Comparing The Most Dangerous Game And Child By Tiger
People Aren't Always What They Seem A Comparative Essay
When I read the short stories "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell and "Child by Tiger" by Thomas Wolfe for this essay, I thought they had very little in common. Connell's story takes place much earlier (my guess would be around 1900), and is set on an exotic island, while Wolfe's story seems to take place around the 1920's and is set in rural America. Also, while it's true that both include a manhunt, complete with bloodhounds, the motivations for the hunt couldn't be more different. In "The Most Dangerous Game", the antagonist, General Zaroff, resorts to hunting human beings out of boredom. He says to Rainsford (the protagonist), …show more content…
Both stories introduce their antagonists with favorable descriptions. In the beginning of Wolfe's story, Dick Prosser was idolized by the young boys in the story. Randy Shepperton, one of the boys and the protagonist of this story, says, "It seemed to us boys that there was very little that Dick Prosser could not do."(Par. 6) He could shoot. He taught the boys to box, to play football. He spent time with them and they in turn were fond of him. Likewise in Connell's story, when we first meet General Zaroff, he is described as aristocratic and cultivated. He offers Rainsford food, and shelter, and even his own clothes; even waits to eat so Rainsford can join him for dinner. Rainsford "was finding the general a most thoughtful and affable host, a true cosmopolite."(Par.66). First impressions are not always correct however; as we see as these stories unfold. In Connell's story, General Zaroff, instead of the affable host described in the beginning, is revealed to be a man without value for human life; a hunter of men. Likewise, in Wolfe's story, instead of the helpful, friendly guy pictured on introduction, Dick Prosser is shown to be an indiscriminate murderer as well. Less discriminate in fact than ZaroffProsser will kill anyone in his range regardless of
When I read the short stories "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell and "Child by Tiger" by Thomas Wolfe for this essay, I thought they had very little in common. Connell's story takes place much earlier (my guess would be around 1900), and is set on an exotic island, while Wolfe's story seems to take place around the 1920's and is set in rural America. Also, while it's true that both include a manhunt, complete with bloodhounds, the motivations for the hunt couldn't be more different. In "The Most Dangerous Game", the antagonist, General Zaroff, resorts to hunting human beings out of boredom. He says to Rainsford (the protagonist), …show more content…
Both stories introduce their antagonists with favorable descriptions. In the beginning of Wolfe's story, Dick Prosser was idolized by the young boys in the story. Randy Shepperton, one of the boys and the protagonist of this story, says, "It seemed to us boys that there was very little that Dick Prosser could not do."(Par. 6) He could shoot. He taught the boys to box, to play football. He spent time with them and they in turn were fond of him. Likewise in Connell's story, when we first meet General Zaroff, he is described as aristocratic and cultivated. He offers Rainsford food, and shelter, and even his own clothes; even waits to eat so Rainsford can join him for dinner. Rainsford "was finding the general a most thoughtful and affable host, a true cosmopolite."(Par.66). First impressions are not always correct however; as we see as these stories unfold. In Connell's story, General Zaroff, instead of the affable host described in the beginning, is revealed to be a man without value for human life; a hunter of men. Likewise, in Wolfe's story, instead of the helpful, friendly guy pictured on introduction, Dick Prosser is shown to be an indiscriminate murderer as well. Less discriminate in fact than ZaroffProsser will kill anyone in his range regardless of