There are two distinct classes in this world: the hunters and the huntees. In the short story The Most Dangerous Game written by Richard Connell, the reader is introduced to a big game hunter, Rainsford. One night, Rainsford falls off his yacht while heading to Rio for his next hunt. He swims to a nearby island that is owned by another big game hunter, General Zaroff. Rainsford soon realises the game General Zaroff hunts is very different. Rainsford must fight for his life for three nights, trying to escape General Zaroff who is trying to kill him. The author shows the readers how Rainsford undergoes a dynamic character change as he shifts from the hunter to the hunted and once again the hunter as the story ends.
In the beginning of the short story Rainsford, the hunter, firmly believes there are two different classes: the hunters and the huntees. The reader can infer that Rainsford is a hunter by only reading the first page of the short story. The author gives us evidence that Rainsford is a hunter by a conversation had with his hunting partner, Whitney of their up coming hunt.
“‘The best sport in the world,’ agreed Rainsford. ‘‘For the hunter, amended Whitney. ‘ Not for the Jaguar’ ‘Don’t talk rot, Whitney,’ said
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The readers are able to witness in the beginning of the short story Rainsford believing the animals have no understand. Shifting then as Rainsford becomes the hunted, having to change his mind set to what it feels like to be an animal. As the story comes to an end, the reader is able to notice Rainsfords shift for the last time as he must now kill General Zaroff. Throughout the short story the reader may witness the theme of Rainsford's dynamic character change as he continues to go back and forth between the two different classes: the hunters and the huntees in The Most Dangerous
Hunting is a game where you can have fun killing a certain type of animal, but could be very dangerous at the same time. In “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford is a character that is a very good hunter. So one day him and his buddy's went out on a yacht and went out on the sea to go to the caribbean to look for this island to hunt Jaguars. But while on a yacht he feel of the boat and fell into the sea. Moving on he was on this Island and met this General.
Rainsford also exhibits courage by doing anything to survive. During Rainsford’s first meal with the general, Zaroff tells of his hunts, expressing the rush he gets from his kills. Rainsford is appalled, telling him it is murder, and would not take part in what Zaroff planned. Of course, he had limited options and ultimately was forced to participate as the newest quarry. However, when the third day of the hunt was nearing completion, Zaroff, Ivan, and his hounds were hot on Rainsford’s trail.
In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, Rainsford’s attitude towards hunted animals changes as he has first-hand experience in Zaroff’s game of knowing how scared animals are when they are hunted. When Rainsford finds out what Zaroff hunts, he becomes angry that Zaroff sees no difference between fighting wars, and killing helpless humans as he says, “Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.’ ‘Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder”(Connell 6).
Luckily, you and I are hunters. ”(Connel, 1). At the beginning, exposition of the story, let it be known about his hunting abilities. When Rainsford fell over the cliff, and swim instead of panicking and risking drowning. Rainsford made smart decisions during the game; always keeping
Rainsford was a hunter but he became a hunted. Rainsford is faced with the challenge in the middle of the story. Also, the importance of empathy is shown through the changes that occur in Rainsford in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Moreover, it seems that Zaroff considers himself a god who can snuff out life as he pleases.
Is the world only made of of two classes- the huntie and hunter? The “Most Dangerous Game” answers this is a bizarre way. For example there is a Hunter is the story that is crazy but considers himself civilized. In the story it says, “God makes some men poets, some he makes kings, some beggars.
Once Rainsford was on the island he met a man named Zaroff, a general who loved hunting but had become bored hunting animals so started hunting humans instead. Since the island was secluded, Zaroff was able to hunt people that were shipwrecked without getting caught. Eventually Zaroff decided to hunt Rainsford, who put up a good fight against his captor. Rainsford then found out how the animals felt when he had been hunting them and began to feel sympathy for them. His being hunted like an animal being hunted led him to figure out the value of life.
In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” , Rainsford is the positive force in a classic good vs. evil showdown against a psychopathic man-hunter. For example, Rainsford non - evilness is displayed when he declines General Zaroff’s “ We will hunt - you and I,” (10). This is substantial evidence towards Rainsford morals and integrity as a human. Based on the short story, a good and decent person would not want to hunt someone, it is an act of cold blood.
Rainsford is the character that changes throughout the story while Zaroff remains the same. Some examples of indirect characterization in “The Most Dangerous Game” is when Rainsford makes a prophetic statement in the beginning of the story when he and Whitney discuss whether or not animals feel. For example,”Be realistic. The world is made up two classes--the hunters and the huntees.
Rainford exposes his selfishness and lack of empathy by saying, “‘Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes-the hunters and the huntees. Luckily you and I are hunters’”(2). His actions throughout the story show his cruelty too. Rainsfords profession is killing animals, and while he does
”(The Most Dangerous Game) This shows that Rainsford has learned the theme of the story because when he says that he is saying that he is still a trapped animal that has to fight back. This shows that he now knows how it felt to be hunted, and to be trapped and having to fight back and take risks to survive. Before the events that occurred in the story Rainsford had no idea how the animals felt and didn’t care how they felt, but after those events he knew how they felt and thought while being hunted and definitely cared about how they felt because he knew how much it hurt
When placed in this situation, Rainsford has transformed from being the hunter to becoming the huntee, and is now in the position of all the animals he has carelessly killed before. Towards the end of the story, while Rainsford is being hunted by Zaroff and his pack of dogs, the narrator describes how Rainsford feels by saying that: “Rainsford now knew how an animal at bay feels” (22). The sensation of extreme fear and worry had finally gotten to him, and he can relate to how the animals he hunt may
Fear is not real. It is the product of thoughts you create. Danger is very real, but fear is a choice. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” the main character Rainsford is being hunted which creates fear in him. He is scared of dying but overcame his fear by facing the danger of the hunting game.
- ‘Even so, I rather think they understand one thing--fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death. ’”(Connell 18) By reading the theme the reader can infer the position Rainsford is in will drastically change. Although, Rainsford is not overtaken by the jaguar
In “The most dangerous game” written by, Richard Connell, he uses many devices such as: characterization, plot structure and theme to contribute to the overall meaning of the story. Characterization is a big part of the overall meaning of the story which is that survival is of those who are smart, cunning, and can adapt to their environment. The protagonist Rainsford is at a constant battle with the antagonist General Zaroff. Throughout the entire short story they both have similar minds sets and then farther along the main character 's mind set develops into something more. The reader can almost sense a self centeredness, and that he believes that there are only two type of people in this world, “the hunters and the huntees”, and he believes that he is the hunter.