How Does Connell Create Suspense 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.

Have you ever been hunted down by a psychopath war general, rabid pack of dogs, and a giant mute knouter named Ivan, and escaped? “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell, is about a man named Rainsford who gets stranded on an island with an insane head honcho on a small, isolated island in the Caribbean sea. Behind every work of literature, are literary elements that make it successful. “The Most Dangerous Game” is successful due to descriptive imagery, suspenseful plot, and ability to get to the point.

Connell utilizes the strength of the story by combining the setting with mood to observe the reaction of the characters when the environment around them changes. For example, as the "poisonous [air]'; engulfs the yacht, it gives Whitney "a mental chill; a sort of sudden dread'; as Rainsford and him sail precariously towards the island (62). Whitney, frightened by the grim nature around him, feels like a wounded bird fighting for its life among the hungry predators hiding in the unknown. The shroud of darkness completely surrounds not only Whitney, but the entire yacht which leaves him in a state of anxiety because of what lies in cover amid the dreadful island. Furthermore, as the eyes of Zaroff scatter over the island, searching for Rainsford, "Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed'; afraid that the eyes will see (73). With shelter high above in the trees, away from Zaroff, Rainsford awaits for the perfect moment where he will jump down from among the sky and pounce on Zaroff like a leopard killing its prey. Consequently, while Rainsford keeps repeating the moment of victory inside his mind; the self-confidence, overflowing out of his veins, develops into uncertainty. Since Zaroff possesses the island and with his military expertise, scouts the island for any advantages in hunt; Rainsford fears that Zaroff will counter the surprise attack and kill him, making the hunter become the prey. When Connell interweaves setting into mood, the method he uses touches

     Rainsford is an intelligent man. Early in the story, “Rainsford remembered the shots. They had come from the right, and he doggedly swam in that direction” (34). Rainsford had just fallen in the water,

In order to emphasize his recurring theme of reason versus instinct, Connell first sets the scene for the story’s setting, the setting Connell chooses for “The Most Dangerous Game” fits exceptionally well alongside both the story’s plot, as well as, its literary element of suspense. By introducing the idea of a mysterious island at the very start of the story

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.

General Zaroff believes that he is a civilized aristocrat. While eating an elegant dinner, Zaroff mentions the food and drink. “Half apologetically General Zaroff said: ‘We do our best to preserve

The man asks Rainsford why he is out in this island all Rainsford says is he’s out hunting and heard the crash. Rainsford tells Jack about the mansion and as soon as they arrive there he’ll fix him up and take care of him. Jack has no idea what is wrong with Rainsford but something is not right about him. Two hours later they arrive at the mansion.

Foreshadowing was a commonly used literary device the the author used in order to illustrate the point of view of Rainford, a character oblivious of what was to come in his future and what he was going to experience pertaining to emotional problems associated with hunting. Before Rainsford aborted his ship and swam to the mysterious island, he wasn’t sure of what laid ahead besides remarks his shipmates made before portraying the nature of an island close the area they were sailing in. (Connell pg 1) “The place has a reputation, a bad one.” This shows that Rainsford is in dangerous waters, but he doesn’t quite understand why. He also questions the words of his shipmates with a cleverly placed word. (Connell pg 1) “Cannibals?” A cannibal is when a member of a specific species eats its own flesh. This is hinting toward the idea of murder in the form of hunting for sport, one human harming another, without considering their victims emotions. Another somewhat iry form of foreshadowing which the

Being lost in an island, hungry, and tired is not an everyday thing. So Rainsford being in that situation, had no other choice than except Zaroff’s generosity. Zaroff gave Rainsford clothes, food and, a place to sleep. Zaroff tells Rainsford to join him for dinner, and Rainsford went to the dinner room as told. Sitting down eating there meal. The two men’s starts a conversation and starts to talk about their lives. Zaroff learns a lot of things about Rainsford and so does Rainsford. Rainsford learns that Zaroff is a smart man and a hunter just like him, but Zaroff him hunting people is part of things that he hunts for. Zaroff on another hand learns that Rainsford is a pretty smart, educated man and lastly a hunter.4

The setting of the novel takes place on a peaceful, life giving island. However, once the boys came to the island, the island slowly became consumed in darkness as the boys became more savage like. Towards the beginning of the novel, Golding emphasizes the light hearted mood by describing the brightness and beauty of the island,” The palms that stood made a green roof, covered on the underside with a quivering tangle of the reflection from the lagoon.”(pg 12). Just like the island, the boys start out as peaceful boys when they first arrive on the island. However, as the boys became more corrupted by savagery, so does the island and Golding effectively uses this in the scene where the boys lose control of themselves and in their bloodlust, kill Simon,”The clouds opened and let down the rain like a waterfall…” (pg 153). Golding’s use of the setting shows the evil in humans by giving the reader a mental illustration of the progression of the island turning from paradise to despair, much like how Jack starts out as a normal boy, but progresses into savagery.

Every story has a conflict, unless the subject’s life is perfect. With that being said, there are a lot of bumps along the road in “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell. Rainsford has so many challenges especially coming to an island where once you arrive, you will never leave. As he traveled on the yacht and falls off, something Rainsford didn’t expect changed the story for the worse. Rainsford experienced struggle with the sea, General Zaroff and himself. The struggle of man against nature, man against man, and man against himself ended up happening for a reason because the story would not be the same.

Do animals feel fear like us humans? In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” this was moral was shown indirectly with the use of dialogue which made Rainsford, the main character of the story, change his view on hunting. He first began thinking that animals did not fear or sense anything while being hunted but then within the context, he realized not only humans can feel. At the beginning of the story, it felt like Rainsford did not care about any type of creatures. As if his nature was like that but was not permanent until he truly saw what General Zaroff’s motive was which was to hunt beyond a civilized manner.

Setting - The setting in this short story goes from a private yacht, to the ocean, to a mysterious island. Richard Connell makes it seem like you are in the story with the main character. He does this by describing the little details and the emotions that the setting portrays. The setting plays an important role in this story. It makes you feel scared, uncertain, nervous, and happy at times.

Richard Connell uses the setting to create a mysterious mood, in “The Most Dangerous Game”. The island itself and its traits create a mysterious mood, and also add suspense. As the ship gets closer to the island, Whitney is becoming nervous and is getting an eerie feeling about it because he is noticing odd things happen, he remarks, “‘Don’t you feel anything?’-- as if the air about us was actually poisonous,” (7). Richard Connell includes small setting details through similes and metaphors, creating an image of the island for readers to relate the mood to. Richard Connell makes readers question what will happen, by describing the island in a mysterious and evil way. Whitney is starting to second guess if they should get closer to the