In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” the author Richard Connell writes about how Sanger Rainsford was successful in defeating General Zaroff. Sanger is a celebrated big game hunter and he is known worldwide for his writings. General Zaroff is a crazy but wise man who is bored with ordinary hunting. Rainsford is a celebrated big game hunter. (Connell pg. 17) He is a well known writer. He wrote a book about snow leopards in Tibet. (Connell pg 17) Rainsford uses his knowledge of hunting and animal behaviors to outsmart Zaroff. Rainsford said to himself, “I have played the fox; now I must play the cat of the fable.” (Connell pg 24) Throughout the story Rainsford has many opportunities to use what he knows to help himself to outsmart General Zaroff. …show more content…
(Connell pg 17) Zaroff had been a hunter since he was a child. “God make some men poets. Some he makes kings, some beggars. Me he made a hunter. My hand was made for the trigger, my father said.” (Connell pg 18) Zaroff was a wise investor. He invested in American securities and was very rich. (Connell pg 19) Zaroff has become bored with hunting animals and now hunts humans on his own private animals called Ship Trap. He traps boats sending false signals. (Connell pg 22) He then rescue any survivors to use as his game. Zaroff challenges Rainsford to the hunt. Rainsford can’t believe what Zaroff
In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, Sanger Rainsford, the protagonist, and General Zaroff, the antagonist, have similar life experiences and beliefs, but their one difference, the will to take a human life for sport, builds the suspense up to Rainsford killing Zaroff for the greater good. Zaroff and Rainsford share many life experiences that majorly impacts their conflict. For example, Rainsford set up three different animal traps to kill Zaroff and Zaroff recognized two of the three immediately because of the similar hunting experiences. Rainsford starts thinking like the General when he is setting up traps such as the Malay Man Catcher and the Burmese tiger pit. When Zaroff is hit by Rainsford’s first trap he says, “I, too, have hunted in Malacca,”(14) here right off the bat if it hadn’t been for Zaroff and Rainsford going to Malacca and learning the Malay Mancatcher then Zaroff might have been killed by Rainsford.
General Zaroffs sense of cruelty is proven when he explains that he hunts people. In the story, General Zaroff states, “I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,…“So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason." (pg #7) Rainsford is quick to point out that no animal can reason but Zaroff replies, “My dear fellow," said the general, "there is one that can.” (pg #7) Zaroff is implying that he hunts
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
This quote shows that Rainsford is insane because during this part, he is saying that he wants to hunt something that can reason with him, and only one animal can do that. That animal is a human. During the story, General Zaroff is also competitive. He shows that he is competitive when he fights to win the game over the humans. He always believes he will win. “If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game. If I find him”... “he loses.” (Connell
General Zaroff is similar to Rainsford because they are both Dangerous, and Zaroff shows this in the story because he has hunted a lot. This is seen in the story when it says, “God makes some men poets, Some he makes king, some beggars, Me he made a hunter.” (Page 48). He was born with a gift for hunting. However, Zaroff is different from Rainsford because he is militaristic, which he shows through his past and his looks. An example of this is seen in the story, which states “I went into the military… and for a time commanded a division of Cossack cavalry” (Page 44). He was able to lead a division of the military. Zaroff is also different since he can be described as self-justified, because he is okay with hunting people. In the text, this is shown when it says, “Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong.” (Page 49). He feels that is someone can’t beat them they don’t need to be living. Zaroff and Rainsford may both be dangerous, but the fact that Zaroff is self-Justified and Militaristic make him a completely different kind of
Throughout this journal, Zaroff can be characterized as mysterious and evil. First off, Zaroff is mysterious. One way he is mysterious is that he knows Rainsford’s name and he read Rainsford’s hunting book. In the book it says, “I’ve read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet…” (Connell 3). This quote shows that Zaroff is interested in hunting dangerous animals and knows that Rainsford is good at hunting
When he tracked Rainsford to the tree he was hiding in, Zaroff felt that taking Rainsford would have been too easy so he left him for another day’s sport. Near the end of the story, Zaroff continued to see Rainsford is an adversary. The General came to see Rainsford as a formidable opponent. When Zaroff faced Rainsford in his bedroom he had to realize that Rainsford was presenting him with the danger he sought. The General’s view of Rainsford changed from seeing Rainsford as a fellow hunter to seeing him as an opponent he could not defeat.
