Gerardo Garcia
Professor Munos-Hodgson
English 28
18 March 2015
The Most Dangerous Game
In the story by Richard Connell, hunting “The Most Dangerous Game” takes place in an island with General Zaroff an unsatisfied hunter creating a new big game for himself, with protagonist Sanger Rainsford a well-known hunter and publicist, who has the unpleasant experience of being force to play the Generals big game of life and death between the hunter and the hunted. Suspense is held throughout the story with mystery baffle with increasing stakes, and creating tension between the characters. Who’s going to be the most skilled hunter of The Most Dangerous Game?
Early in the story suspense is started with Rainsford when his out in a trip to the Amazon near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is found in a yacht with a friend, discussing hunting. When his friend mentions “Ship-Trap Island” being near them, telling him that the island is full of hunting to be done there, only that the island is known for its bad recognition of no one ever leaving alive. Creating this bad sensation of mystery about the island. Pointing out to the boat crew of how scare they were as they passed the island. Then suddenly Rainsford hears loud bangs coming from the island, he tries to focus to where did the noise came from, when he losses balance falling off board into the ocean. Now creating tension, if his going to be notice by the crew or attempt to swim to the yacht. He makes the attempt to
Garcia 2 reach for the yacht. Only to failing to do so and now just facing his only option of survival, swimming to Ship-Trap island. Again creating mystery as Rainsford gets to the island of death. As he strokes himself near the shore, again this loud bangs followed by a groan coming from a never heard of animal. He recognizes the bang; it’s a pistol. Thinking to himself “where there are pistol shots, there are men. Where there are men, there is food”. Now lowering the stakes of death, by giving the relief of survival, cause by the sign of human life.
As Rainsford had suspected the direction, to where he had heard the bangs from the pistol. Finds evidence of the wounded thing that had groan leading him on. Rainsford easily finds his way to the men. When encountering such men, they receive him with great appreciation as a guest. This is when he meets General Zaroff a Cossack madman from the Russian Revolution of the Czar. The General Zaroff expresses how he is a fan of the sport of hunting. This is when the General Zaroff lets him know that hunting has lost his interest in him. Creating the question of mystery of why? The game has stopped satisfying him in a way of challenge. That’s why he has created the new big game of hunting “The Most Dangerous Game” by farming the island with nonnative breeds to hunt. Making the mystery of what such animal is to hunt in the island. Then the General Zaroff makes the statement that such animal they are talking about is a reasoning one capable of making wiser decisions than an ordinary hunt. What kind of animal can do such thing, Rainsford thought no other option to think about then a human. Now Rainsford gives the higher stake of committing murder to comparison to hunting. There is tension between Rainsford and
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General Zaroff due to the morals of hunting and murder. Rainsford disagrees with the General Zaroff hunting. Now the General Zaroff takes the decision making Rainsford the prey. This creates tension between them, the great anxiety of what is going to happen now that Rainsford has become the hunted prey of General Zaroff.
Rainsford is giving a three hour advantage over the General. Although he must keep three days without being killed. Giving a chance of hope of surviving the insane hunting of the General Zaroff. Rainsford is a well prepared hunter. He strategizes on how to out run the General Zaroff by creating these confusing