“But no animal can reason,” objected Reinsford. “My dear fellow” said the general, “there is one that can.” “But you can’t mean-”gasped Reinsford. “And why not?” “I can’t believe you are serious general Zaroff. This is a grisly joke.” “Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting? General Zaroff what you speak of is murder.” General Zaroff got bored of hunting animals so he began to hunt human beings, because he believes its more amusing. “Life is for the strong to be lived by the strong and if need be taken by the strong. The weak were put on this world to give the strong pleasure.” By general Zaroff bad talking about the weak he does not believe that the weak and the strong should be treated equally. General Zaroff believes the
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
When people are put at their mercy’s wits, they will do some extravagant things. In Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Sanger Rainsford is the person who deals with these things. The story focuses on Rainsford, a one time, big game hunter, and the events on an island that he swims to after falling off Whitney’s ship. On Ship-Trap Island, Rainsford encounters and is hunted by a deranged man named General Zaroff, who is a tall man with no heart, and likes to hunt more dangerous game. During the events on Ship-Trap Island, Rainsford is witty, exhibits extravagant survival skills, and encounters a revelation.…
- 319 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
General Zaroff is a man who has hunted every kind of animals. He doesn’t have……
- 115 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
In "Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Cornell, Zaroff reveals strength, ingenuity, and a selfishness through his murderous and questionable methods of hunting.…
- 228 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
When Rainsford first meets Zaroff, Zaroff is courteous, hospitable, and honorable; he takes Rainsford in, gives him clothes, dinner, wine, and a place to stay. However throughout the course of the evening and dinner, Zaroff's character takes a drastic and radical darkening. "The weak [men] of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure," (Connell 799) says Zaroff over a glass of wine. "I am strong," (Connell 799) he continues to say. Zaroff hunted captured humans as a hobby and a sport! Rainsford is appalled at this, and Zaroff eventually continues to tell Rainsford of his intention to hunt him: "You'll find this game worth playing...Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?" (Connell 801). Zaroff is so corrupt that he doesn't even understand what he is doing is wrong; he appears so nice on the outside, but his words and actions show his…
- 1308 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
Rainsford will not take over General Zaroff’s game of hunting other humans. For instance, when General Zaroff asks Rainsford to go hunting, he says, “Thank you, I’m a hunter, not a murderer.”(25) Rainsford classifies himself as someone who hunts animals, but not humans. He disapproves of General Zaroff’s game and most likely still does. In addition, while Rainsford is being hunted, he thinks, “The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.”(31) Rainsford is truly afraid at this point just like other humans are when they are being hunted. He has had the horrifying experience and probably doesn’t want anyone to feel this fear. As a result, Rainsford is a gentleman and animal…
- 134 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
General Zaroff is uncivilized because he does not value human life. He constantly uses others for his own enjoyment, with no regard for their well-being. For one thing, when Rainsford confronts Zaroff about his behavior, Zaroff argues that “‘Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needed, to be taken by the strong… I am strong. Why should I not use my gift?’” (8).…
- 286 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
“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.…
- 932 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Rainsford is still totally thrilled by the hunt. He has had so much experience in hunting that his experiences have led him to write a book on hunting. Rainsford is willing to spend time, and apparently large sums of money, to pursue his game. Rainsford sees himself as the strong, and he sees the animal as weak, non-intelligent target of his hobby. Zaroff, though he considers himself strong, sees hunting not just as a hobby, but as a way of life. The General depends heavily…
- 712 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Connell makes the reader question the ethics of the characters driving the plot. For example, in the beginning of the story Rainsford can be seen having a very Darwinistic attitude towards hunting animals while General Zaroff has the same approach towards hunting humans. However, General Zaroff has lost sight of the value of human life entirely. He is blinded by the fact that he no longer is able to find game worthy enough for him to hunt anymore and is baffled by the fact that Rainsford refuses to agree with him. “The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong.”(Connell 18). This adds more conflict to the storyline while simultaneously placing Rainsford in a position where the hunter becomes the hunted. “I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life.” (Connell 17). At this point Rainsford is now really placed within an animal 's shoes and it is safe to say that these events have caused a drastic change to his mindset. This clash in ethics can be heavily associated with concepts of literary…
- 985 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
“Everyday I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry of which I can match my wits, (8).” Zaroff speaks his mind about how bored he is with hunting animals. Rainsford hunts animals because he loves the sport of hunting. “It’s the best sport in the world,” as Rainsford calls it. Considering what both men say, it shows they have different morals about hunting and life. Those two points of view about hunting go against each other as Zaroff challenges Rainsford to hunt. Another main way General Zaroff and Rainsford aren’t alike is that General Zaroff believes that humans are on the Earth to provide himself entertainment and Rainsford believes they deserve respect. General Zaroff says, “ I hunt the scum of the Earth: sailors from tramp ships--lassars, blacks, Chinese, Whites, mongrels--...,(9).” To rephrase it, Zaroff obviously gives no consideration about human life as he shows in the story. Rainsford believes the opposite of that, he says, “But they are men, (9).” in response to what Zaroff says.…
- 614 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
This is a grisly joke. ""Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.""Hunting? General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder"" (Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game). Before Rainsford was swept away on the island, he would never have taken another person's life, as looking at this action as murder, not just a game.…
- 893 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
Richard Connell, the author of, "The Most Dangerous Game," depicts the theme, the most dangerous things are often well hidden; you never fully know how dangerous something is until it is right in your face and the hints are all out. Mr. Zaroff is the perfect example of how the most dangerous things are well hidden; in the article he says, "' I had to invent a new animal to hunt.'...'...It must have courage, cunning, and above all it must be able to reason.'" this shows that the most dangerous things are often well hidden because the animal he is talking about is humans; we are the the smartest species in the world. General Zaroff is hinting at the fact that he is hunting humans, Mr. Rainsford is not quite picking up on the hint…
- 155 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
People have always sought to escape their mundane realities through fantastic stories. Richard Connell “The most dangerous game” provides this type of reprieve from reality. Through hyperbolic, stock protagonist and antagonist, a simplistic conflict, and a happy end “The most dangerous game” presents itself to be purely commercial fiction.…
- 533 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is composed of character, setting and conflict. One of the critical themes in the short story is irony, which plays a major role in the story. There is irony in the setting, a remote jungle island, the conflict, murder verses hunting, and the characters, General Zaroff who is a crazed man-hunter and Mr. Rainsford, his prey.…
- 763 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Both men enjoy hunting—although Zaroff savors it in more ways than Rainsford. Rainsford hunts for sport and has less experience. He writes about the animals he hunts, like snow leopards in Tibet. Zaroff has hunted everywhere and hunted everything and yet he says that it no longer thrills him. Altogether, both are expert hunters and both have military experience—Zaroff from being a Cossack and Rainsford from fighting in France in World War 1.…
- 472 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays