The Hunt In The Most Dangerous Game By Richard Connell

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell is a short story that depicts two hunters hoping to hunt in the Amazon that happen to come across a notorious island known as “Ship-trap” Island. One of the hunters wash up on shore of the Island and is introduced to feeling of being hunted. The author uses this character to show sympathy and compassion towards hunted animals. As I’m reading through this story the author uses the character, Rainsford, to express the value of life. Connell creates this other character named General Zaroff who lives for the thrill of hunting, after losing interest in hunting animals he challenges Rainsford to hide on the island for three days without being caught. This is where the author gives Rainsford the role of a prey instead of a predator. This ties back to when Rainsford and her co-worker Whitney have a conversation of the value of life and Rainsford says,” Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes--the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”(pg.1) The author shows that Rainsford doesn’t value and respect of a non-human being. Rainsford is now being the huntee instead of the hunter.

He only sees them as trophies to hang across his wall. For example on pg. 6 he says, "Hunting tigers ceased to interest me some years ago. I exhausted their possibilities, you see. No thrill left in tigers, no real danger. I live for danger, Mr. Rainsford." The author’s tone is benevolent because he shows he is caring by putting a “predator in a prey’s place.” On page 7 it reads, "I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life…” Pitting Rainsford and General Zaroff against each other in the hunt allows Connell to blur the line between hunter and prey, human and animal, to suggest that instinct and reason are not the