Preview

Rainsford In The Most Dangerous Game

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
236 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Rainsford In The Most Dangerous Game
In the story, The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell shows that Rainsford is regretful, anxious, and fearful. First, it is shown that Rainsford is regretful due to the fact that General Zaroff gives him the option to play the most dangerous game or be whipped by Ivan, to which Rainsford chooses to play the game. Rainsford tries again and again to fall asleep at night, but he is helpless with his choice replaying in his mind. “Rainsford could not quiet his brain with the opiate of sleep.” Second, Rainsford’s anxiousness is shown because he is uneasy about the thought of not being able to see the day after next. Although he is a marvelous hunter, there is a possibility that he may be no match to someone who is undefeated in assassinating humans.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, Rainsford, the main character, goes through hard times because he is forced to transition from a hunter to a huntee, then back to a hunter. As he uses his many strengths and his knowledge from both perspectives, he creates a plan and ends up beating the whole game despite all of his conflicts. In all likelihood, this wouldn't happen in real life, but we can still learn from him. Throughout the story, the reader witnesses how Rainsford's character struggles with different conflicts with his enemy,…

    • 586 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The controlling aspect of where fear is found is in the amygdala gland, that controls your senses and muscles - “enabling your body to quickly react to the sound of a threat”. Because of the amygdala gland there is two responses to fear, “fight or flight”. And this is the reason why General Zaroff in the short story “ The Most Dangerous Game” finds hunting animals too easy, because of their response to fear, flight. Humans on the other hand are intellectual creatures who take the fight stance when it comes to fear, hence creating a challenging chase that the General wishes for. When Rainsford is introduced to General Zaroff he takes his chance for another interesting chase with his new huntee. Rainsford, who had been earlier dismissing the fact that animals had fear when being hunted was soon faced with the same situation he had never expected. Fearful, Rainsford takes on the challenge of being hunted, by General Zaroff. During his three days of survival, General Zaroff has faced reality of Rainsford winning the challenge. “ The general sucked in his breath and smiled. “ I congratulate you,” he said, “You have won the game.” Rainsford did not smile, “ I am still a beast at bay. he said, in a low hoarse voice. “ Get ready, General Zaroff.” The general made his deepest bows. “ I see, he said. “ Splendid!’ One of us is to furnish 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 (lines 208 - 215). Fearless, Rainsford kills the general, despite his thoughts of murder being a cold-blooded…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rainsford will not take over General Zaroff’s game of hunting other humans. For instance, when General Zaroff asks Rainsford to go hunting, he says, “Thank you, I’m a hunter, not a murderer.”(25) Rainsford classifies himself as someone who hunts animals, but not humans. He disapproves of General Zaroff’s game and most likely still does. In addition, while Rainsford is being hunted, he thinks, “The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.”(31) Rainsford is truly afraid at this point just like other humans are when they are being hunted. He has had the horrifying experience and probably doesn’t want anyone to feel this fear. As a result, Rainsford is a gentleman and animal…

    • 134 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    When it comes down to your morals, how far would you go to survive? Morals are something you live by and can be good or bad, but everybody has them. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the main character Sanger Rainsford is a dynamic character who is forced to change his own beliefs through relationship, conflict, and survival.…

    • 371 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Rainsford is uncompassionate, this is seen when he’s talking to Whitney. “‘Don’t talk rot, Whitney.’ Said Rainsford. ‘You’re a big game hunter not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels’ ”.This shows how he’s uncompassionate because he takes no account for how the animals feel. It’s all about the sport. He is also a very proud person. This is seen when he boasts about his sport, hunting, and how it’s the best sport in the word. Rainsford is also courageous. This is seen when he is not deterred by the superstition that surrounds Ship Trap Island. He could also be perceived as strong when he swims to the shore after he is thrown off the boat. This is…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Richard Connell, the author of, "The Most Dangerous Game," depicts the theme, the most dangerous things are often well hidden; you never fully know how dangerous something is until it is right in your face and the hints are all out. Mr. Zaroff is the perfect example of how the most dangerous things are well hidden; in the article he says, "' I had to invent a new animal to hunt.'...'...It must have courage, cunning, and above all it must be able to reason.'" this shows that the most dangerous things are often well hidden because the animal he is talking about is humans; we are the the smartest species in the world. General Zaroff is hinting at the fact that he is hunting humans, Mr. Rainsford is not quite picking up on the hint…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    High Noon Analysis

