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The Most Dangerous Game Rainsford Character Traits

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As it has in many other great stories, ego has never come to a good end. In his short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” RIchard Connell poses from diversified predicamental conflicts from which Sanger Rainsford must survive using using his various possessed character traits. In “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford displays a variety of character traits through different conflicts, one of which he exhibits ignorance, while in another his morality by showing his humanity towards another being. Rainsford, not yet aware of what awaits him is dauntless with his ignorant opinion towards a hunter and a huntee. Rainsford claims that, “Don’t talk rot, Whitney, said Rainsford. You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels.” (Connell, 17) In making this comment …show more content…

Being hunted Rainsford poses many questions regarding Zaroff and his survival. As stated, “Rainsford second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the general smiled? Why had he turned back?” (Connell, 31)By stating this Connell shows Rainsford’s conflict with himself. Secondly, this also presents that Rainsford is incisive and clever in recognition towards what can be an obstacles in his survival. Moreover, going through many hardships at last Rainsford has reached his hunter, who is now his victim. Stated in the story, “I am still a beast at bay, he said in a low, hoarse voice. Get ready, General Zaroff.” (Connell, 34) Connell writes this to show that even though Rainsford has his morals of murder in mind, he also has his principals of finishing what is wrong. Therefore, this displays character vs. character conflict because now a huntee has become a hunter and Rainsford’s righteousness is to stop what is wrong. Richard Connell presents these varied conflicts to reflect Rainsford’s traits and how dynamically he has changed from what he was in the

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Zaroff reveals that he intends to hunt Rainsford, since he finds hunting

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There have been times where the General and Rainsford came across each other, but they avoided each other to keep the game more interesting. Zaroff then releases his hound dogs to search and chase down Rainsford by his scent through the trail and happens to be found and attacked. As Rainsford is being attacked he comes up with a great idea to throw himself off the cliff into the water in order to trick Zaroff that he has been killed. Later he catches Zaroff by surprise by returning to the castle and finishing him off as he got to sleep in the Generals “very excellent bed.”

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“He shrugged his shoulders. Then he sat down, took a drink of brandy from a silver flask, lit a cigarette, and hummed a bit from Madame Butterfly,” (14). The mood of this scene is relief because General Zaroff thought that the big hunt was over so he had went home got really comfortable, had got him some wine, and a big dinner. But little did he know what truly happened to Rainsford. So this shows that General Zaroff had a chance of winning the big hunt.

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In the short story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell uses the characterization of Rainsford to show change in a character’s perspective. For example, in the beginning of the story, Rainsford makes a claim that animals have no feelings, showing that he is inconsiderate of any feelings by his own and does not care for the lives of animals. In the text, Rainsford says, “Who cares how a jaguar feels?” (3) This quote shows that in the exposition, Rainsford does not care for the feelings of animals, and cares more about hunting and killing them. Therefore, the point is proven true because his words at the beginning of the story show that he is indifferent to animals’ feelings.

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Here Connell implies that Rainsford has no empathy for the being that is being hunted. This is not only ironic because soon he is the one being hunted, but it shows Rainford has character flaws despite being the protagonist. Regardless of his flaws, overall Rainsford has a strong moral compass. When General Zaroff reveals his hobby of hunting and murdering people, Rainsford immediately rejects the invitation to join in the hunt. “‘Thank you, I'm a hunter, not a murderer.’”

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To illustrate, it is described that Rainsford is shown to have the traits of a youthful, masculine, elegant, and hero-like figure, but his first name “Sanger '' holds the meaning of blood (Thompson). The implication of irony in this scenario is how his persona represents the good characteristics of a person while his name means blood, adding to his merciless identity. Dunvealy’s work adds to this as he writes, “Rainsford presumes that hunting is a sport involving no more moral consequences than a game such as baseball; he further demonstrates his naïveté by assuming that his victims, big-game animals, have no feelings. These two beliefs, based as they are on Rainsford’s certainty that man is superior to animal, are challenged when he encounters General Zaroff, who has pushed the same ideas to their inhumane limits in his madness” (Dunvealy). Dunvealy’s commentary emphasizes the irony in Rainsford’s belief about hunting.

