The+Most+Dangerous+Game

=The Most Dangerous Game =

Short Stories - Literary Devices

Point of View: Third person limited

Protagonist: Rainsford

What type of character is the Protagonist?  Round, dynamic

Antagonist:  General Zaroff

Describe the setting:

The story takes place on an island, known as Ship-Trap in the Caribbean Sea, over the course of three days. The mood is quite tense and foreshadowing is employed a lot.

Type of Conflict:

Man vs Man

Describe the main conflict:

The main conflict is a battle of wits between two exquisite hunters: General Zaroff and Rainsford. They pit their skills in battle, over the course of three days, in which the superior hunter will obtain a mighty big reward; whether it be freedom, or the thrill of a successful hunt.

Describe the Climax of the Story: is near the end of the story when Rainsford confronts Zaroff in his bedroom. Zaroff tells Rainsford that he is free to go, since he won the game. At this point Rainsford has the opportunity to show his moral superiority to Zaroff, but instead, he chooses to continue the game.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story?

At the beginning of the story, the Protagonist is morally against what Dr. Zaroff does, yet, interestingly enough, after having killed Zaroff, Rainsford does not free the "prey" that Zarroff has been holding for future hunts. He also takes Zaroff's place in the bed, suggesting he has had a character change, and that he is taking the Doctor's place.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.

The title "The Most Dangerous Game" can be interpreted in one of two ways. In can mean the most dangerous game, as in the most dangerous "wild animals, birds, or fish hunted for food or sport." or it can be interpreted as the most dangerous "competitive activity or sport in which players contend with each other according to a set of rules." (Definitions courtesy of the free dictionary) Either definition is appropriate to the story, as the antagonist seeks the most dangerous game, which is, in his opinion, humans, while to do so, he plays a game of sorts, where the victor wins all. This relates to the main theme in that humans begin to change when it comes down to their survival and that only the strongest survive; at first, Rainsford is appalled when he realizes that Zaroff kills humans for sport, but in the end, he kills him anyway.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?

The main conflict helps to illustrate the theme in that it is a tale about the struggle of two first-caliber hunters who will do anything to survive. This directly relates to the theme, which states that humans begin to change when it comes down to their survival and that only the strongest survive.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?

The climax is the turning point in the story, when we realize that Rainsford has truly changed; when faced with fighting for survival and being put into the hunted's shoes, he does everything to survive, which relates to the theme which states that humans begin to change when it comes down to their survival and that only the strongest survive.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Simile:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"It's like moist black velvet." where the author compares the moonless night to moist black velvet."

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Metaphor:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "My whole life has been one prolonged hunt" where the author compares the life of the character to a prolonged hunt.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Personification:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "[...]the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht." where the dank tropical night is given the human quality of pressing.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Symbol:

The Jungle is a symbol for the danger that Zaroff represents to unsuspecting travelers.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Foreshadowing (give both elements): At the beginning, Whitney and Rainsford are having a discussion on the morality of killing animals for sport, in which Rainsford states that they do not have feelings. He is then subjected to being hunted, and realizes how frightening it is to be toyed with.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Irony:

Rainsford, the protagonist, begins the story as a famous hunter with no empathy for his animal prey. After falling overboard, he meets Zaroff, who invites him on a hunt. When he discovers the nature of the hunted animal -- man -- he resists the idea. The irony is that Rainsford must accept his role as prey and then be willing to kill a reasoning man, something he was utterly against.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Imagery: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> "[...]the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht." This quote gives a nice vivid image in my mind's eye.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">QUESTIONS: Answer the following questions. /32

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. What is meant by “He lived a year in a minute”? /2

“He lived a year in a minute” means that even though Rainsford was in a suspenseful situation for a minute (hiding from Zaroff) the tension and anxiety made those few minutes seem as if they were a year.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. What is meant by “I am still a beast at bay”? /2

"I am still a beast at bay" is said by Rainsford when he was telling General Zaroff that the game is not over. Zaroff should consider Rainsford as the prey he was tracking before.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island? /1

Connell sets Ship-Trap island in the Caribbean Sea.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. How is Zaroff able to finance his life style? /2

Zaroff was a Russian nobleman but after the revolution was forced to flee. He then invested in American securities and became wealthy that way.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. If Rainsford wins the hunt, what does Zaroff promise him? /1

If Rainsford wins, Zaroff promises him to let him go free from the island to continue his pursuits as a hunter. He makes Rainsford promise not to tell anyone about their hunt- should he survive.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. What happened to Lazarus? /2

Lazarus is Dr. Zaroff's best hound. He followed one of Dr. Zaroff's victims into quicksands, where he died.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">7. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt? /1

Rainsford's first night of the hunt was spent in the big tree with a thick trunk and outspread branches.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">8. How many acres did Zaroff’s father have in the Crimea? /1

His wealthy father had owned "a quarter of a million acres in the Crimea."

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">9. Why does Zarroff suggest Rainsford wear moccasins? /1

General Zaroff suggests that Rainsford wears mocassins because "they leave a poorer trail."

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">10. What caused Rainsford to believe Zaroff knew he was hiding in the tree? Do you think he was right? Give reasons. /3

Zaroff, on his knees, studies the ground, shaking his head as though puzzled; then, he straightens up and lights a cigarette. " The general's eyes had left the ground and were traveling inch by inch up the tree. Rainsford froze there, every muscle tensed for a spring. But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face. Very deliberately he blew a smoke ring into the air; then he turned his back on the tree and walked carelessly away, back along the trail he had come. " The casual way in which Zaroff acts suggests that he controls "the game." He knows Rainsford is hiding in the tree because he sends fragrant smoke upward and stops his eyes short; then he "carelessly" backtracks along the trail he has come. Because of this behaviour, Rainsford realizes that the general plans on prolonging the game.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">11. How does Zaroff stock his island with “game”? /2

Zaroff stocks his island by the following ways: "// Sometimes, an angry god of the high seas sends them to me [Zaroff]. Sometimes, when Providence is not so kind, I [Zaroff] help Providence a bit. Come to the window with me[...] they[the lights] indicate a channel where there's none, [and] giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a sea monster with wide open jaws." //

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story? /2

He was killed; I can tell this is so because Zaroff says "[The loser] will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford." and the story ends with Rainsford sleeping in the bed.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">13. Inspite of being hurt, Zaroff congratulates Rainsford on his “Malay mancatcher,” why? /2

Zaroff congratulates Rainsford because he admires his intelligence and prowess, and "Not many men know how to make a Malay man catcher." He is happy because he thinks he has finally found a challenge.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">14. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man? /2

We know that he is an exceptionally fit man because he manages to swim all the way to the island after falling off the ship, he is a hunter who is known throughout the world, and he manages to win against Zaroff in his perverse game.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">15. Discuss the state of mind of Rainsford before he lands on the island versus that after he meets the General. What is different? (Especially about how he perceives animal feelings.)/5

When Rainsford lands on the island, he believes that animals do not fear and are incapable of any emotions whatsoever. However, when he meets the general and participates in the hunt, he realizes what a traumatic experience being hunted is, though this does not stop him from killing the general. He becomes like a beast at bay, and kills the one who once hunted him.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">16. How does Connell inspire fear without obvious bloodshed/grotesquene<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">ss. /3 He tells us disturbing tales of death and violence and describes scenes of misery through the general's stories.

Completion 5/5 Effort 5/5 Content 5/5 Questions 31/32 Total 46/47