Mrs. McCann
English 9
20 October 2011
How do Rainsford's actions affect the story's theme? 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 …show more content…
"But as he forged along, he saw to his great astonishment that all the lights were in one enormous building- a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging up into the gloom." This scene describes the point in the story where Rainsford is on the island and sees the chateau. This quote lines up Rainsford to meet General Zaroff as he brings himself to arrive at his chateau. "There is no greater bore than perfection." In this scene General Zaroff and Rainsford are talking about their take on hunting when General Zaroff non-shalontly implies his psychotic opinion that it is okay to hunt humans by telling Rainsford how everything else has failed to satisfy his thrill. This quote shows the loss of interest General Zaroff is experiencing because he no longer finds hunting as a challenge. General Zaroff makes it clear to Rainsford what his interest on this island is and Rainsford suddenly finds himself in a life-threatening situation when General Zaroff wants him to take part in his