General Zaroff And Rainsford In The Most Dangerous Game By Richard Connell

Rainsford will hunt again because hunting is all he has ever done, so he will never stop. Hunting is Rainsford’s career, and he writes books about his experiences to tell people what happens on the hunts like his “book on hunting snow leopards in Tibet”(Connell 23). Rainsford is passionate about hunting, he calls it the “[b]est sport in the world”(Connell 19). Rainsford tells Whitney “you're a big game hunter, not a philosopher” (Connell 19). Rainsford is a hunter, and he doesn't understand opinions against hunting. Rainsford tells Whitney that they “ should have some good hunting up in the amazon” (Connell 19). Rainsford enjoys hunting and he looks forward to more hunting trips, for example, the amazon.

People are blessed with the ability and sense to perceive things from another’s eyes, or in other words, from another’s point of view. The tragic part is we often don’t take the opportunity to use this gift. Many times we don’t take into consideration how others may feel until we are put into a similar situation. Rainsford's views on hunting are revealed in the early conversations with Whitney. "The best sport in the world," agreed Rainsford. "For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Not for the jaguar." "Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "You're a big game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?" "Perhaps the jaguar does," observed Whitney. “Bah! They have no understanding" "Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death." Therefore, Rainsford hunts only for the sport and has no sympathy for the hunted.

The short story demonstrates that terror can transform a person from educated to savage. Rainsford starts off as an educated man prior to the hunting, then experiences fear throughout the hunt. The story explores some many techniques like imagery, theme, foreshadowing and fear.

“The world is made up of two classes - the hunters and the huntees.” In the short story ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ which was written by Richard Connell there are two main characters, Rainsford and General Zaroff. Rainsford thought that General Zaroff wanted to hunt with him when in all reality General Zaroff wanted to hunt him(Rainsford) himself. Richard Connell uses irony, theme and characterization to develop the plot and characters. The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to make the story more interesting and suspenseful so the reader can enjoy reading it.

On the first page of the story the first allusion appears, “I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdeys” (Connell). Since this is introduced on the first page of the novel and nothing is extensively known about the characters, it is a good place for an allusion. Purdey’s Gun Company is a world-renowned British gun manufacturer. Purdey’s guns are expensive, crafted carefully, and used among the best hunters in the world. (National Firearms Museum) This allusion helps the reader gain insight that Rainsford and Whitney are graciously more then just the average hunter. Depending on who was reading this story, the allusion provided does not deliver an effective initial connection. Many people are not aware of Purdey’ Gun Company, with the exception of hunters and individuals educated on hunting. Any common person reading this would quickly look over the observation of the guns being from Purdey’s. Someone would have to look

Both Rainsford and Whitney agree that “‘The best sport in the world [is hunting]” (1). But their thoughts differ when it comes to how the jaguar would feel. When Whitney defends the jaguar, it seems like the jaguar is being connected or referred to Rainsford in the future since the jaguar have an “… understand[ing] [of] one thing — fear. The fear of pain and… death” (1). Rainsford experiences the fear of pain and especially death when he pants behind the bush. Connell later describes “…that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror” (10). Not only does Connell use this plain technique, he adds a firm voice in the characters to give a greater effect on the foreshadowing. For example, when General Zaroff says, “‘You see, I read all books on hunting… [because] I have but one passion in my life, Mr. Rainsford, and it is the hunt.’” (4), Connell makes it clear that General Zaroff has an immense love for hunting only. From this the reader knows that General Zaroff will sooner or later ask Rainsford to join him for a hunt around the island. For the reader to feel anxious about hunting, Connell foreshadows hunting to help build up the

In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” the author, Richard Connell, does an outstanding job of portraying the bizarre adventure of an insane, however experienced hunter, General Zaroff. The protagonist, Rainsford, another experienced hunter from New York City, appears on General Zaroff’s island, explores, and eventually encounters with Zaroff. They introduce themselves, settle down, and begin to talk. During the talk with the general, Rainsford soon learns that the General was not only a hunter; but a murderer as well. Zaroff has lured and ceased many sailors to his island to play a game. Although, they did not hunt with the General, the General hunted them! Zaroff claimed that hunting “had become too easy”, therefore, hunting began

"The world is made up of two classes - the hunters and the huntees.” In the short story The Most Dangerous Game which was written by Richard Connell there are two main characters, Rainsford and General Zaroff. Rainsford thought that General Zaroff wanted to hunt with him when in all reality General Zaroff wanted to hunt him(Rainsford) himself. Richard Connell uses irony, theme and characterization to develop the plot and characters. The use of these literary devices suggests that Connell wanted to make the story more interesting and suspenseful so the reader can enjoy it.

