silhouette of a man with one eye open hiding in the jungle

The Most Dangerous Game

by Richard Edward Connell

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Rainsford's Journey, Transformation, and Survival Strategies in "The Most Dangerous Game"

Summary:

In Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game," Sanger Rainsford's victory over General Zaroff is achieved through his superior hunting skills and adaptability. Initially dismissive of the prey's fear, Rainsford's philosophy evolves as he experiences the terror of being hunted. Using traps and strategic evasion, he survives Zaroff's pursuit on Ship-Trap Island, ultimately outsmarting and defeating him. This ordeal transforms Rainsford's view, fostering empathy for hunted creatures and challenging his earlier belief in a strict hunter-hunted dichotomy.

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In "The Most Dangerous Game," how did Rainsford win?

One way that Rainsford tried to beat Zaroff was building a pit for him to fall into.

Rainsford was fearing for his life when he went through the forest to the Death Swamp of quicksand.  Zaroff was gaining on him, and he had nowhere else to go.  This was his last recourse.  He digs a pit and covers it so it can’t be seen.      

These stakes he planted in the bottom of the pit with the points sticking up. With flying fingers he wove a rough carpet of weeds and branches and with it he covered the mouth of the pit.

Rainsford has skills both as a soldier and as a hunter.  He has to call upon these skills to survive.  He decides to build a Burmese tiger pit.  He thinks Zaroff might fall in because he seems to be coming unusually swiftly.

You've done well, Rainsford," the voice of...

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the general called. "Your Burmese tiger pit has claimed one of my best dogs. Again you score. I think, Mr. Rainsford….

In a way, Rainsdford scores a victory.  General Zaroff stops for the night and goes home.  This buys Rainsford a more peaceful night.  He earned the right to rest, even if he did not capture the general.  However, there was a consequence.

I’ll see what you can do against my whole pack. I'm going home for a rest now. Thank you for a most amusing evening.

Partly to rev up the game and partly as revenge for losing the dog, Zaroff decides to return the next day with the entire pack.  So while Rainsford was able to win a short victory, he also got himself into trouble.  Now he has to fight off not just one dog, but a whole pack.

This incident greatly increases the suspense.  We are not sure if Rainsford will survive.  We are not sure if he got Zaroff.  When Zaroff says he is going to retun the next night, we know that Rainsford is really in for it.

Rainsford is in an impossible situation.  He is being hunted deliberately like an animal.  Even when he was in the war, he did not feel as threatened.  The building of the tiger pit is an example of Rainsford’s ingenuity and clear-headedness.  Yet it is also an example of how uneven the fight was, since he had almost nothing and Zarrof had a pack of dogs and more weapons. 

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How does Rainsford's philosophy about hunting change in Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game"?

At the beginning of the story, Rainsford and Whitney are on a yacht heading to the Amazon to hunt big game. Their conversation switches from the mysterious Ship-Trap Island to the concept of the hunter and the huntee. While Rainsford has no empathy for the animals he hunts, Whitney tries to explain that animals do feel fear:

"Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death."

"Nonsense," laughed Rainsford. "This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters."

Here, Whitney is trying to persuade Rainsford into believing that animals have feelings and that, at the very least, they understand the concepts of fear and survival. Rainsford counters this argument with the concept of survival of the fittest. Each living thing is either something that hunts or is something that is hunted—no feelings need be acknowledged. But this position stems from a place of privilege as Rainsford, a hunter with a gun, has the higher ground over any animal. These words laced with hubris become the ironic twist when he meets Zaroff because Rainsford's philosophy fails to acknowledge the lives and the feelings of those being killed.

At the end of the story, Rainsford is able to outwit Zaroff and kills him in his own bedroom, but this ending contradicts his original claim of two classes—the hunter and the huntee. In this case, Zaroff was the hunter and Rainsford was the huntee. Yet, in the end, Rainsford was able to prevail and win.

Rainsford did not smile. "I am still a beast at bay," he said, in a low, hoarse voice. "Get ready, General Zaroff."

While this line shows that Rainsford's philosophy has changed, it also illuminates a deeper point. Rainsford was able to transition from the huntee to the hunter. Through his human ability to reason, he was able to overcome his given role and succeed. But for Rainsford, this transition stems from the fear of death that Whitney mentioned. He, too, reacted like an animal, doing anything he could to survive. Through this experience, Rainsford recognizes what an animal experiences while being hunted and uses that fear to drive his final plan.

