Violence, cruelty, and revenge are themes in this short story. Connell incorporates these quite well into the setting, plot, and conflicts. Violence and cruelty are themes that address the game and hunting themselves. Since both Rainsford and Zaroff are hunters they both represent this theme well. Zaroff is particularly cruel and violent because he has chosen to hunt humans for game. As the plot unfolds, we the reader feel empathy for Rainsford and we hope that he makes it out alive. Connell does an excellent job using imagery in describing the jungle in which the hunt takes place that we feel as though we're there with him trying to survive. Revenge is represented in the final scene of the story when Rainsford actually wins the game much to Zaroff's surprise.