The Most Dangerous Game Group

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lilredstopper6
lilredstopper6
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What is the theme of The Most Dangerous Game?

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Posted by lilredstopper6 on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 12:13 PM and tagged with the most dangerous game, theme, themes.

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  1. jamie-wheeler Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    The most prevelant theme is that of violence and cruelty, both literally and symbolically.

    Literally, against the animals have died in Zaroff's violent hunts and in the way he is trying to murder Rainsford. Symbolically, part of the terror of Connell's novel is the way the reader empathisizes with Rainsford, experiencing with the character the inherent cruetly in Zaroff's "hunt."

    You can learn more about the themes, characters, and other literary elements of this novel by visiting the link below.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/most-dangerous/17051

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    Posted by jamie-wheeler on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 12:23 PM


  2. bmadnick Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    I'd like to expand just a bit more on the theme of violence and cruelty. Zaroff enjoys the violence of his hunts for humans, and Rainsford is at first shocked by his knowledge of what Zaroff is doing. Rainsford is famous as a hunter of big game who has previously said that the animals feel nothing when being pursued and killed. Then the reader learns what it feels like to be a hunted animal through Rainsford's fight to stay alive. The author then asks the reader to compare the differences between hunting for animals and hunting humans. Each of us immediately respond that it's worse to hunt humans, but the author wants us to see the cruelty involved in the hunt for any animal, human or not.

    Connected to the theme of violence and cruelty is the theme of revenge in the story. Rainsford kills Zaroff, even though Zaroff seems ready to set him free. Does Rainsford kill Zaroff because of what Zaroff put him through? Or, has playing this "game" turned Rainsford into the violent, cruel killer that Zaroff was? He could have had Zaroff punished for his crimes against humanity if he hadn't killed him. Why doesn't Rainsford immediately set the other men (Zaroff's prey) free to eat and to have a restful night's sleep as well? Rainsford knows how these other men feel because he went through the same thing. The theme of violence and cruelty extends beyond Zaroff's hunt for Rainsford. Is violence and cruelty like a contagious disease that spreads to Rainsford? These are the questions the author leaves us with.

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    Posted by bmadnick on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 1:04 PM


  3. brendawm Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Violence and Cruelty is the main theme of “The Most Dangerous Game” “The violence of his malicious host, General Zaroff, initially shocks Rainsford, but as he fights to stay alive he becomes caught up in Zaroff's game. Zaroff attempts to justify his violence with civilized arguments. Issues of violence and cruelty in "The Most Dangerous Game" exist not only on a literal level but on a symbolic level as well. As Connell directs the reader to sympathize with Rainsford, the reader feels what it is like to be a hunted animal. The story also stimulates an array of questions surrounding the nature of violence. Zaroff seems to enjoy violence intensely and thoroughly. Yet another major theme is Revenge. The conclusion of "The Most Dangerous Game'' inspires many questions, including: Has Rainsford become a murderer just like General Zaroff? How has he changed, and why? Although he won the game, and General Zaroff appeared ready to set him free, Rainsford still killed Zaroff. Zaroff's murder, therefore, is not self-defense, as it would have been before Rainsford won the game. It is either an act of revenge or a killing for sport.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/most-dangerous/17051

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    Posted by brendawm on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 2:03 PM

  4. austin85burke-
    austin85burke- Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    Human life is valuble

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    Posted by austin85burke- on Wednesday June 20, 2007 at 5:54 AM

  5. jgagnon
    jgagnon Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    Besides the excellent answers given here, I would like to add that one of questions Connell leaves us with is did Rainsford kill Zaroff for revenge or did he kill him to end the hunt once and for all? If this is so, this might explain why Rainsford has the best night's sleep ever. Rainsford is man of higher moral ground. Zaroff set himself away from humanity on Ship-Trap island, where his tainted ideas would keep him away from judgment and having to pay for crimes against humanity. The fact that Rainsford, a noted hunter in his own right, has landed on the island, exhilirates Zaroff, tells Rainsford that Zaroff is so far gone,that the hunt must end. Zaroff may have let Rainsford go, but it was not out of kindness; it was for his own distorted pleasure. Rainsford keenly senses that the man needs to be stopped. Since no one has ever escaped the island, it is up to Rainsford to be judge and jury and end the hunt, once and for all. Perhaps Rainsford has committed an act of kindness unbeknownst to humanity?

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    Posted by jgagnon on Sunday August 26, 2007 at 6:47 PM

  6. imthekid
    imthekid Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    the best game is not always the right game

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    Posted by imthekid on Friday November 16, 2007 at 2:12 PM

  7. wahdawee
    wahdawee Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    rainsford fell from the ship and went to the island met to the genral.the general sayed to him that he well play with him the most dangerous game but it was brave from rainsford that to agreeed.when he swam to the castle and went to his room and killed him.

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    Posted by wahdawee on Wednesday June 4, 2008 at 12:13 PM

  8. dreamarie01
    dreamarie01 Student
    College - Sophomore

    I believe a major theme in this short story is Empathy. When Rainsford and Whitney are speaking in the beginning of the story Rainsford tells him that "The world is made up of two classes- the hunters and the huntees. Luckily you and I are the hunters." At that time, he had no way of knowing what was in store for him. Zaroff made him a "beast at bay" in the end it was the death of Zaroff that helped Rainsford rest and gave him Empathy toward the animals that he hunts.  When Rainsford says, "I am still a beast at bay." he finally realizes that what Whitney said was true and animals do have the feelings that he spoke against. The animals he hunts, he realizes, DO FEAR.

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    Posted by dreamarie01 on Saturday September 20, 2008 at 10:27 PM

  9. jesse-carter
    jesse-carter Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    jamie what is empathisizes? is it even a word? O.o

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    Posted by jesse-carter on Saturday November 22, 2008 at 4:02 PM

  10. piranha
    piranha Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    'Violence and cruelty' is not a theme nor is 'Empathy'. They are great lessons, but a theme is a lesson you (or the character) learns from the story. 'Human life is valuable' would be a theme as would 'the best game is not always the right game' be a real theme. A theme has to be a complete sentence not just one or two words. My english teacher last year got upset with us when we put 'segragation' as a theme for Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry. He did not get upset easily either. I guess my bigger problem is that the teachers and higher educated students were the ones putting the one word themes, not even the 9th graders.

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    Posted by piranha on Friday September 25, 2009 at 11:13 AM


  11. taytaytay2013 Student
    High School - 9th Grade

    I believe that piranha was an excellent answer... i relish that very much. it festers me though how Zaroff said that men were just the scum of the earth and a hound or horse was better than them. mea culpa on calling you out on that BTW...

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    Posted by taytaytay2013 on Monday October 12, 2009 at 6:01 PM