Rainsford spend a sleepless night and he couldn't "quiet his brain" because in the story it says "Rainsford could not quiet his brain with the opiate of sleep. He lay, eyes open wide". So what he was mainly thinking about was he wanted to get away from general Zaroff. Also he was thinking if general Zaroff said "Human being" when he said "NEW ANIMAL" to hunt in the huge forest. He also keeps thinking if Mr. Zaroff will kill, murder him or do something bad to him. He was thinking if he could escape from the place that he was sleeping the night, he wanted to escape because of his safety and survive. He knew that he might be a part of Zaroff's Game and later on he became sick of it because Zaroff was getting tired of hunting animals. As he said in …show more content…
When I thought of this it was a tragic moment for me, I can tell you.”In the beginning of the story Rainsford thoughts about hunting was the best sport because in the story he says “We should make it in a few days. I hope the Jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.” “The best sport in the World,” agreed Rainsford. Rainsford also wanted to give pay back to General Zaroff because he killed a lot of people when they visited the Ship-Trap Island. And Rainsford was terrified of General Zaroff because he wanted to kill him and that human was the “NEW ANIMAL”. He tried to get away from him and he could survive and be alive! So Rainsford tried his best to stay alive and get through the forest without being killed by General Zaroff. In the end, Rainsford got back at general Zaroff by killing him back at the campsite where general Zaroff has his camp.Rainsford first conflict was with the sea because he didn’t know where they were going and there was a mysterious Island. As he said in the story “Rainsford second conflict was the general Zaroff, in the first place Rainsford kind of knew the general was planning something and he tried to be
In both film and story, Rainsford expresses his lack of sympathy for his prey. Similar to the story, Rainsford meets Ivan first and can’t get through to him and then, he’s greeted by Zaroff. In the film, Zaroff knows that Rainsford is a famous hunter and has read his books, just like in the story. Moreover, Zaroff reveals that a cape buffalo gave him the scar on his head. In the same manner, Zaroff tells Rainsford how he stocks his island with human prey. Just as the film showed Zaroff has a room filled with human heads, and that’s also mentioned in the story. Furthermore, Rainsford uses the same traps (Malay Mancatcher, Burmese Tiger Pit, and a native Uganda Trick) in the film as he did in the story. In addition, Rainsford kills Ivan with the same native Uganda trick. Both film and movie, unveils that Rainsford kills
Rainsford is known for his extravagant hunting skills, even General Zaroff speaks of Rainsford as is if he has inspired him to become a hunter. Rainsford talks about hunting with passion, while he is speaking to Whitney he tells her it’s “the best sport in the world” (19). Rainsford has no guilt when he kills animals, he even tells Whitney that it’s nonsense when she mention the jaguars have feeling. But Rainsford shows immediate disgust when Zaroff brings up his hunting of humans, “hunting, great heavens, what you speak of is murder” (26). This only the first of many times that he reacts with great displeasure.
After falling off his ship and forced to swim to a mysterious island, Rainsford is faced with a challenge. General Zaroff traps him in a “game” that requires Rainsford to use his skills to survive. He is hunted for three days; where he was chased, tracked down, and shot at. General Zaroff led the hunt to try to kill Rainsford. General was equipped with more firepower and help from his henchman and dogs. But even with his much greater opponent, he was able to survive. Rainsford used his many skills to defeat and kill his enemy. He used quick wit to make traps that would slow Zaroff and kill his dogs and henchman. Then he used his intelligence to escape Zaroff by swimming away, but sneaking back into his own mansion.
