Being Hunted in the Jungle in Most Dangerous Game by by Richard Connell

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Have you ever wondered what being hunted in the jungle would feel like? For one man this nightmare becomes a dangerous reality. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, a man named Sanger Rainsford faces conflict while being stranded on what he thinks is a deserted island. While on the island he falls into the hands of the maniacal Russian General Zaroff. How many steps is one man willing to take in order to ensure his safety. How far is one man willing to go to fulfil his quest of hunting the most dangerous game. Although both characters are very similar, there are inherent differences that are brought forth during the struggle for survival.

The protagonist in the story, Sanger Rainsford, exhibits many traits and characteristics. One of these traits is that he is quick-witted; this means that he is able to act without involving a lot of thinking and needing to take time to plan what he is doing. Rainsford showed this trait when he came up with ideas that got him out of situations quickly. One example of this was when he fell off of the ship into the ocean, instead of wasting his time and energy chasing after the boat he made the quick decision to swim towards the shore in the direction he had heard the gunshots coming from. While in the forest being hunted by Zaroff he had many opportunities to demonstrate this trait. Many times when he thought he had lost the General, it turned out that he was very close behind him. Being able to use his quick-thinking and make fast decisions helped save him in the long run. Sanger Rainsfords determination is demonstrated by his commitment to reach his goal. He continued to swim despite the fact that the waves were washing up against him pushing him back. Another moment...

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...ference between them is there moral differences, Zaroff is willing to cross the line and kill innocent people and Rainsford will not unless his life and others depends on it. Both Rainsford and Zaroff are very competitive. Sanger Rainsford refuses to give up, and stays calm. Zaroff is overly proud and loves to win, he shows it when he smiles and says “to date I have not lost”. Throughout the story Zaroff constantly has the upperhand, they are playing cat and mouse. Rainsford has the ability to turn the tables and in the end make Zaroff fear for his life.

The characters show many traits that show who they really are, these two men have marked the line between what is right and wrong. Sanger Rainsford has been put in the place of prey, giving him a view of what it feels like to be hunted. Zaroff being overly proud went too far and crossed the lines of morality.

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