In Richard Connell’s thrilling short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, an uneasy mood is constructed by Rainsford’s illusive adventure on Ship Trap Island. Many moments in the short story help build up a feeling of uneasy, one being when Winston uses a simile to describe the evil of the atmosphere, saying that the air “ was actually poisonous”, and that he felt a “mental chill, a sort of sudden dread” when the ship neared the island (Connell 1). The author makes the reader feel uneasy by making just the atmosphere itself seem evil and dangerous with the simile comparing the air to something that kills and is to be avoided. Readers also naturally pick up the feeling of dread from Whitney, which significantly helps in building…
Richard Connell the author of the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” craftily used foreshadowing to suggest that General Zaroff was a cannibal. For example, in the exposition, Rainsford and Whitney discussed Ship-Trap Island and mentioned the word cannibal two times during this brief conversation: “‘Cannibals?’ suggested Rainsford. ‘Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn’t live…’” (Connell 2). While the significance of this repetition is not evident until later in the story when readers meet General Zaroff and learn that he hunts humans for sport, the use of repetition by an author is usually purposely done and often indicates hints or clues for the reader to pay attention to. In another example of foreshadowing, Connell describes General Zaroff…
In Richard Connell’s short story, “ The Most Dangerous Game”, the setting plays a key role in the overall plot. For example, encircling the island are big crags which ward ships from the island. “Jagged crags appeared to jut up into the opaqueness,” (3). The crags are dangerous at night to people in boats because of how dark it is. Sailors have to stay away from the island to avoid crashing their…
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is a story about a hunter, Rainsford, who finds a deserted island, where he meets General Zaroff who too shares an interest in hunting. On this island, General Zaroff hunts humans that have had the misfortune to end up on his island. Although Zaroff lives in a very civilized home with electricity and fancy food, Zaroff himself is a very uncivilized being. In the story, General Zaroff is explaining to Rainsford why he hunts humans. “...If I wish to hunt, why should I not? I hunt the scum of the earth...a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than the score of them.” (Connell, 64). Zaroff is saying that it is okay to hunt people if you are better than them. He does not value human life. This makes…
In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff are similar in many ways. From the beginning to the end, it becomes more clear how they are similar when Zaroff challenges Rainsford to a game where both men play roles as hunters and huntees. Each man uses his own skill set to survive the other's way of hunting, although in the end Rainsford ends up winning and Zaroff is killed. One main reason the protagonist, Rainsford and the antagonist Zaroff are alike is because both men have a drive to hunt. For example, Rainsford knows how to hide, set traps and outwit his enemy. General Zaroff states, “Not many men know how to make a Malay…
This statement led me to believe that the General was a man with a lot of determination. At first the thought I had on Richard Connell wanted to have the same determination as he gave his character, but my mind then wiped that thought as I read that he “began reporting on baseball games when he was only ten years old” (Glencoe 20). When both of these men were only young boys they decided what it was that they both wanted to pursue. As I read “The Most Dangerous Game”, I could see how he initially made his story plot. Richard Connell, “born on October 17th in 1893 in Dutchess County, New York” (Mangold) wrote a book based on “Sanger Rainsford of New York” (Connell 6). In “Richard Connell- Biography”, you read that “over the next 10 years Connell [publishes] three books” and in the story as Rainsford is greeted by General Zaroff he states that he has “read [his] book about hunting snow leopards”(Connell 6). Just as the general introduces himself as “General Zaroff” (Connell 6) implying that at one point he enlisted into fighting in some sort of a war, you can make a connection to “Richard Connell- Biography” as “Connell decided to enlist” (Mangold). As I began to go into deep thought I noticed that Connell could not only balance “working at the newspaper, he wrote an editorial” (Glencoe 20) all at the same time, in the same way that…
When is the last time that you saw a literary device? In a poem, or a novel? Perhaps a short story? Literary devices: we all use them, we all love them, but what can it really do for an author's writing? When used correctly they can add character and dimension to one's writing, but what some fail to remember is that even the best writers can fall extremely short to writing excellent literary elements. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Richard Connell uses literary devices such as personifications and allusions to help the reader better understand the plot and characters. Although Connell excelled in his numerous uses of personifications, his allusions he attempted were far from perfection.…
