General Zaroff: A Beast
General Zaroff is a rather uncivilized man, although he does have expensive cultured tastes. General Zaroff shows his lack of civility repeatedly through the story, particularly when he tells Rainsford about this new game he has developed where he hunts other humans. After Rainsford is taken into the great chateau that Zaroff lives in, Rainsford is soon told about the new form of hunting he has developed. Zaroff describes the human as an animal, saying that, “It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason” (25). But to Zaroff’s dismay, Rainsford responds with a horrified, “what you’re speaking of is murder” (26). These two quotes show the grisly nature and desires of Zaroff compared to the
In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” Sanger Rainsford kills General Zaroff, most believe that Rainsford after that leaves but he stays behind and continues Zaroff’s regime because of his darkness and his lack of empathy. Towards the end of the story Zaroff thinks that he has won the game but Rainsford appears in his room that night, Zaroff startled says, “‘I congratulate you... you’ve won the game’” to which Rainsford replies “‘I am still a beast at bay... Get ready General Zaroff’” (213). Rainsford had a clear chance to get off the island like he had in the beginning of the story but he doesn’t take it.
Sanger Rainsford is a civil man who respects human life in the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” written by Richard Connell. Rainsford thinks killing humans for sport is inhumane and murderous. On the other hand Zaroff is unintelligent, overconfident and finds hunting humans for sport is normal and entertaining. Rainsford also being knowledgeable and polite and is proved multiple times in the text by quotes, details and thoughts of Rainsford and General Zaroff.
General Zaroff is becoming like an animal because he is beginning to look and act like an animal. When Rainsford was swept on the island he met a man that seemed normal but the more time that he spent there the more he realised that there was something off about him. His eyes ,too, were black and very bright(Connell,pg.4). Zaroff's eyes are becoming less human like and more animal like because he is becoming more dangerous. Zaroff may have done something to his eyes that would intimidate whatever he is hunting. Rainsford asked General Zaroff where him and his servant are from. “He is a Cossack,” said the general, and his smile showed red lips and pointed teeth(pg.4). Zaroff looks like what a dangerous animal would look like after eating their
“Hunting? Good God, General Zaroff what you speak of is murder” said Rainsford - Connell 27. Rainsford is a big game hunter who fell off this boat and ended up on an island, while he was there he met General Zaroff who used to be a general for the Russians. Rainsford will likely not hunt again after being shocked from the events on the island.
In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Connell, Rainsford is characterized as considerate, skilled, and smart. One example of Rainsford being considerate is when he says “what you speak of is murder. ”(49)This tells us that he knows murder is not right and looks at it as if he were in the victim’s shoes. One example of Rainsford being skilled was when “General Zaroff could not trace him. ”(Page
I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting? Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder.” (10) (AN) In this quote, General Zaroff displays his relaxed and carefree attitude towards the killing of other human beings in this quote by the implied connotation of his words. By having such nonchalant tone on such an insidious viewpoint proves that Zaroff has a much different mindset than mainstream society who views his actions as sinister. Zaroff’s internal aspirations and ideas on murder are very present in his non-conformist style of “hunting.” (Trans) While hunting Zaroff also shows his motivations for doing so. (CD) During the first day of the hunt Zaroff unknowingly has Rainsford cornered up a tree, however, once Zaroff sees Rainsford he pretends not to notice, “It was General Zaroff. He made his way along with his eyes fixed in concentration … the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown
Zaroff hunts people for his own entertainment and does not care about their fear. Zaroff kills many in cold blood, admitting to killing many and being surprised when Rainsford is appalled. Zaroff does not even have value for the life of his own workers. He seems to care little about the death of Ivan, setting his death aside as a minor inconvenience because he must be replaced. Zaroff’s lack of respect for human life shows that he is a villain and gives Rainsford more motivation to defeat Zaroff as a villain. Rainsford, a moral character, understands Zaroff’s evil work, and knows he has to stop Zaroff. Zaroff having this trait also develops Rainsford’s character, because he realizes that killing without considering the feelings of the victim is evil as it is embodied by Zaroff. Rainsford originally thought otherwise. Zaroff’s nonexistent value of life helps develop characters and give reason for his defeat, in turn strengthening his role as
What do you think the phrase beast at bay means? Why is this appropriate for the story?
In The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, General Zaroff is shown as insane, intelligent, and competitive. Zaroff is shown to be insane in the story when he admits he hunts and kills human. “Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting?
