Richard Connel The Most Dangerous Game Analysis

In Richard Connel’s short story, “The most dangerous game” is about two men fighting in a life or death situation. In addition, one had to suffer through his own consequence. The story consist two main characters. General Zaroff and Sanger Rainsford. Between them, I noticed a major contrast between their personalities and actions. Connel provided more information about Zaroff and less with Rainsford. Which let readers know who the protagonist and antagonist is of this story. There are many examples of foreshadowing in this story. The way Connel created suspense almost seemed like a pattern. This way it catches the reader’s eye and it keeps them engaged to the story. Connel started building suspense when he stated “Zaroff was still on his feet, but Ivan was not” (Conell 35). Connel builds suspense in multiple ways and leaving a cut off statement for readers to guess what happens next.

General Zaroff seemed very well mannered but he has no morals about values of life. In this story, there are two different meanings for “The most dangerous game”. One means the dangerous game referring as an animal, another meaning is an actual game. Zaroff’s intention was to play an actual human hunting game. In the story, Rainsford stated “Hunting? Great guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of his murder.” (Connell 1.114) Rainsford values human life and while Zaroff thinks hunting humans is a “normal game”. Zaroff’s thinking is that humans could reason, which is why he refers us as the “most dangerous game”. Zaroff claims that hunting humans gives him pleasure. “Precisely,” said the general. “That is why I use them. It gives me pleasure. They can reason, after a fashion. So they are dangerous.” (Connell1.123) Zaroff could see the reason as the key ingredient to a competitive competition and an ultimate way to create danger. He owns the “Ship Trap Island”. Which later on, that was how Rainsford met