The most dangerous game is full of oppositions like the hunter versus the hunted, civilization versus brutality, and so forth, but one opposition that is very prevalent in the story that is even the source of the General’s pleasure of his hunting is reason versus instinct. The ability to reason separates humans from animals, who only use their instincts. General Zaroff explains to Rainsford that he grew bored of hunting animals, they were too easy, he needed to hunt something that could think and reason not just work on its instincts.
The Most Dangerous Game takes place on a mysterious jungle island in the Caribbean that Whitney and Rainsford were sailing past to go on a hunting expedition in South America. The date isn’t very easy to tell but I would believe it to be in the early 1900’s. The mood of the story is a haunting tone as Rainsford tries to outwit the general but soon realizes he’s only playing with him.
The rising action is Rainsford falling off the boat and swimming to the Shore of Shipwreck Island. A major conflict would be when Zaroff and Rainsford argue about the sport of hunting men which leads to Rainsford being Zaroff’s next quarry. Minor conflicts that thicken the plot is moments when Rainsford made a Burmese tiger trap for Zaroff but catches Zaroff’s hound instead or when he created a trap that drove a knife into the giant henchman, Ivan. The climax is when Rainsford eludes Zaroff and confronts him in his bedchamber. There isn’t much of falling action because the conflict is to be imagined by the reader with the resolution of Rainsford sleeping quite comfortably.
The point of view in the story is a limited 3rd person. Connell doesn’t have the reader through the eyes of Rainsford but readers still know his thoughts and emotions. It is definitely not a 1st person even though the reader knows the thoughts of Rainsford because the use of I, me and we, are not used like a 1st person point of view.
The character I’m going to analyze specifically is Rainsford. Rainsford is a younger man around 25, probably coming from a family of money being able to afford hunting expeditions and a yacht. I would describe him as a round character, even though he is the clear protagonist, Rainsford does things that a flat character would do. He doesn’t just slip away and escape the general but goes back to the mansion to kill the general, and what can be inferred from the dialogue between the Rainsford and Zaroff was that after Rainsford killed the general and fed him to the dogs. All the while sleeping soundly in the general’s bed. Rainsford also seems to be a developing character even for a short story. In the beginning, when Rainsford and Whitney are talking on the yacht, Rainsford expresses he feels nothing for his quarry for they are just animals but soon feels the same fear of being hunted and the fear of dying. Connell described Rainsford using indirect characterization. Through Rainsford’s speech when he’s talking with Zaroff the reader can tell that Rainsford is moral, that hunting other creatures is different than hunting fellow men. Rainsford is able to construct traps to kill Zaroff, only using the jungle around him and a knife, this shows that Rainsford is a smart man and is able to work with his hands. Zaroff tells him that "I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life. Surely your experiences in the war--" Zaroff treats Rainsford with respect as a fellow great hunter, but thinks he is naive and young to not see the sport in hunting men. Rainsford isn’t really described for what he looks like, but he does seem to be accustomed to the high standards of living such as when he notices the clothes Ivan sets out for him that the general had lent him, is from a store that makes suits for royalty. In Rainsford’s inner thoughts such as, “Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation.” One can tell that even in a stressful situation Rainsford can keep calm, most likely from service in a war.
There isn’t a very clear example of irony in The Most Dangerous Game, but when Zaroff says, "Tonight, we will hunt--you and I." Rainsford takes this as they will be together on the hunt but the general actually means that he will be the one hunting Rainsford. It’s ironic in a way that a world famous hunter is now the prey being hunted.
I think a symbol that best represents the story would be the island. Named Shipwreck Island after so many vessels going down near it, part thanks to Zaroff who set up lights to trick ships into crashing into sharp rocks. The island represents confinement because once ashore there is no way off except escaping the clutched of the evil and sadistic, General Zaroff. The island is the General’s personal hunting grounds, he knows every inch of the island. There is nowhere you can hide from him.
In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it is suspenseful and engaging for a short story. I would like to know how the General had gotten supplies and electricity on his island but those details would have taken away from the story. this isn't a story of a former cossack surviving on a jungle island, but of a man trying to survive and outwit a man that has lost his value for humanity. this is a perfect story for young adults mainly because that was the age when I first read this story