In short, he learns how it feels to be utterly insignificant against a clearly superior foe. One way Rainsford is impacted by the theme “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” is that he is harshly taught the way of life that a hunted animal has to follow. He builds elaborate traps to defend himself, he runs desperately in an attempt to escape. He feels that his actions are entirely futile when his enemy finds him, yet he is still forced to keep his sanity and not just simply give up. This is a prime example of the toll the story’s theme takes on its protagonist. A second generalized way the theme affects Rainsford is that it teaches him the true meaning of fear. When the general sees Rainsford for the first time, Rainsford is petrified with fear, and reflects on this when Zaroff leaves, realizing exactly what Zaroff was actually doing; toying with him. A third and final way that Rainsford is impacted by the theme is that he realizes in the end how it is wrong to kill without remorse. From his first meeting with Zaroff, Rainsford sees the error in the general’s ways, namely his lack of morality or reason. He therefore strives not to sink to the general’s level and instead comes to the realization that killing is not always
In the beginning of the story, Rainsford has a conversation with his friend, Whitney, about hunting animals. Rainford does not care about the animals that he hunts. He believes hunting is only a sport to kill innocent creatures. “‘Who cares how a jaguar feels?’” (1) Showing the reader exactly what he thinks of hunting. Rainsford does not understand that the animals he hunts are like the people that Zaroff hunts. They are innocent, and he is murdering them when he hunts them. Rainsford thinks that Zaroff is insane for murdering people, but Rainsford is also a murderer. When Zaroff hunts Rainsford, the protagonist realizes the terror and pain the jaguars must have felt when he hunted them. Now the roles are reversed, and Rainsford is the one being hunted. “The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. The general was saving him for another day’s sport! Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.” (17) Rainsford has changed his feelings about hunting animals now, and he has become a better person. He now takes into account how his prey feels. His interactions with people will also be different, because instead of being extremely overconfident, he realizes that he is not perfectly adept at hunting, and everyone has feelings that matter. In conclusion, Rainsford is now more humble and less overconfident than he was when he began his
Rainsford was forced to choose between life and death by Zaroff. Zaroff tells Rainsford that he hunts people as a type of wild game and takes them hunting first then gives them a few survival things and have to survive for three days in order to win.
General Zaroff used hunting tactics when they were eating “the last supper” at Zaroff’s house. Every time Rainsford looked up, he said, “he found him studying him, appraising him narrowly” (Connell 66). By this, the reader can tell that Zaroff is trying to notice Rainsford’s tendencies. Knowing these can make hunting him easier. Also at dinner, Zaroff explains to Rainsford that “God made him a hunter” and how his father believed that “his hand was made for the trigger” since he was ten (Connell 85). Zaroff sharing this with Rainsford is proof that this man is a talented hunter and has been for a long time. Rainsford is quite the hunter himself. So much so, that Zaroff knew who he was when he arrived. The General stated, “It is a very great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, to my home” (Connell 52). Also during the hunt when Rainsford set up the Burmese tiger pit and claiming one of Zaroff’s dogs, Zaroff tells him, “You’ve done well, Rainsford” (Connell 194). If his enemy believes that he is a great hunter, then he must be. Especially because Zaroff thinks so highly of himself. Going back to when Rainsford was
"He came upon them as he turned a crook in the coastline... His eyes made out the shadowy outlines of a palatial chateau,"(Connell 17) is an example from the text that gives the reader a look into the emotions and suspense that Rainsford felt. However, as stated earlier, Rainsford is well-educated with knowledge of the outdoors as he is a big-game hunter. Rainsford is thrown into a one-sided game with a lunatic man; this itself is a reason that emotion plays a large role in the entire plot of any story. Rainsford may have felt demoralized due to the unevenness of the game. At first, Rainsford sticks to his gut and tries to refuse the game, however General Zaroff forcefully persuades him to commit by telling his that "the game is worth playing," (Connell 23) which can be seen as a threat. The tip off from Zaroff really forces Rainsford to play, because as both Rainsford and the audience can see, Zaroff is obviously a lunatic and won 't just simply let Rainsford leave after the opportunity has arisen. The emotion that Rainsford feels, being trapped into a corner with only one solution that is the last thing one wants to do, can be related to by any human whether it be through a similar event, or through any other relatable experience. As the hunt concludes, Rainsford is congratulated on his skills and instincts by General Zaroff, but due to the past three days of isolation, Rainsford has himself become a breed of lunatic and tell Zaroff that he is "A beast at bay," (Connell 34). The deed is done and the final battle has concluded, Rainsford is victorious, not only in the game, but also the conflict between himself and Zaroff. Rainsford claims Zaroff 's possessions and territory like a wild animal claiming its ' territory. Not only does this story use a classic theme, but creates a hybrid of its ' own that
When Rainsford falls off of the boat, he has to try his best to stay afloat until he can find something to latch on to. He swims vigorously until he reaches Ship-Trap Island. "Jagged crags appeared to jut up into the opaqueness... dense jungle came down to the very edge of the cliffs." It is midday and he is just searching for a place to rest when he runs into Ivan, the astonishingly large guard of the island. Zaroff, the owner of the island, joins in on their conversation about hunting. The conversation is interesting to say the least. Zaroff says, "You'll find this game worth playing…your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?" Zaroff is trying to point out that he finds interest in hunting humans, and he wants to know if Rainsford will rise to the challenge. Rainsford is left with a choice to make; will he fight Zaroff, or will he decline and get killed by Ivan. The choice in this situation is pretty self- evident.
