The Most Dangerous Game Conflict Examples

There are three types of conflict present in the lives of all people. Struggles are necessary in real and fictional narratives to advance the storyline and to help one reach their goals. These obstacles are particularly abundant in action stories. A classic adventure story, Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” demonstrates the aforementioned three types of conflicts, man versus nature, man versus man, and man versus self. Conflict between man and nature is exhibited in the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”. One example is when Rainsford, a hunter sailing to Brazil, stays out on the boat deck at night to smoke. Hearing gunshots, Rainford balances himself on a boat rail to inspect the situation. In the process of mounting the rail, his pipe hits a rope and falls, sending him after it. “He lunged for it… he had reached too far and had lost his balance… the blood warm waters of the Caribbean sea closed over his head”(9). In this situation, Rainsford struggles with the natural force of gravity causing both him and his pipe to fall into the sea. In addition, there is also conflict between Rainsford and the ocean, as the water prevents him from getting

The protagonist, Rainsford, struggles with nature when he falls into the ocean, himself when he must make a decision between being hunted and being tortured, and another man when he murders the malicious General Zaroff at the end of the story. It is inevitable to face conflicts in one’s life, though they may not be as dramatic as the problems that Rainsford deals with. One is constantly exposed to opinions different from their own, weather interfering with one’s plans, and decisions, big and small, which determine what kind of person one is. However, in stories like this, as well as in the real world, conflict is essential to propelling people to reach their