Light And Darkness In The Most Dangerous Game By Richard Connell

Richard Connell’s strategic use of light and darkness as well as size imagery in the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” represents the danger levels that the character faces but in a rather odd way than what the average reader would assume. Connell treats light within the text of the story as an object to avoid and rather large objects to bond with. Darkness within the novel is treated more as a physical object rather than a wavelength of light and is described as something the character can feel. By giving light and darkness as well as sizes opposite perceptions, Connell clearly attempts to symbolize danger in a rather unique way in which a reader audience must pay close attention.

In The Most Dangerous Game, Connell cycles between light

Connell brilliantly contradicts safety by having meager places and objects compared with the fear that immense spaces depict. (I believe that) Usually, elaborate dwellings such as General Zaroffs’ massive fortress bring to mind that an well educated civilian must reside within the complex; however, Connell uses text to describe the massive structure as an “ . . . Palatial chateau . . . where cliffs dive down . . . to where the sea lick[s] greedy lips in the shadow” (43). (In particular, notice that) In various sections of the text, the enormous, breath-taking alcazar is mentioned as a quite brilliant structure built from dirt for a good purpose, yet here, it appears to the reader as something magical but gives second thoughts after the imagery of the “sea licks greedy lips” appears to the mind of the being. (I believe that) This sense of brilliance yet horrific nature continues as the hunter approaches the steps of the fortress in which the narrator says, “He lifted the knocker . . . and it startled him with its booming loudness” (43). (In particular, notice that) As Rainsford comes face to face with the structure of the door, the imagery of the knocker alerts the reader that it must be a fine castle in which he gives his presence but the descriptions of the loudness personifies in what may be the gun shot in which Rainsford is about to enter a challenge. This stated, the reader can identify that light and dark are two adversaries who try to “out-do” the other and small objects and massive objects are taken literal for what may state in the text but carries much deeper