Most Dangerous Game Characterization

Many stories have unique and interesting characterization. However, Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Cage Man" expresses a different kind of characterization as both have their own way of expressing and showing a character's personalities. In certain ways, the two stories contrast and compare to one another as Connell use the protagonist and antagonist of each story to develop characterization and the theme of the story. The main characters of each story has an antagonist, which goes against the protagonist. This allows the plot to build up and showcase the characterization of each characters mentioned. All in all, Connell's expression of the characters in the story and the building of personalities for each provide the

When Rainsford first arrived in Ship-Trap Island, he met with General Zaroff, the main antagonist. General Zaroff has believed hunting has become too easy for him, thinking no animal can reason. “The general smiled the quiet smile of one who has faced an obstacle and surmounted it with success. ‘I had to invent a new animal to hunt…’” (“The Most Dangerous Game” 6). General Zaroff have believed that hunting humans is the riskiest and exciting hunting yet, which goes against Rainsford’s thoughts on humans being superior. As the opinions of Rainsford and Zaroff oppose each other, conflict is occurred where the overall action is to play a game where Rainsford is the hunted and Zaroff the hunter. Similarly, Horace “had a disquieting sensation. He had heard rumors of [Cowan] prowling about in the company, subjecting random employees to strange tests, firing some, moving others to different jobs, but he had always felt that twenty-one years of service and the steel bars of his cage protected him.” (“The Cage Man” 5). When Cowan has started observing Horace’s daily life of a cashier, he eventually takes a test that made him change to an elevator operator. Horace thought his experience years will keep him safe from changing jobs, but Cowan has shown how the belief of Horace can easily switch. When Horace’s job was changed, Cowan reasons that “‘He was in the wrong cage. So I am going to transfer him from a mathematical cage to a mechanical cage.” (“The Cage Man” 10). By taking unreasonable tests to change jobs shows how it goes against Horace’s certainty of staying steady and building a cage that can support him and his family. In both stories, the antagonists have made the protagonists change their minds on the certainty they believe in. General Zaroff and Cowan have made Rainsford and Horace think the