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In high Noon, Will Kane shows fear against Frank Miller, the antagonist. Will Kane is certainly sure that he will lose, so he decides to write his will. "He starts to put down the pen he was holding, and now, louder than before, the third whistle blasts over the scene. Kane quivers. The breath he has been holding escapes in a long soundless sigh" (Foreman 326). This shows that Kane is scared to face his enemy. However, to really prove that Will made is scared he starts to cry which goes against all Hollywood movies. Usually, the heroes show bravery and perseverance but Will is scared, which is more realistic, and that explains why he began to cry. To furthermore show that Kane was scared, the scene at the stable proves this. At the stable, when Harvey commands that Kane ride the horse, Kane responded that he wouldn't. When Harvey asked if it was because he was scared, Kane replied, "'I guess so" (Foreman 318). In "The Most Dangerous Game," Sanger Rainsford fears General Zaroff, the antagonist. General Zaroff goes over the instructions for the game, and Rainsford starts to get nervous and angry. The general says that it is his strength against Rainsford's and they must fight to the death. Rainsford is terrified and responds, "'I'll agree to nothing of the kind" (Connell 11). This shows his trepidation against this deadly game. To furthermore prove my point, during the game,…

    • 1403 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever felt like your life was your own story or similar to a book you’ve read. Sometimes a book you are reading or have read is similar to the live you are living. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading in a loud or quiet place, or if it’s during the day or night at some point you would find a book similar to your life. Literature connects with life, because in a way our life is a story we have our own conflict, we see things in our point of view, and we characterize people or the other way around, sometimes it’s even similar to a book we’ve read.…

    • 800 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rainsford jumped up from the sand and ran to the water. “A ship!”, he cried. All off the men were frantically waving the ship down. It was a relief when the ship started towards the shore of the tiny island to rescue them. The ship had floated up to the island, and the angels who saved them got off and walked over to the group. As soon as the two men got off the ship Rainsford recognized his saviors as none other than Whitney and the captain. “Rainsford, is that you?” Whitney yelled over the loud waves. Rainsford and the crew ran towards the ship and Whitney gratefully. “Whitney,” Rainsford started, “I promise I’ll tell you everything, but for now I would just like to go home.” With those words the men piled onto the small boat and…

    • 150 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    yujgyui

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Connell further turns the table on the idea that reason exists apart from instinct by reducing the gentleman hunter Rainsford to the role of prey in General Zaroff’s sadistic hunt. Rainsford comes to realize that all creatures, including people, rely on fear and their instinct to survive to avoid pain and death, just as Whitney had originally argued. Nevertheless, Rainsford remains calm in spite of his fear and works methodically to evade death and even defeat Zaroff. Despite his desire to kill his pursuers, however, Rainsford keeps his perspective and continues to value human life, therefore remaining more man than beast. In contrast, the genteel General Zaroff reveals himself to be more animal than human by rationally concluding that people are no different from other living creatures and by ruthlessly hunting men to satisfy his inner bloodlust. Zaroff’s and Rainsford’s cool rationality and calculating cunning throughout the entire hunt belies the fact that each man acts only according to instinct,…

