Hunting In Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game

“You were surprised that I recognized your name, You see, I read all books on hunting published in English, French, and Russian.”(p.4, Richard Connell) This use of direct characterization shows that Rainsford is a smart, educated man, because he has written a known book about hunting. In the story Rainsford also says “Thank you, I’m a hunter, not a murderer.”(p.6, Richard Connell) This shows the reader that Rainsford knows what’s right from wrong, and how humans should be treated, rather than how Zaroff treats the men that cross his path. Rainsford’s opinion on hunting is evident in the beginning of the story when Whitney and Rainsford are talking and they say “‘ Great sport, hunting.’ ‘The best sport in the world.’ Agreed Rainsford.”(p.1,
Zaroff is barbaric, it doesn’t matter how effortless hunting animals has become, why resort to hunting humans?
After I realized the meaning of prey meant the title changed significantly to me. Humans should not be prey for other humans. But the title also changes because The Most Dangerous Game is now even more dangerous because human life is at stake. The meaning of game has two meanings now also. Game is an animal you’re hunting, but also in this case it’s a literal game that General Zaroff is playing with Rainsford. Finding Rainsford and letting him live another day just for the fun of it.. Even though Zaroff hadn’t seen any of Rainsford’s capabilities.
I wouldn’t be able to sleep. You don’t know this man's capabilities, he could do anything. There would be no way that you could get a good, restful night’s sleep. Rainsford didn’t even sleep much. I would try to escape the
‘You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?’”(p.1, Richard Connell) So, which you would think he now knows what it’s like being hunted like the jaguar. But he uses his hunting ticks and outsmarts Zaroff, and eventually kills him and then sleeps in Zaroff’s bed that same night. I don’t believe Rainsford will ever revert back to his old ways of hunting, I think he will continue playing The Most Dangerous Game.
In the end of the story Rainsford sneaks into Zaroff’s bedroom and kills him, and then sleeps in his bed like nothing happened. The ending of the story is satisfactory because he beat Zaroff at his own game. But I would’ve ended it differently, I wouldn’t have let the readers have their own idea of what happened after all the suspense throughout the rest of the story.
“Rainsford held his breath. The general’s eyes had left the ground and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay;”(p.10, Richard Connell) This builds up a lot of suspense because Rainsford knows he’s been found but Zaroff is letting him live another day, to keep the game