At the beginning of this short story, on the yacht, Rainsford states to his friend Whitney, “The world is made up of two classes-the hunters and the hunted.” (Connell 40). This quotation sets a path for the rest of the story, as almost everything from this story reflects upon this idea. From Rainsford’s point of view his life is all about hunting. He has only stood on the side of a hunter, and he observes everything else as the hunted, which is a very narrow interpretation of the world. This is ironic, as he becomes the hunted while playing the dangerous game with General Zaroff, which he was not expecting. This quotation also foreshadows that there is going to be a dangerous game/a hunt, which ...
Rainsford overcomes many obstacles, and in return he receives that special feeling of satisfaction in his body. To start, he overcomes the thought of him being weak. Furthermore, he conquers learning the value of even an animal’s life. Not to mention, he defeats becoming the hunted, when he is the hunter. In the short story Sanger Rainsford outwits General Zaroff in the battle of “The Most Dangerous
He builds a series of complex traps he learned from his hunter training to try and injure Zaroff (32-34). With one trap Rainsford is able to minorly injure Zaroff and kill Ivan with another even though he didn’t have a lot of time to build the traps. When Rainsford builds a Burmese Tiger trap that kills one of Zaroff’s best dogs, Zaroff indirectly calls him perceptive. In addition, Rainsford chooses to be hunted rather than being beat to death(30). He chooses the path with the best chance of survival. Opposed to taking the easy way out, Rainsford opts to become the huntee knowing he has a high chance of dying in the end. Furthermore, after jumping into the sea Rainsford swims back to Ship Trap Island to challenge the General. Rainsford swims back to the islands to stop the general from the unnecessary murdering of innocent people. Winning the duel against Zaroff he is able to end the murders. As a result of winning the most dangerous game Rainsford’s intelligence comes
Moreover, with just khaki hunting clothes, a sack of food and a knife he must escape and recover his freedom. This can be seen when Connell states, “An apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake and sleep did not visit Rainsford, although the silence of a dead world was on the jungle…Something was coming thought the bush, coming slowly, carefully, coming by the same winding way Rainsford had come. He flattened himself down on a limb and, through a screen of leaves almost thick as tapestry, he watched… that which was approaching was a man.” (pg. 12) This demonstrates that on the first night, Sanger Rainsford had to think quickly to survive despite not being rested and shows society that one must always be ready for anything, regardless of any obstacles that are in the way. In addition, General Zaroff becomes injured and leaves to recover and Sanger Rainsford must run and hide again. This can be seen when Connell states, “When the general, nursing his bruised shoulder, had gone, Rainsford took up his flight again. It was flight now, desperate, hopeless flight, that carried him on for hours…the vegetation grew ranker, denser; insects bit him savagely.” (pg. 13) This demonstrates how the competition is unfair because General Zaroff goes back to his home to recover whereas Sanger Rainsford is still struggling and the wanting to escape is only
Loss of life does not bother him though, in fact nothing really does. This man is insane. He was once an avid animal hunter, but eventually, he got bored because hunting common animals became too easy for him. So he decided to bring men to his island, “the ultimate prey.” When he first meets his victims he treats them nice… right before he locks them in a cellar to train them to be hunted. How gruesome is that? To be stuck in a cellar so that your murderer can train you how to die right. Although inhumane do not mistake this murderer for stupid. This man was a high ranking, respected military officer and avid hunter well known for his skill. While being hunted this how the narrator portrays Rainsford’s experience: “Something was coming through the bush, coming slowly, carefully, coming by the same winding way Rainsford had come.” Zaroff paused, almost beneath the tree; he dropped down and studied the ground. He shook his head and walked away smiling.” (**) The Most Dangerous Game Throughout this twisting book of survival Rainsford repeatedly sets traps for Zaroff and each time somebody with Zaroff is, whether it is his dogs or faithful bodyguard; he barely even blinks an eyelash as each of his loyal followers die. Zaroff is finally outsmarted in the end but he will always be known as a true evil
Appalled at first, by faced with no other choice than to confront the very source of evil, General Zaroff, face to face, Rainsford realizes the danger of his position and takes what he is dealt right in stride. He was now the wanted prey of the most dangerous of hunters. "He had not been entirely clear-headed when the chateau gates snapped shut behind him. His whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zaroff. . . Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation." Mr. Rainsford, an experienced hunter himself, had found himself in a position he probably had never imagined before. This kind of hunting was new to him, for this time the quest was for him and his pursuer was of the most wicked species; the devil, so to speak. "Is there anything a man don't stand to lose when the devil wants to take it all away?" To try an out run, out fox and altogether put an end to the 'devil' was the task, and Rainsford did it the only way he knew how; by being the poacher and the quarry, setting traps while taking flight, and leaving no traces behind to be followed.