The+Most+Dangerous+Game


 * Short Stories - Literary Devises**

**Title**: The Most Dangerous Game

**Point of View:** Third Person

**Protagonist:** The Protagonist in this story is Rainsford. He is a round and dynamic.

What type of character is the Protagonist?

**Antagonist:** The Antagonist in this story is General Zaroff.

In the beginning of the story, Rainsford is on a boat, traveling to hunt jaguar. He then falls off the boat and finds himself on island. When he first arrives on the island, the jungle is dense. Once he makes his way through the jungle, he stumbles upon a, I quote " a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom." I assume the story is based in the 20th century, and the mood is sort of dark and for lack of better words, an action based story.
 * Describe the setting **

**Type of Conflict:** Man vs. Man

The main conflict is the disagreement between Rainsford and General Zaroff. General Zaroff believes it is fine to hunt humans who, in his opinion, are inferior to him. On the other hand, Rainsford believes it is wrong to hunt humans because in his mind, hunting humans is the same as murder.
 * Describe the main conflict: **

I believe the climax of the story is at the end when we find out who eventually kills the other. There is many "little" climax throughout the story. For example when General Zaroff, found Ranisford in the tree. There was a lot of tension leading up to that moment but we learnt more information after that, therefore that was not the climax
 * Describe the Climax of the Story: **

In the beginning of the story, Ranisford thinks hunting is just a sport and that the animals have no feeling; the animals are just pawns in the human's game. His mind is changed when General Zaroff starts to hunt him. At this moment, Rainsford realizes that the jaguar does have feelings because he is experience those feelings.
 * How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? **

I believe there is a small relationship between the title and the theme. All the title connects with is the the game of hunt and the game of cat and mouse. I also think it could possible describe General Zaroff`s mind set, Zaroff thought that what he was doing was just a game, a dangerous one at that.
 * Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.**

I think the main conflict helps illustrate the theme by illustrating role-reversal situations. Throughout the story, Rainsford and Zaroff go between the hunter and the hunted.
 * How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?**

I believe the climax helps illustrate the theme because their is a role-reversal situation, where Rainsford becomes the hunter and Zaroff become the hunted.
 * How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?**


 * Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes): **

"It's like moist black velvet."
 * Simile: **

"The sea was as flat as a plate-glass window."
 * Metaphor: **

"... giant rocks with razor edges crouch like a sea monster with wide-open jaws." ".... but the muck sucked viciously at his foot as if it were a giant leech."
 * Personification: **

Ship Trap Island is a symbol because it symbolizes General Zaroff`s desire and need for a more challenging game of cat and mouse.
 * Symbol: **

When Rainsford built is burmese tiger trap, he was certain it would work, I think this is suggesting that in the near future, something or someone is going to fall in and die.
 * Foreshadowing (give both elements): **

I believe it is ironic how in the beginning of the story, Rainsford says to Whitney, his fellow hunting partner, that he is glad he is the hunter and not the hunted. Then his role was reversed on Sip Trap Island, when he became the hunted and not the hunter.
 * Irony: **

"... a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom. His eyes made out the shadowy outlines of a palatial chateau; it was set on a high bluff,and on three sides of it cliffs dived down to where the sea licked greedy lips on the shadows."
 * Imagery: **

This story describes someone who went over the top to fulfill his desires. Desiring things is a part of humanity, we all desire things we can't necessarily have. In this story, General Zaroff desired a more challenging hunt and he did everything in his power to get what he wanted. He didn't care that he was killing innocent people, he was feeding his desire. I believe desire can be a good part of humanity and a bad part, it all depends on what we desire. If one were to desire cleaner water and went above and beyond to get it, they would be helping tons of people but if one desired a more challenging hunt, like General Zaroff, and went above and beyond to get it, they would just be killing people for the sake of entertainment.
 * Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. **

Questions:

With all the tension and anxiety go through Rainsford, he feels that a year has gone by, when in fact only a minute has gone by. Also, Rainsford is waiting for Zaroff, so his tension and anxiety are on overdrive, which makes waiting all that much longer. Rainsford is saying that even though they are not hunting each other at the moment, he has not completely ended the hunt. He is saying that he is still a "beast", meaning he still is in hunt mode, but he is just not charging yet, he is not hunting right at this moment. Ship-Trap Island is in the Caribbean Sea. Zaroff is able to finance his life style because he invested in American property a while back and his father's wealth helps him too. Zaroff promises Rainsford transportation back home, on the condition he never speak of his experience on Ship Trap Island. Lazarus, General Zaroff's best dog, was killed in quicksand after Rainsford lured him there. Rainsford spent his first night up in a tree. Zaroff father's had a quarter of a million acres in the Crimea. Zaroff suggested to wear moccasins because they leave the lest amount of evidence when trudging through the forest. Anyone who has enough hunting experience, would not only look halfway up a tree and then conclude there is nothing up there. Rainsford knew that Zaroff had that experience and he knew better then to just look halfway up a tree. Therefore Rainsford knew that Zaroff knew he was hiding in the tree and I believe he was correct. Zaroff enjoyed the game of cat and mouse too much and wanted to continue instead of ending the chase right right there and then. He set up a fake lighthouse that sent sailors crashing into the rocks of his island. He then lured them to stay with his generous hospitably. Zaroff was killed by Rainsford. Rainsford was so enraged by Zaroff's actions that he acted out in a very human way; that being violence. Zaroff was impressed by Rainsford for two reasons. One, not many men know how to make a Malay mancatcher. Two, Rainsford was able to injure Zaroff, which I think Zaroff is not used to. He swam a rather long way before he reached Ship Trap Island and he ran vigorously for three days, trying to escape Zaroff. Before Rainsford landed on the island, he believed that when he hunted animals and eventually killed them that the animals had no sense of what was going on; no feelings towards being hunted. He even said to Whitney, that he is fortunate that his the hunter and not the hunted. Once he arrives on Ship Trap Island and the General starts hunting him, Rainsford realizes that animals do know what is going on and do have feelings because he experiences those feelings for himself. Connell uses imagery and metaphors to inspire fear in her readers instead of bloodshed/grotesqueness. The imagery and metaphors are easy to comprehend and readers will not shy away from the story because of the lack of bloodshed/grotesqueness. Also, using imagery and metaphors people tend to try and picture the image in their mind, instead of reading words the describe the fear word for word.
 * 1. What is meant by “He lived a year in a minute”? /2 **
 * 2. What is meant by “I am still a beast at bay”? /2 **
 * 3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island? /1 **
 * 4. How is Zaroff able to finance his life style? /2 **
 * 5. If Rainsford wins the hunt, what does Zaroff promise him? /1 **
 * 6. What happened to Lazarus? /2 **
 * 7. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt? /1 **
 * 8. How many acres did Zaroff’s father have in the Crimea? /1 **
 * 9. Why does Zarroff suggest Rainsford wear moccasins? /1 **
 * 10. What caused Rainsford to believe Zaroff knew he was hiding in the tree? Do you think he was right? Give reasons. /3 **
 * 11. How does Zaroff stock his island with “game”? /2 **
 * 12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story? /2 **
 * 13. In-spite of being hurt, Zaroff congratulates Rainsford on his “Malay mancatcher,” why? /2 **
 * 14. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man? /2 **
 * 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 **
 * 16. How does Connell inspire fear without obvious bloodshed/grotesqueness. /3 **

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