In the short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell tells the tale of an exceptionally skilled hunter named Rainsford. Rainsford falls off his yacht and ends up on the shores of Ship Trap Island, home to the evil General Zaroff and finds himself in a game of man vs. man against a person who finds thrill in hunting and killing human beings. However, despite the fact that Rainsford is forced to face a surplus of life threatening obstacles he does not back down. Throughout this story Rainsford's skill, whit, determination, and persistence are put to the test over and over again in this game; the odds are not in his favor but he quickly grasps the reality that if he is to survive he must will himself to do so. Evidently, Rainsford's…
We have all witnessed the typical mystery murder case stories and movies. Surprisingly, we all still react to the stories with shock, like we did not know what the outcome would be; multiple lives that were taken or that one somebody over powering the murderer. In this case, we have a man who hunts animals, but also have another man who is more interested in taking his hunting skills to the next level, which is quite extreme. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, we have the sense of man verse man, but also man verse nature. The question is, who will be defeated?…
Can a man be driven from humble humanity to gross inhumanity by circumstance or situation? What effect do one's choices and training have on his morals? At some point in our lives we will all be forced to answer questions similar to these, and two characters in Connell's story "The Most Dangerous Game" are not exempt from these life decisions. Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff are both wealthy, both are hunters, and eventually both men are put into situations where critical choices must be made. The choices the men make are derived from different situations, but both have similar results.…
Hollern Men and Beasts One might shudder at the thought of being hunted by another man. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” Richard Connell reveals the idea of being hunted and slain by another man is all too real. In this story Rainsford finds himself stranded on an island whilst being hunted by General Zaroff who happens to be a skilled hunter in his own right. In this short story the line between man and beast is clouded and the fight between logic and instinct ensues. In this story Rainsford finds that the difference between man and beast is a thin one.…
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is an intriguing work of fiction that effortlessly combines both aspects of literary and commercial fiction. Connell was able to write a piece that successfully combines fast-paced action as well as upholding literary merit. Not only did Connell write this story with an exciting and adventurous component, he also managed to convey a deeper meaning within the story by allowing his readers to be pulled into the excitement of the story, while also giving them an insight to a darker, more primitive side of human beings. He creatively depicts a unique setting in which the main character has nothing to fear but mankind itself. Connell not only generates…
Everyone in this world is influenced by someone or something. Your friends, parents, teachers, and even technology are only a few things that make you the person you are today. So when Rainsford stated that, "The world is made up of two classes: The hunters and the huntees. I agree with Rainsford; everyone is forced or influenced to do things. For example, bullies force you to be stronger, parents push you to be a better person and society pushes you to be the individual you are today.…
The most obvious theme of "The Most Dangerous Game" is that which arises from the relationship of the hunter and the hunted. At the very beginning of story, Rainsford and Zaroff are presented as equals. Both characters are well-accomplished big-game hunters. As the story unfolds, however, their roles change. Rainsford is thrust into the position of the hunted. However, he tries to undermine the game by setting traps for the hunter. Rainsford's form of hunting is passive whereas Zaroff's is active.…
Commercial fiction is meant to excite the reader, to help them escape reality and "The Most Dangerous Game" has both mystery and suspense do to the nature of the continuous adventure throughout the story. This forces the reader to continuously read on to discover the next piece of the puzzle or the next twist that may occur. This could be shown through the two characters in their continuous ultimate battle against one another, this giving the example of man vs man. The two characters include, the Protagonist, Sangor Rainsford and the Antagonist, General Zaroff. Both characters present themselves to be stock characters, Rainsford being recognized world-wide for his writing and considered to be known as the western “good guy”, whereas Zaroff is made out to be the “bad guy” a recognizable Russian, with facial elements such as his thick eyebrows along with a pointed military mustache. Russians being strong enemies to the West, this begins to demonstrate elements of good vs evil. Commercial fiction is also expected to have a defined plot, majority of the time people refer to this specific plot as “page turner”.Rainsford built a Malay man-catcher and a Burmese tiger pit to try and escape Zaroff. After these traps have been set, the reader can’t help but wonder whether it is going to serve its purpose and work in his favor. After finding out the results of the traps, you can’t help but wonder what will happen next. Towards the end of the hunt, Rainsford “leaped far out into the sea.” As the reader reads this, they can’t help but wonder what Rainsford was thinking and what was going to happen to him.…