Hunting In Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game

Richard Connell once quoted, “There is no greater bore than perfection.” This exemplified perfection is something many people lust for, but can’t understand. Imperfections are what make people different from one another but, without imperfections, humans would be boring. Similarly, in Connell’s, “The Most Dangerous Game,” the antagonist, Zaroff, mentions being perfect is boring. As if he is referring to himself, he’s saying he’s a perfect hunter, but grows bored hunting animals, so he’s stepping up the game and starting to hunt humans instead. Sometimes if you succeed at everything it starts becoming boring after awhile; sometimes you just need to change the game and get out of your customary range of familiarity a bit to explore your possibilities.

He uses several different methods to cheat his way into the game he is playing with Rainsford; dogs, Ivan, a gun, and the isolated island itself. Connell sets up the dilemma from whether hunting is a brutal activity or an amusing sport. Deciding on one or the other depends a lot on how the reader feels about animals. Rainsford’s attitude suggests his willingness to commit violence without considering any of the moral implications. The reader quickly forgets about that position once they meet General Zaroff. Although he can process that human beings have feelings, that doesn’t stop him from committing violence against them. Adding a villain in the story makes the plot summary more memorable and interesting; it also creates a thought-provoking story. In the end, Rainsford’s assumption is accurate; Zaroff is indeed a psychopath, labeling him conceited, unstable, selfish, pretentious and a swindler. Overall, just because someone owns an island and wears nice clothes doesn’t make him or her a good person; how someone acts and treats others is the way to tell the type of person he or she