Sanger Rainsford is the main character of “The Most Dangerous Game,” by Richard Connell. Towards the beginning of the story, Rainsford showed no mercy for the animals that he had hunted. But once he finds out that he is no longer the hunter, but the he is the hunted, his whole perspective on hunting changes . When a story’s character undergoes a change due to the story’s events, that makes the character dynamic.
One of Rainsford’s main hobbies was hunting. He was on a trip to Rio to hunt with his good friend Whitney, when Rainsford and his friend bring up the topic of hunting jaguars. “The best sport in the world,” said Rainsford . “For the hunter, not for the jaguar,” amended Whitney. This shows that Whitney showed remorse for the game that he hunted. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?” says Rainsford. He shows no interest in merciful to the game he hunts .
After Rainsford falls into the water, he swims to the mysterious Ship-Trap Island, where he meets General Zarhoff. He then finds out that the only way that I can leave the island is if he is not killed by General Zarhoff in a hunt . “Hunting? Good God, General Zarhoff, what you speak of is murder .” He is beginning to see the bad nature
of hunting any type of big game. Even though Rainsford is starting to realize his mistakes, he still feels like hunting is not a bad sport to participate in .
Once Zarhoff realizes that he is not able to find Rainsford, he goes back to his home to find Rainsford inside. Rainsford had swam all the way back from the swamp to Zarhoff’s home. “I am still a beast at bay,” said Rainsford. This could mean that he has put his hunting days behind him. This is a very drastic change from the beginning of the story, when he showed no sympathy for the game he hunted.
Overall, Rainsford’s point of view on hunting had completely changed throughout the book. He had become a more compassionate and kind person, and he realized the wrong in hunting. This change he had to undergo made him a very dynamic character.
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