The Most Dangerous Game Literary Analysis Essay

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To Hunt or Be Hunted? That is the Question
Have you ever thought a certain way to later have that thought process changed? In The Most Dangerous Game written by Richard Connell was original published in 1924 and won the respected O. Henry Memorial Award in both 1923 and 1924 which goes to show that this story is well worth reading. Although this story integrates literary fiction, it is classified as a commercial fiction because it is merely for entertainment. This story has a lot of suspense and mystery behind it and will keep the reader entertained throughout its entirety.
The plot of this story is about an avid hunter (Sanger Rainsford) and his friend (Whitney) sailing through the Ocean on their way to the Amazon basin for a hunting …show more content…

He is also considered a dynamic character, since at the beginning Rainsford does not agree with Whitney when Whitney suggest that the animals comprehend fear and after he endures his encounter with Zaroff he also senses a “certain dread.” We do not know if he transforms after this ordeal. Connell left that part out of his story, so we can only assume Rainsford either decided to never hunt again or he started to feel empathy for the animals he killed. Again, we will never know since it was not told or suggested by Connell. General Zaroff is considered the antagonist since he is what is causing the peripheral battle with Rainsford. Zaroff is also a round character and Connell has done well in making him one. He is characterized as aristocratic, sophisticated, corrupt, callous, eccentric, and a little crazy. He is not heartless because he has made rule for his insane “game” and since he does not change his beliefs throughout the story he is also a static character.
Red was one of several symbols used in this story. Red represented violence, blood and the demise on the island. The ocean waters were “blood-warm” which mark Rainsford as a future target of violence. When Rainsford reaches the island, he finds a patch of weeds “stained crimson.” Red is also used to describe several attributes of the general, like his “red-lipped” smile and his fanglike teeth. The jungle was also a symbol of Zaroff’s craziness and they are also a symbol of restriction for

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