Jagged crags appeared to jut into the opaqueness...dense jungle came down to the very edge of the cliff...tangle of trees and underbrush…” (218). A mood of mysteriousness, wonder, and unfamiliarity is conveyed in the quote considering that it’s hinting something hidden about Ship-Trap island and describing the. Also, the name of the island itself causes the reader to ponder and think how the words ship and trap relate.