Zaroff is overconfident during his hunt with Rainsford; although he finds him during the hunt, he preserves his life for his game. Three times during the hunt, he declares a boastful comment towards the protagonist and could have captured him, but neglects to due to his arrogance. He enjoys the entertainment he creates and does not want it to end, especially since Rainsford is a well-known and skillful huntsman. However, because he chooses to preserve Rainsford, he suffers a tragic ending.
General Zaroff is similar to Rainsford because they are both intelligent, and Zaroff shows this in the story because of his up-bringing and past experiences. This is seen in the story when it says “I, luckily, have invested in American Securities, so I shall never have to open a Tea room in Monte Carlo, or drive a taxi in Paris.” (Connel 48) This proves Zaroff is intelligent because he foresaw the downfall of the Russian economy, and heavily invested in said American Securities. However, Zaroff is different than Rainsford because he is powerful, which he shows when he explains his quarry to Rainsford. An example of this is seen in the story, which states “To date, I have not lost” … “The most elementary sort of problem” (Connel 50.)This proves Zaroff is powerful, because he fears nothing during the hunt. If anything, he thinks it gets quite boring. Zaroff is also different since he can be described as serious, because of his history with the hunt. In the text, this shown when it says “Hunting was beginning to get boring! And hunting, remember had been my life. I have heard that in America, business men often go to pieces…” (Connel ?) This proves Zaroff is about the hunt because it has sparked a new, welcoming,
In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”(by Richard Connell) General Zaroff was a rich man due to his father’s wealth. General Zaroff is a great hunter and he has adapted many skills from hunting dangerous game. General Zaroff is a very interesting character in the story because of all the traits that describe him. The story starts out on a yacht bound for Rio de Janeiro where a passenger named Whitney points out Ship-Trap Island in the distance, a place that sailors dread and avoid. He and his friend Rainsford are big-game hunters bound for a hunting trip in the Amazon River basin. As the yacht sails through the darkness, the two men discuss whether their prey actually feels fear. Rainsford believes that the world
General Zaroff Character Paragraph In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, General Zaroff is shown as cocky, crazy, and evil. Zaroff is shown to be cocky in the story when he is under Rainsford under the tree and he knows that Rainsford is up in that tree and Zaroff let’s rainsford go. ” The sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his face. He blew a smoke ring into the air and then carelessly walked away.”
Throughout the story there are instances where Rainsford shows that he is knowledgeable. While General Zaroff was introducing himself to Rainsford, Zaroff states that he read Rainsford’s book about hunting. Zaroff states “I've read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see," (6). To write a book you need to be knowledgeable on the topic that you are writing a book about. Rainsford having written a book shows that he is knowledgeable in the field of hunting. Also when being hunted by Zaroff and a pack of dogs Rainsford uses a trick he learned in Uganda to kill or
In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Connell, Richard, Sanger Rainsford outsmarts General Zaroff in many ways. Here are three ways he outsmarted General Zaroff. Sanger Rainsford makes traps that surprises General Zaroff. He climbed a tree to hide from Zaroff. Rainsford ended up defeating Zaroff. Here are the ways he did.
General Zaroff is ruthless in his hunt. He hunts sparingly with his prey, dangerous prey. ‘“Here in my preserve on this island, he said.” In the same low tone ”I hunt more dangerous game”’ (Cornell 5). Zaroff is ruthless, because he doesn’t care about the animal he cares about the kill. Even though he is ruthless he is bloodthirsty for his
However, Rainsford objects his reasons to hunt humans, “Hunting? Great guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder,” (8). That is when Zaroff starts thinking Rainsford is starting to become weak, and hunting is the only thing on his mind so he rejects, “I hunt the scum of the earth; sailors from tramp ships, lassars, blacks, chinese, whites, mongrels, a thoroughbred horse or hounds worth more than a score of them,” (9). Zaroff disrespects and doesn’t care about other races, but at least Rainsford objects to the fact he traps them to hunt them for his own enjoyment. Rainsford refuses to join Zaroff in his hunt, in which he becomes disappointed and offers Rainsford a choice, “As you wish, my friend. The choice rests entirely with you. But may I not venture to suggest that you will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan’s,” (11). Zaroff left him with a choice, to either play a dangerous game with Zaroff or be tortured by Ivan. Zaroff, thinking that Rainsford will take a chance with him, said, “You will find this game worth playing. Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine,” (11). Rainsford took the 3 day chance to elude Zaroff for three days in a life and death situation, and