Nevertheless, their morals are oxymorons that take deviating approaches in regards to humanity. With this intention, “Must’ve been a fairly large animal… hunter had the nerve to tackle it with a light gun”(20). In like manner, “Not many men know how to make a Malay man-catcher”(32). Rainsford's knowledge of hunting proves that he had a passion for learning how to hunt, because when you choose to learn more about something you retain information easier. Likewise, “I have but one passion in my life, Mr. Rainsford, and it is the hunt”(22). In the same fashion, “My hand was made for the trigger … I have hunted every kind of game in the land”(24). Zaroff, in the same way, has his own love for the hunt but Zaroff focused more on his natural talents and his results in hunting. Be that as it may, Zaroff and Rainsford also have their differences; “ Hunting? Good god, General Zaroff what you speak of is murder” (25). Rainsford was repulsed by Zaroff’s morals in regards to humanity illustrating Rainsford's compassion and love towards humanity. On the contrary, “The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure… I hunt the scum of the earth”(25). Zaroff Believes that Rainsford’s compassion towards humanity is his weakness. Zaroff’s maverick originates from his moral viewpoints on humanity and that he is performing his civil duty when hunting. Consequently, the exploited differences in Rainsford’s and Zaroff's morals outweigh their mutual love for
Mbuguah, Martin Deitche, Marianne 9 English Honors, Period 5 11/1/2016 Rainsford vs Zaroff Two men from different times and different walks of life both consumed by the lust of greed and adrenaline. One has fallen far more in to the abyss while the other is just on the edge waiting to for the last gust to push him into his decent. General Zaroff and Rainsford were both word class hunters. Zaroff and Rainsford traveled the world and learned many different hunting tactics like the ones they used in the story.
Zaroff is purely unconscious, and has no compassion or remorse for his actions. His demented mind forces him to believe that it is moral to hunt all living creatures, when in reality he is actually murdering a human soul. The general is sadistic as well as arrogant. He is mentally unstable, insane, and he denies the fact that he is committing something as bad as what he is doing. According to General Zaroff, hunting for him has been consumed by boredom and he no longer sees hunting as a challenge. Consequently, he chooses to hunt a certain “creature” with a higher mental stability of the creatures he has hunted before.(Connell 21) As Zaroff became comfortable with Rainsford, he
In the story Zaroff thinks it's not a problem if he kills the innocent people for fun. This mindset of his is openly showing signs of being a protagonist and going to do evil things throughout the story. In his conversation with Rainsford he clearly states that, "Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong,, andif needs be, taken by the strong.” He states that he should be aloud to kill just because in his mind only the strong people in the world have the will to live. When Zaroff says "Thank you, I'm a hunter, not a murderer." Also states that he thinks that he's not a murderer he's simply a hunter. Which means in his way of thinking or the way he looks at it what he's doing is not wrong he's hunting them, trying to figure out whose strong and who is not. He decides to hunt humans because he says there the only match for him no other animal is enjoyable for him to hunt. He has the sense of superiority that humans were the only thing left. Zaroff then states “The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure.” He thinks his actions are justifiable and that that's what the weak people are here for to give the more stronger and equip people pleasure. Zaroff then says “I am strong. Why should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt, why should I not?” In his mind since he is a good strong hunter why should not he be able to hunt he calls this a gift and takes a lot of pride in it. This is another statement he says showing he thinks what he is doing is good, eliminating what he says “scum of the earth” so the strong are the ones to live.
Connell first demonstrates the General’s proud heart on page seventy. There is a conversation between Rainsford and General Zaroff and Rainsford starts with the question, “But the animal, General Zaroff? Oh, it supplies me with the most exciting hunting in the world… But no animal can reason, … there is one that can. But you can’t mean - And why not?” The General is referring that he resulted into hunting humans. Earlier, he expresses how this sport was becoming tedious and needed something that can reason, which no animal can do, except humans; without reluctance, he turns to them to fulfill his personal needs. General Zaroff is a part of World War I before he returns to hunting. Because of his experiences in the war, he believes that it is acceptable to murder human beings out of pleasure, while Rainsford disagrees. Overall, General Zaroff is betraying his egotistic side by being willing to kill humans for his
General Zaroff states, “ Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes- the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.” ( pg 49) In this quote General Zaroff doesn’t think of hunting as a sport but as a correlation straight to real life. The quote shows that General Zaroff has an incredibly disgusting way of looking at life and everybody in it. General Zaroff’s insanity is shown because he think of everything besides himself as huntees and this shows he is a murderer. “ I hunt the scum of the earth- sailors from tramp ships, lascars,blacks, chinese, and mongrels.”( pg 49) This quote is saying that General Zaroff thinks that murder is a game, and he doesn’t feel bad about killing anyone of his hunts. This tells us that hunting/killing humans is a normal hobby for him and he does it often. The quote shows that General Zaroff’s mind is unstable and his thoughts are very distasteful. “ This is why I use them. It gives me pleasure. They can reason, after a fashion.” ( pg 50) General Zaroff is basically saying that he likes using humans for the hunt because it gives him pleasure. He is unbothered at the fact he is taking a human life away for a exhilarating game. When he says killing people because it brings him pleasure since they try to reason with him, but he puts himself in a position where he looks insane and murderous. It shows General Zaroff’s insane way of thinking and his thoughts on