To help illustrate that the direction of perspective from hunter to hunted has changed, Connell uses situational irony. At the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to the main character of the story, Sanger Rainsford, a world renowned hunter. Rainsford mentions at the beginning of the story: “‘Who cares how a jaguar feels?’ ‘Perhaps the jaguar does,’ observed Whitney. ‘Bah! They’ve no understanding” (Connell 18). This reveals that he believes jaguar do not have emotion when they are prey. Only until he learns that General Zaroff, a hunter living on a big island that Rainsford had washed up on, was hunting humans and his intention is to hunt Rainsford as well. This is ironic because Rainsford is a hunter who is being hunted, allowing him to step into the “shoes” of the jaguar. He is now able to see the other side of the

At the beginning of the story Rainsford is talking to Whitney about how a jaguar cannot feel anything and is only an animal to be hunted and killed, by the end of the book Rainsford has become the huntee and now feels the true fear of being hunted.

Thus through this experience he began learning about how the animals felt in his previous hunting experiences. During his battle royal fight with the general he had used his experience and knowledge of hunting to catch and kill the general. Consequently he was now violating his own golden rule, loosing his values of not killing humans. Through this action he went through a metamorphosis becoming the “brute”. This newfound outlook lead him learn about what it is like to be the one being hunted. After there continual exchange of mental torment Rainsford enters the main house to murder the general. Something is different though he doesn’t stop when the general said “you have won” he doesn’t care anymore, he just wants to kill him. We can see this when Rainsford says “I am still a beast at bay”. We can see that the use of the language technique of dramatic irony is empathetic towards this scene. The use of this technique shows us that he (who was the hunter of the beast) has now become the beast in the hunt. This emphasizes the idea that Rainsfords experiences of being hunted has changed him and shows how Connell was trying to express the idea that your experiences shape you, and how you learn from it will shape who you are. We can also see how Connells message about learning and experience is expressed through the use of the language technique of metaphor. We can see that this use of metaphor shows us how he has become a “beast”. Through this it

Connell shows the reader the ugliness of humanity and the one-sided thought process of the human mind through irony in his storyline. "’For the hunter,’ amended Whitney. ‘Not for the jaguar.’ ‘Don't talk rot, Whitney,’ said Rainsford. ‘You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?’ ‘Perhaps the jaguar does,’ observed Whitney.” (Connell). Rainsford remarks that he does not care about the feeling of the jaguar. This is ironic because Rainsford himself is later hunted like the jaguar. He then learns the fear and pain of being prey. Rainsford crouches amid the leaves of the tree where he hides and Zaroff watches him from beneath. After Zaroff departs, Rainsford then admits that he knows the full meaning of terror. This quote helps to show parallels the terrors seen in war. "’you’ll find this game worth playing,’ the General said enthusiastically" (Connell). This is ironic because what Zaroff intends to do is hardly a game and instead Rainsford is running from Zaroff for his life, which is definitely not a game that is 'worth playing'. Richard Connell in addition uses irony to show the way that hunting is a game to Zaroff but is in reality a matter of life and death. "Rainsford admires Zaroff's collection of trophy heads, declaring that he believes the Cape Buffalo to be the most dangerous game of all. Zaroff demurs without providing details, suggesting that he has stocked his island with even something far more menacing” (D’Ammassa). Hunting is his main occupation in life, and he is rich enough to indulge himself. Zaroff is the hunter who exists only for the pleasure of the chase and the kill. His interests are selfish, his actions amoral. Zaroff refuses to immediately divulge the nature of the game he hunts, but he insists that he has invented “a new sensation.” Zaroff then tells his host that he had grown bored with hunting because he always

Rainsford, from the beginning, reveals his arrogance to the readers. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes - the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are the hunters.” (Connell 63). The context is that Rainsford is speaking with Whitney and he believes that the animals have a sense of understanding and fear, but Rainsford does not. Rainsford is impudent towards his friend by criticizing his beliefs. He is moreover conceited when he places himself in the higher class of society. The protagonist is being insensitive to Whitney and to the living, fearful animals, commencing the separation from morality, shown throughout this short story. The antagonist, General Zaroff, numerously illustrates his hubristic personality.

In this story “The Most Dangerous Game” By Richard Connell there is a General named Zaroff who was a hunter. Zaroff thought the the most dangerous game was hunting people. The man that was being hunted was named Rainsford. He had fallen off his ship, and swam to the island, and then found Zaroff. There are many parts in this story, and I wanted to tell you about it. Zaroff has done this “hunting” thing for many years. Now there is one man that is going to stop him.

In the short story," The Most Dangerous Game", composed by Richard Connell, the protagonist Rainsford changes significantly. At the start of the story, he is very inconsiderate. This changes drastically as he is really confident and becomes more respectful towards hunting. At the beginning Rainsford is a very inconsiderate person, he expresses this when he is talking to Whitney about all the jaguars that they are going to hunt. As the story evolves Rainsford is shown to be a very confident individual.