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The Most Dangerous Game

• By Richard Connell

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Setting

• Time 1920s, a little over three days
• Place Caribbean Island off the coast of South
  America
• P.D. Dense jungle, tangle of trees, uninhabited
  except for Zaroff and Ivan who live in a lavish
  chateau.

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Plot

• 1. Sailing on a yacht to participate in a hunt,
  Rainsford reveals that he does not believe
  animals can reason.
• 2. Rainsford falls off yacht and swims to an
  island.
• 3. There, he meets Zaroff and they discuss
  hunting. Zaroff, and accomplished hunter, reveals
  he has invented a new game, man, because he is
  bored with hunting animals he will hunt
  Rainsford.

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• 4. The hunt begins and Rainsford runs from
  Zaroff realizes he must use reasoning to
  survive he devises and executes three traps
• Maylay man-catcher (injures Zaroff)
• Burmese tiger pit (kills dog)
• Uganda native trick (kills Ivan)
• 5. Rainsford leaps into the sea, swims back to
  the chateau, surprises Zaroff in his room and
  kills him.

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Characterization

• Rainsford skilled hunter and author, believes
  animals have no feelings, is able to reason under
  pressure, disgusted by Zaroffs new game, he
  becomes the prey, uses primal instincts and human
  reasoning throughout the hunt
• Animal instincts puts distance between him and
  Zaroff, uses all the dodges of a fox, impulse
  to hurl himself down like a panther, like some
  huge prehistoric beaver he began to dig
• Human reasoning realizes why Zaroff doesnt
  kill him in tree, uses strategy to win

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• Zaroff cultivated, cosmopolite, polite, looks
  like an aristocrat used to giving orders, escaped
  Russian Revolution with fortune intact, always
  studying Rainsford, has guns from youth soldier,
  hunts for sport, invents new quarry or game (man)
  to give him a challenge, believes life is for
  the strong to be lived by the strong and if need
  be, taken by the strong.

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Conflict and Resolution

• Type man vs. man Rainsford vs. Zaroff
• Develop Rainsford must survive Zaroffs barbaric
  game of life and death
• Resolve Rainsford outsmarts Zaroff at his own
  game and kills him

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• 2. Type man vs. self Zaroff vs. his need for a
  challenge
• Develop Zaroffs bored with hunting animals and
  needs a challenging hunt
• Resolve Zaroff invents a new game using men as
  the quarry for his hunt, since they can reason
  and therefore should give him a better chase.

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Theme

• 1. A role reversal the hunter becomes the hunted
  and is now able to understand the fear of pain
  and the fear of death in animals.
• 2. Be careful what you wish for, it might come
  true.
• 3. Appearance versus reality

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Literary Elements and Techniques

• 1. Point of View third person omniscient
• 2. Foreshadowing mystery of ship trap island
  having a bad reputation, three gun shots, scream
  of unknown animal, evidence of animals blood,
  Rainsford is a celebrated hunter
• 3. Suspense created by Rainsfords life and
  death struggle time running out

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• 4. Irony
• This is a most restful spot (verbal)
• We do our best to preserve the amenities of
  civilization here. (verbal)
• Rainsfords role reversal with Zaroff
  (situational)
• Zaroff finally gets an exciting game, but it
  leads to his death (situational)
• Zaroff appears civilized, but is a murdering,
  evil genius (situational)
• 5. Atmosphere
• Setting and images create a feeling of fear,
  savagery, danger, death