The Indubitable Themes In Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game

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In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, the protagonist (Rainsford) struggled with the actions of the antagonist (General Zaroff) throughout his adventure. The images used to describe the island, deadly swamp, and castle show that it is inhabited and a dangerous place with the use of setting, imagery, and the tone Connell shows Rainsford’s difficulties, persistence, and triumph to the audience. By using these key aspects, Connell makes important connections to the theme while alluding to hunting as the main concept of this whole adventure.
The setting of “The Most Dangerous Game” is an indubitable feature that lets the reader get an idea of where this is all taking place and gives the feeling as to what the story should feel like. …show more content…

General Zaroff is described by Connell from Rainsford’s point-of-view, “Rainsford 's first impression was that the man was singularly handsome; his second was that there was an original, almost bizarre quality about the general 's face. He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed military mustache were as black as the night from which Rainsford had come. His eyes, too, were black and very bright. He had high cheekbones, a sharpcut nose, a spare, dark face--the face of a man used to giving orders, the face of an aristocrat.” (Paragraph 56). Here Connell really paints a picture in the reader 's imagination of what Zaroff’s appearance is, showing that he is tall, has a very distinctive face, and looks like a man used to giving orders to others. Later on when Rainsford and Zaroff took place in their hunting game, at one point Rainsford was hiding from Rainsford to avoid being killed. When describing what was going on from Rainsford point-of-view again, it was stated that terror was about to burst from his heart, while he was watching Zaroff smoke below the tree he was in. This really lets the reader’s mind know how much fear was going on through Rainsford during this hunting game. Here Connell really shows how his use of imagery relates to the tone of the story and how is set during …show more content…

Connell was able to make the water of the Caribbean feel as if it were a truly spooky. By using descriptive words such as eerie, dark, and blood-warm, Connell is able to portray how creepy the sea was. While Rainsford was on the island the tone inclines as too if this was a horror story. The island is described as basically a frightening jungle including a deadly swamp and quicksand as possible threats. The castle is viewed as a haunted house, with blood-thirsty hounds keeping Zaroff company. However, no matter how spooky this all truly sounds the suspense is what really keeps the reader involved, provoking his / hers imagination. This keeps the reader interested in what’s happening and keeps them wondering what will come next. Connell makes sure to keep us guessing as to what will occur next with Rainsford throughout the hunting game played with Zaroff. Finally we learn that Rainsford wins the game by surviving for three days on the island. Here the reader could perceive that thought that the story is over, but it isn’t. Rainsford then challenges Zaroff to a fight to the death; however, this is not included in the story. We can imply that Rainsford won the fight by Connell using including this statement, “He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.” (Paragraph 208). This goes to show that Rainsford has won the challenge against Zaroff and despite of all the

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