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    At first Rainsford, the protagonist, is seen as a malicious person because he kills animals for fun. For example, Rainsford believes that hunting is a “great sport” (6). There are situations where killing is an exception to evil, but in Rainsford’s case, he is a person who kills animals for enjoyment. This demonstrates evilness because killing for intent of pleasure is immoral and against human nature. However, Rainsford is revealed a good person when he tells General Zaroff that hunting human for pleasure is out of extraordinary and not righteous (13). In other word, Rainsford is able to deny hunting despite hunting being his life. So, even though General Zaroff threatens Rainsford in this situation, he chooses to do the right thing instead of the wrong thing. Additionally, Rainsford told General Zaroff, “‘I am still a beast at bay,’” (22). In this scene, the readers could predict that Rainsford has put himself into the shoes of the animals. Thus, he is able to sense and feel the emotions that an animal could have felt when they are being hunted. Through this, it is inferred that Rainsford realize that hunting for pleasure, in which is what General Zaroff does, is an immoral thing to do. Overall, Rainsford is a blend of good and evil because he is able to differentiate the difference between hunting for survival and hunting for…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    In this case, Rainsford had a more cunning and direct approach to his problem, even though he was mostly nervous and somewhat fearful. As Rainsford hid from Zaroff as best as he can, he also laid traps down for the Cossack. Even though most of his traps did not manage to get Zaroff, Rainsford did not give up and flee. Eckels was calm at the start of the quest, but became increasingly nervous as he thought about the dangers that were to come. He let his nervous personality take over, and when it was too much, he decided to give up. Eckels also let his selfishness get to him, which made his hunting companions deal with the Tyrannosaurus Rex while Eckels went back to the time machine. While both hunters were indeed frightened and nervous, the main difference was Rainsford’s ability to suppress his fear and let his instinct guide him, which he demonstrated by telling himself, “I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve,” (165). That showed that Rainsford had an actual way of telling himself to control his personality and his emotions at a critical moment. Eckels tried suppressing the same fears to a certain extent, but gave up and fled from the problem. All these mixed emotions and traits ultimately determine how well their quest goes and where they will end…

    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Most Dangerous Game, Connell describes Rainsford, the protagonist, as a renowned hunter. Connell uses the opening conversation between Rainsford and Whitney, Rainsford’s companion on the yacht, to enlighten the reader to Rainsford’s attitude of indifference concerning the prey that he hunts. As fate would have it, Rainsford is marooned on an island where he meets another hunter, General Zaroff. As the story progresses, Rainsford begins to see the façade of civility disappear and the real nature of the General come to surface. The General explains how hunting man is the logical progression of their art and that they are actually kindred souls. Rainsford is appalled by the comparison of their two natures and clings to the moral high ground. That is until the General forces Rainsford to now become the prey. Rainsford, now the prey, calls upon not only his vast knowledge and experience of the hunt but also his primeval instinct of survival. Connell takes the reader through many twists and turns giving hope for Rainsford around each corner only to take it away. Due to the cunningness and resourcefulness of Rainsford, the General is given literally the best hunt of his life. In the end, Rainsford outsmarts the General…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Perhaps one of the reasons that “The Most Dangerous Game” is still read to this day may be because of the ambiguous ending that this short story has. The way the story is left off leads the reader to many different conclusions as to what happened. Perhaps the two most common inferences would be that either Rainsford realizes that he is becoming like Zaroff, or Rainsford realizes that he is nothing like Zaroff and takes comfort in this. There is much evidence that supports both of these theories.…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the story, Rainsford shows he is very capable. For example, Rainsford meets face to face with General Zaroff for the first time, and Rainsford shows that he is very capable within the game of hunting when Rainsford is forced to survive. As Zaroff says "I have played the fox, now I must play the cat of the fable."(Connell 31) In the quote, Rainsford has presented he has been the one trying to survive with all his strength and he now can finally revolt against General Zaroff the man who is trying to catch Rainsford and win the game. For instance, Rainsford was forced to swim from falling off of his yacht into the ocean all the way to the Island, showing extreme capability.…

    • 644 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays