Foreshadowing In The Most Dangerous Game

Suspense is defined as the author withholding information or when the unexpected happens, leaving you guessing and wanting more. In the story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, he has inserted much suspense in this short (long) story, for the reason that it makes the reader want to know more and having to mindset of excitement or surprise. Another reason he added many suspense is so that it wouldn’t be so blunt, it wouldn’t just tell us what happened it would give us details and how he got or how he did that and more.

Therefore, the foreshadowing in the story creates suspense for both the characters and the readers.

Suspense is a detail that many horror writer use to catch the attention of many readers and keep them holding on till the end. Just as W.F. Harvey does when creating suspense in his story August Heat. Mr. Harvey used three methods to create his suspense for his story, foreshadowing, withholding information, and reversal. With these three methods he is able to make the reader feel like, “ We may even hold our breath without realizing it as we read on eagerly to find out how the story ends”(Source 1).

Fear is one of the most powerful killers. Fear is a strong emotion, from the thought of danger or pain. In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Connell, fear is demonstrated in 3 different ways throughout the story. Rainsford has to fight against his lack of sleep and anxiety in order to beat general Zaroff. Along with fighting himself, Rainsford must compete against Zaroff to stay alive through the strange game. Without the setup of Zaroff’s island, beating Rainsford would be nearly impossible. Therefore, Rainsford has more than just Zaroff to fight off in this story. Without the three major conflicts of man versus nature, man versus man , and man versus himself, this story would not be possible.

The first way the author creates suspense in the story is by foreshadowing. When Captain Torres walked into the barber’s shop, the barber, “Started to shake,” (Tellez 1) indicating that the barber felt instant fear, when his enemy approached. This foreshadows that the barber knows the man and that he will be deciding to kill him or not. Foreshadowing creates suspense because it is a clue given to the reader. It is the reader’s job to guess what is going to happen in the story and that is what makes it interesting. Without foreshadowing the reader won’t be able to prepare what is going to happen next. Another scene where the foreshadowing technique is used was when the barber came up with his reasons to not kill Captain Torres. The barber contemplated in his mind, “Don’t want to stain myself with blood. Just lather, and nothing else,” (Tellez 2) which foreshadows that the barber is not going to commit murder.

One example is when Sergeant Major Morris is chatting with the Whites, Morris says “If you keep it, don’t blame me for what happens” (Jacobs, 91). This is suspenseful and foreshadowing seeing something bad will happen and a reader does not quite know what. Herbert says after Mr. White makes the wish, “Well I don’t see the money...and I bet I never shall” (Jacobs, 134). This is foreshadowing Herbert’s death. This is suspenseful seeing Herbert says this as a joke, but later in the story when Herbert dies it seems more sinister. Lastly when Morris is telling the Whites about the paw he says the first person who had the paw on their third wish wished for death. This is foreshadowing and suspense seeing how whatever the first person’s two wishes were they had to very consequential if his last wish was for death. These examples state how suspense is created through

Foreshadowing is a vital ingredient to any suspenseful story. It hints at the idea that something is off-kilter, without ever revealing exactly what that something is. This leaves readers with an uneasy feeling about the plot, but they can’t quite figure out why. Because of that suspicious feeling, readers are left with a burning desire to find out what happens on the next page. Foreshadowing can be achieved many different ways, such as through eree names, unpleasant conversations, and odd occurrences.

Suspense is when the author makes the reader, or audience excited or scared for what might happen in the story, or even what will happen to the character next in the story. Suspense might even be something you see or hear that will make you have questions about what will happen next. If there is a cliffhanger at the end of a story, it will leave you with questions wondering what will happen to the characters next. The mood, tone, setting, emotions of character, sound and sight might affect how the story is suspenseful. We all enjoy watching suspenseful movies and reading stories, because they are exciting. It leaves us with questions that the author won't have the answers to in the end, so the author gives us as the audience, the chance to make up their own ending to the story or movie. The author will give you clues throughout the story, to help you fill in questions you might have in the end. This makes it more exciting for the reader and the audience because we get to engage with the characters in the book or movie. The tv series, Stranger Things, is about 4 kids who have to fight off monsters in a little town in Indiana. This TV show is a great example of suspense, and it shows it effectively because, of Foreshadowing, Dilemma, and Dramatic Irony presented throughout the show. With just using those four examples, Stranger Things is a great example of suspense.

A man gets hunted by another man on the deserted Ship-Trap Island in the middle of the Caribbean. Rainsford, the protagonist in “The Most Dangerous Game”, a short story written by Richard Connell, gets hunted by General Zaroff. Rainsford abounds with fear, making him crazy. General Zaroff’s arrogance causes him to feel that he possesses the right to hunt the people he captures. His arrogance causes him to commit gruesome things; in this case, murder. Prior to becoming another man’s prey, Rainsford feels that animals have no feelings, but he sympathizes for animals being hunted after he himself becomes prey. His feelings and opinions transform after this experience. “The Most Dangerous Game” consists of three central themes: fear makes an individual crazy, arrogance causes hurtful actions, and some experiences have the potential to alter an individual’s opinion.

Some of you might be wondering, what is foreshadowing?. Well, foreshadowing is a writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events and situations that will occur later in the plot. In the short story, “ The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, There are many sections that leaves hints of anticipation for the readers so they are willing to read on further. The author shows foreshadowing by showing the crew’s emotions, how the name of the island shows danger, and how General Zaroff sentences show that something would happen in the future.

“Hidden by the night, we move quickly, without speaking.” (page 138) This quote is an example of suspense. This is an example of suspense because one of the ways suspense is created is by setting, where in this quote the setting is night. Also something that make this quote suspenseful is the fact that they don't have a clue where they are

Authors of all genres try to incorporate suspense and tension in their works to make the reader desperate for more information and answers. This is especially important for action-packed genres. Glancing at Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” the title itself brings a level of suspense and interest from the reader. How is Connell able to create the most important tributes of powerful books? Delving into more specifics, Connell utilizes foreshadowing and reader uncertainty in order to generate tension between the story and the helpless reader.

Foreshadowing causes the reader to think about and concern oneself about what is going to occur later in “The Most Dangerous Game”. This is evident in the conversation Whitney and Rainsford have while aboard the ship heading to the Amazon. During their conversation they talk about how “the old charts call it Ship-Trap Island” (15). Rainsford and Whitney are believing in a myth leading to the reader wondering what will happen to their mythical beliefs. This quote makes the reader wonder what is going to come of this island. In addition, foreshadowing causes the reader to think while the story is unfolding. During the conversation, Whitney says about the island “a suggestive name isn’t it” (15). The name of this island leads the reader to wonder

People reads books and they get their captured by the suspense the authors use to write their stories. Suspense is a key point for most readers it keeps them reading the book to see what happens next. Both Edgar Allan Poe and Richard Connell are very good authors that use a lot of suspense throughout their short stories. Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” and Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” are two stories full of suspense. It’s unpredictable, surprising that we can’t figure out what happens next. .Through conflict, setting, and diction Poe and Connell are able to build suspense.

Almost everyone in the world has gone through a situation that they didn’t want to be in. In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the main character, Rainsford, falls overboard off his ship after hearing gunshots from somewhere in the distance. As he fell, “His cry was cut short by the water engulfing him” Rainsford being both intelligent and a pro hunter, follows the sound of the gunshot fire to safety of land to save his own life. From previous experience of hunting, he knows that there's a man hunting with a .22 pistol. Rainsford then finds a man after searching for a place to survive.