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In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” , Rainsford is the positive force in a classic good vs. evil showdown against a psychopathic man-hunter. For example, Rainsford non - evilness is displayed when he declines General Zaroff’s “ We will hunt - you and I,” (10). This is substantial evidence towards Rainsford morals and integrity as a human. Based on the short story, a good and decent person would not want to hunt someone, it is an act of cold blood.

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In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell, the main character, Rainsford, falls off a yacht and ends up swimming to a mysterious island. On this island, he meets a man named Zaroff who kills humans as game, Rainsford has to survive on this island while Zaroff tries to hunt him down. Throughout the story the author demonstrates that things are not always what they seem on the surface. To develop this idea, the author uses irony and symbolism. In order to see this is true, one must compare the time when Rainsford first sees the Chateau and when he closely observes it, with the time when Rainsford first meets General Zaroff and after he gets to know him.

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General Zaroff is honored to meet Rainsford and Rainsford thinks it's pleasure to Zaroff. General Zaroff is a hunter who used to hunt animals, but is bored because he's a master at hunting animals.

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Civilized: A Unique Portrait of Society One of the denotations of the word ‘civilized’ is written as, “educated; at an advanced stage of cultural development; refined.” Given this word choice, many individuals would argue on what it truly means to be defined as civilized, and if such people can also be inhumane. In Richard Connell’s short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, the true meaning of the word is questioned by the main antagonist, whose actions argue that, depending on certain aspects and one’s own judgement, a civilized man may also be barbaric. The two are in the middle of a feast when Zaroff apologizes for the food, explaining that as they are, “well off the beaten track” it is difficult to receive delicious delicacies, despite what they’re eating at the moment to be of refined taste and skill. In explanation as to why he has such luxury far out in the middle of nowhere, Zaroff answers with, “We try

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Also, General Zaroff is an extreme hunter and doesn’t find pleasure in hunting regular animals. Zaroff says the most dangerous game is humans because they have the ability to reason. Rainsford is going to be hunted and is given a certain amount of time to survive. Moreover, while Rainsford is being hunted Zaroff

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But we should also never underestimate ourselves and never hold ourselves back. Rainsford represents the part of us, focused and does not give up on his goal because it is to difficult. Although General Zaroff represents the dark or extreme side of us, not showing pity towards others, becoming lazy, and inferring Rainsford has died therefore not caring about his

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Fear is not real. It is the product of thoughts you create. Danger is very real, but fear is a choice. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” the main character Rainsford is being hunted which creates fear in him. He is scared of dying but overcame his fear by facing the danger of the hunting game.

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In Richard Connell's short story"The Most Dangerous Game," the protagonist Sanger Rainsford is selfish, unsympathetic, and cruel. In the beginning, Rainsford talks to Whitney about the prey’s, in this case, the animal's perspective while being hunted, like how they feel. Rainsford and Whitney butt heads. Rainsford’s philosophy is much like Zaroff's. Rainsford disagrees with Whitney, who believes that animals can comprehend the fear of pain and death.

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There are several conflicts in “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell; while person versus person is the most obvious, person versus self and person versus nature are also present. For example, the “jagged crags” upon which Rainsford lands scratch his hands until they are raw, and when Rainsford is trying to survive the hunt, nature once again acts as an obstacle. The muck is like “ a giant leech” and the insects “[bite] him savagely” through the dense vegetation. On the other hand, Rainsford faces an internal dilemma when he is talking to Zaroff about hunting humans for sport: while Rainsford is shocked by the proposition, he feels no revulsion, no disgust. Therefore, because Rainsford does not seem to have an internal aversion to Zaroff’s proposal, that causes a quandary - his lack of moral dilemma in this situation is a dilemma in itself.

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