Villains In Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game

Heroes fall. Villains get what they deserve. People who have succeeded for ages will fail. Some would find it ironic that the “undefeatable” will be defeated. The short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell is a prime example of this. In this story, a famous hunter named Sanger Rainsford falls off a yacht and swims to the mysterious Ship-Trap Island where he finds the home of General Zaroff. The general knows much about Rainsford and hunting, he begins to explain to Rainsford how he hunts on his island and that he is hunting a new animal. Rainsford discovers that the general is hunting…humans. The general explains that he finds it more interesting, animals are too dull minded and boring, he uses the people who wash up on the island

Connell uses irony to twist the story and somewhat leave the reader satisfied. Connell pulls the story together with this line, “The general made one of his deepest bows. “I see,” he said. “Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford.” . . . He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided,” which clearly shows irony. Throughout the entire story, the general boasted about how he’s never lost this “game” and this game with Rainsford, he lost, at the cost of his life. Another good example of irony would be when the general reveals that he hunts humans; Rainsford replies that war “did not make me condone cold-blooded murder.” This is ironic because later he murders the general in cold-blood, but also to avenge the poor victims of General Zaroff. Without the irony of Zaroff’s defeat this story wouldn’t be as entertaining and

The tone is definitely dark and twisted, considering Zaroff hunts and kills innocent people because he finds it amusing. In the story the general explains that ““the hunting was not good last night. The fellow lost his head. He made a straight trail that offered no problems at all. That's the trouble with these sailors; they have dull brains to begin with, and they do not know how to get about in the woods. They do excessively stupid and obvious things. It's most annoying. Will you have another glass of Chablis, Mr. Rainsford?”” He says he was too bored during murder, if that isn’t twisted, then what is? During the game between the general and Rainsford it says, “Rainsford held his breath. The general's eyes had left the ground and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face.” The general liked how smart Rainsford was; he wanted to save the best game for last, even though he had a chance to end it then and there. The tone creates this feeling of desperate fear and danger that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Quite frankly, this story would not be gripping without