The Most Dangerous Game

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"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.

To begin with, the setting for “The Most Dangerous Game” is very fitting. The author, Richard Connell, picked the best place to set the story. Reason being, the mansion is on a large island that is feared by everyone. Also the mansion, on the outside at least, looks scary. Since it was dark out and there were cliffs surrounding the house, there was a scary shadow that was cast down. While on the yacht, Sanger Rainsford, the main character or protagonist, came across this island and asked for the name. His friend Whitney replied, “The old charts call it ‘Ship Trap Island’,” (Connell). Ship Trap Island is the name of the island. It doesn’t sound like a happy place to be but it is the dark and violent thoughts and feelings that come with the title, which perfectly fits the theme of the story. Another form of proof, to tell where the story took place is in this quote, “…the blood-warm waters of the Caribbean Sea dosed over his head” (Connell). Rainsford went to get a closer look to see the island more clearly by stepping on the rail. He lost his balance and fell...

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... pulling them into the story, along with the detailed plot and interesting story line. The title itself gives away the theme upfront, leaving the reader to wonder what is written between the lines.

work cited

Korb, Rena. "The Most Dangerous Game." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 155-169. Short Stories for Students. Gale. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.

Kippen, David. "The Most Dangerous Game." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 155-169. Short Stories for Students. Gale. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.

Thompson, Terry W. "Connell's The Most Dangerous Game." The Explicator. 60.2 (Winter 2002): p86. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.

Connell, Richard. "The Most Dangerous Game--Richard Connell (1893-1949)." Classic Short Stories. Classic Short Stories. Web. 25 Jan. 2010.

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