Also, General Zaroff is an extreme hunter and doesn’t find pleasure in hunting regular animals. Zaroff says the most dangerous game is humans because they have the ability to reason. Rainsford is going to be hunted and is given a certain amount of time to survive. Moreover, while Rainsford is being hunted Zaroff
He is greeted by a man named General Zaroff. A hunter like him but something is off about him. He hunts Humans. The only animal that can reason. Rainsford is in a terrible situation.
In the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford fits the category of Zaroff’s ideal animal to hunt, because Rainsford displays the attribute to reason by being able to make many life saving decisions throughout the story. Rainsford has the ability to reason from the very beginning of the story, because he was able to remain calm to make a life saving decision in an unnerving situation, which proves that he fits the quarry for Zaroff to hunt. As he was in the water, he recalls the gunshots he heard while he was still on the yacht, “they had come from the right, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with slow, deliberate strokes, conserving his strength” (Connell 14). Whereas most people would have panicked in the situation
this demonstrates how Whitney and Rainsford have clashing philosophies. A second presumption could be that Rainsford is a very educated hunter as shown in this quote stated by Zaroff, “‘Not too many men know how to make a Malay mancatcher. You are proving interest.’” Another conclusion that one could make is that in a sense Rainsford could become the “new” General Zaroff after the general “furnished a repast for the hounds.” At the end of the three, long days, Rainsford seemed to want revenge, a thirst for death and seemed very dark.
General Zaroff used to hunt animals as a sport, but now he hunts people. Rainsford will never hunt again after having to go through the dangerous game and being frightened
Rainsford disagrees with Zaroff, he thinks that his irrational explanation is not good enough to explain why he’s taking human lives for fun. Minutes later, Zaroff talks about war, he compares it to murder. The General tells Rainsford that he “‘surely [has] experienc[ed]...war,’” Rainsford cuts him off,
Tanner Toussaint In the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, Rainsford is justified in killing General Zaroff. One of the reasons why Rainsford is justified in killing General Zaroff is on the island the only way to live is to hunt or to be the one being hunted. Secondly, Rainsford is justified in killing General Zaroff because Zaroff wanted to die. Lastly, Rainsford is justified in killing General Zaroff because killing Zaroff is going to be the only way Rainsford will escape the island from a psychopath.
However, it does not change for the better. In the middle of the story when he finds out Zaroff hunts fellow human beings, to Zaroff's surprise, Rainsford’s thought and reaction is utter shock and disbelief. “‘But you can’t mean-’ gasped Rainsford. ‘And why not?’”(10). Zaroff knowing Rainsford was a great hunter he hoped that Rainsford would accompany him on a hunt; however, Rainsford accuses him of being a cold-blooded killer.
Rainsford feels sympathy for the animals, just as he was being hunted by a human. Rainsford is frustrated with General Zaroff games. Being hunted like an animal creates conflict and Rainsford “can’t believe that [Zaroff] [is] serious... This is grisly joke(27). In other words, he
When Zaroff mentions the fact of a sailor losing his head during the hunt, Rainsford wants to leave immediately but has no choice; he has to stay. Rainsford doesn’t feel like he can trust the General and doesn’t want to agree to take part in the hunting. Rainsford believes that Zaroff can’t be trusted, “Oh, you can trust me, said the Cossack. I will give you my word as a gentleman and a sportsman. Of course you, in turn, must agree to say nothing of your visit here.
Rainsford was justified in killing General Zaroff. During the time Rainsford is in Zaroff’s house they have a conversation about hunting. Zaroff tells Rainsford about him hunting humans. Rainsford says, “I can’t believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke...........
He then finds a chateau where he meets General Zaroff, a sophisticated man, who proves to be civilized in his own ways. Rainsford respects the general at first thinking he was a true gentleman. That was until Rainsford finds out about the general’s cruel big game. Since the general has gotten bored of hunting animals, he has a new tough crave to hunt human beings, the only animal that can reason thus face him with a challenge. He also arrogantly claims that he once had to break the rules to be able to maintain the record of him never losing at this game.
And the answer was, of course, `it must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason… Great Guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder. ’”(Connells 11). Referring to the quote, it exposes how Zaroff tells about the prey and Rainsford got surprised. He even tells Rainsford that he hunts different types of people.
In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford was justified in killing General Zaroff. Rainsford is a hunter who fell off a boat in the middle of no where. As he gets to land he runs into several obstacle courses, then gets to this big house and meets General Zaroff. General Zaroff also hunts, just not animals. He hunts something more dangerous such as humans who boats crashed like Rainsford.
When Rainsford asks if Zaroff hunts cape buffalo, Zaroff states “ ‘[No,] I hunt more dangerous game’ (17)”. This foreshadows him revealing that he hunts men. This builds suspense because the reader doesn’t know yet what this “dangerous game” is, but they know it probably isn’t good. The author utilizes