Was Rainsford Justified In Killing General Zaroff Justified

Sanger Rainsford doesn’t consider himself a better human than General Zaroff until he discovers Zaroff’s malignant hobbies. When he discovers Zaroff’s use of human fodder to make his ‘hunting’ more arduous, he is unreservedly repulsed. To further Rainsford’s horrification, the general asks Rainsford to accompany him on one of his ‘hunting’ excursions. Instead of accepting, Rainsford adjourns to his bedroom. He tries to abscond, but his attempts are futile and he is sent to out as Zaroff’s prey.

In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford fits the category of Zaroff’s ideal animal to hunt, because Rainsford displays the attribute to reason by being able to make many life saving decisions throughout the story. Rainsford has the ability to reason from the very beginning of the story, because he was able to remain calm to make a life saving decision in an unnerving situation, which proves that he fits the quarry for Zaroff to hunt. As he was in the water, he recalls the gunshots he heard while he was still on the yacht, “they had come from the right, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with slow, deliberate strokes, conserving his strength” (Connell 14). Whereas most people would have panicked in the situation

Another highly unbelievable event that takes place is when Rainsford swam all the way around the island to kill Zaroff. This is extremely unbelievable because Rainsford was very exhausted and worn out. First Rainsfords trap kills Ivan, but the dogs move on, trapping Rainsford at the edge of a cliff. Next instead of fighting the dogs, Rainsford jumps off into the sea below, stunned and angered, Zaroff returns to his home. Finally as he flicks on his bedroom light, he is in complete shock to find Rainsford hidden within the curtains of the bed.

Count Zaroff is a calculating killer, not only of animals, but people as well. On the first pages, when he and Rainsford were eating dinner, Zaroff is watching Rainsford eat in this new habitat Zaroff has put him in. Zaroff asks rainsford “perhaps you were surprised I recognized you... I have read all books on hunting in English, French and Russian” (Connell 45). When Rainsford goes up to his room, there are pajamas and new clothes already out for him in his exact size.

Sometimes killing people could be for a good reason. Rainsford slaughtered General Zaroff because of self-defense. This short story demonstrates that Rainsford killed General Zaroff for either self-defense or murder; however, it strongly relates to self-defense. Sometimes people have to protect themselves and others protect them from everyone

A person’s personality and traits can change throughout their experiences. This statement can relate to the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Protagonist Rainsford, a big game hunter. Goes on a boat to ship trap island with another hunter named Whitney. During the trip to ship trap island Rainsford remains calm and doesn't act scarred. Until he falls off the boat.

General Zaroff is a great hunter but gets got bored of hunting the same animals, so he decidesd to hunt people. General Zaroff startsed to have fun and keepsed luring people in with tricks. General Zaroff demonstrates that he is honest, dangerous, and arrogant. One time rainsford got caught and stuck in General Zaroff’s island and now he has to survive. Who do you think will survive the game.

In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford was justified in killing General Zaroff. Rainsford is a hunter who fell off a boat in the middle of no where. As he gets to land he runs into several obstacle courses, then gets to this big house and meets General Zaroff. General Zaroff also hunts, just not animals. He hunts something more dangerous such as humans who boats crashed like Rainsford.

Most people when they hear “The Most Dangerous Game” they think of bull riding or other dangerous games that don’t involve death. “The Most Dangerous Game” is a suspenseful cliff hanging story that follows the days of a castaway on the island of a crazed hunter. Rainsford is a big game hunter who falls off a boat near the island of General Zaroff, a big Cossack general who is looking for an alternative to hunting dangerous animals but with a twist. Throughout “The Dangerous Game” Rainsford and General Zaroff both show examples of IRony and exert arrogance.

I see a perspective of the quotation, "Character is what you are in the dark.", by Dwight Lyman Moody in the short story, "Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. This quotation gives the meaning that you see the real characteristic of a character when they are alone, and no one else is around to see what they are doing or how they are acting. You can see some examples of this perspective in the short story with characters General Zaroff and Rainsford. For instance, when speaking with Rainsford about hunting The General states, "It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason." (Connell P.12).

How would you feel to go from the hunter to the hunted? This is what happened to Rainsford after he fell off of his yacht on his way to Brazil for a hunting trip. Once he reaches the island he is greeted the next day by someone who seems to be a good person but soons finds out that he is just the opposite. To escape from the island Rainsford will have to what zaroff calls a game. In this game Rainsford will become the hunted while Zaroff will remain as the hunter.

Rainsford is on his own in the woods with General Zaroff. General Zaroff character trait of challenging, motivates Zaroff to tell Rainsford, “you’ll find this game worth playing,” the general said enthusiastically. “[Rainsford] brain against [Zaroff]. [Rainsford] woodcraft against [Zaroff], [Rainsford] strength and stamina against [Zaroff]”(30). Rainsford now knows that he’s in this game with General Zaroff and that he’s being put to the test of hunting.

“Arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. Not a pretty cocktail of personality traits in the best of situations. No siree. Not a pretty cocktail in an office-mate and not a pretty cocktail in a head of state. In fact, in a leader, it’s a lethal cocktail.”

"‘But no animal can reason’ objected Rainsford. ‘My dear fellow,’ said the general, ‘there is one that can.’ ‘But you can't mean--’ gasped Rainsford”(Connell, Paragraph 106-108) He knows that General Zaroff is about to hunt him. When General Zaroff asks Rainsford to “play the game” he immediately reverts to himself as a soldier in World War One, in the sense that he knows he has to fight even if he doesn’t want to.

“Rainsford did not want to believe what his reason told him was true- the general was playing him, saving him for another day’s sport…. Then it was that Rainsford knew the meaning of terror” (184). This reveals that Rainsford is realizing that Zaroff knows where he is, and that he is being manipulated by Zaroff. Rainsford's internal conflict is developing in this section of the story since he is becoming more fearful and agitated.