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Which quote from "The Most Dangerous Game" best demonstrates Rainsford's intelligence?

Oh, there are so many!  I've listed a few here with brief explanations.  Overall, though, we must see that Rainsford success in defeating the General points to his overall intelligence and skill. 

Rainsford remembered the shots. They had come from the right, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with slow, deliberate strokes, conserving his strength.

Here he is in a dangerous situation, but he is intelligent enough to stay calm and use clues from his experience to lead him to safety.

"I've read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet, you see," explained the man. "I am General Zaroff."

This tells us that Rainsford has published a book, showing him educated and intelligent.

Rainsford's second thought was even more terrible. It sent a shudder of cold horror through his whole being. Why had the general smiled? Why had he turned back?  Rainsford did not want to believe what his reason told him was true, but the truth was as evident as the sun that had by now pushed through the morning mists. The general was playing with him! The general was saving him for another day's sport!

Here we see Rainsford evaluating the situation and the person before him to come to a conclusion.

"I'll give him a trail to follow," muttered Rainsford, and he struck off from the rude path he had been following into the trackless wilderness.

And here, Rainsford is clearly making a strategy to win, not just trying to run and survive.

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How does Rainsford escape the island in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Technically, Sanger Rainsford never really escapes the island in "The Most Dangerous Game," by Richard Connell. He asks to leave on the same night he arrives and as soon as General Zaroff reveals that he intends to hunt Rainsford; however, Zaroff refuses his request.

After three days of being hunted, Rainsford finds himself trapped. Zaroff and his dogs are behind him, and Rainsford has very little choice about his next move. 

A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he could see the gloomy gray stone of the chateau. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled and hissed. Rainsford hesitated. He heard the hounds. Then he leaped far out into the sea....

This, then, is how he "escaped" from the island, but of course he returns. That night, a contented Zaroff goes to his bedroom and turns the light on; he is shocked to find Rainsford hiding behind his curtains. 

"Rainsford!" screamed the general. "How in God's name did you get here?"

"Swam," said Rainsford. "I found it quicker than walking through the jungle."

That short time between jumping off the cliff and returning to Zaroff's mansion is Rainsford's only "escape" from the island. We can assume, however, that he eventually does leave Ship-Trap Island--but not until after he has a good night's sleep in General Zaroff's bed. 

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Rainsford falls off his boat, swims to the island, and finds Zaroff’s chateau because it is the only light on the island.

Rainsford had no intention of visiting Ship-trap Island.  With a name like that, who would?  He knew very little about it except sailors’ lore, none of it good.  On the boat he learned that the island had a bad reputation, but no specifics, and certainly nothing about inhabitants.  He fell off the boat by accident.

Upon landing on the island, things immediately got strange.  He had heard gunshots, and found evidence of a large animal thrashing around in the brush—but a small caliber weapon shell. 

"A twenty-two," he remarked. "That's odd. It must have been a fairly large animal too. The hunter had his nerve with him to tackle it with a light gun. It's clear that the brute put up a fight.

This is Rainsford’s first introduction to Zaroff, and what is going on here on this island.  It is also foreshadowing for the reader that the “fairly large animal” is a human being, and the hunter is no ordinary hunter either.

Rainsford continues, and finds something else he clearly did not expect to see on this odd Caribbean island—a castle.

But as he forged along he saw to his great astonishment that all the lights were in one enormous building--a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom. His eyes made out the shadowy outlines of a palatial chateau…

Clearly, Zaroff likes to make an impression.  The house is so big and impressive that at first Rainsford thinks it is a mirage.  When he goes in, he is impressed, and a little afraid, again.  He sees what he calls a “giant” in Ivan, Zaroff’s huge bodyguard and assistant.  Ivan clearly makes Rainsford ill at ease, and that is exactly his purpose.  The fact that the man is mute does not help matters.  It just makes him more intimidating.

Zaroff is described as having a “cultivated voice marked by a slight accent that gave it added precision and deliberateness.”  He tries to be civilized, which is ironic considering his favorite pastime, but everything about him is imposing.

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.

Rainsford notes that he is aristocratic, with the “face of a man used to giving orders.”  Zaroff, who still introduces himself as “General” even though he has no army, invites Rainsford to dinner and provides his viewpoint on life.  Eventually it dawns on Rainsford what is going on.  By the time he realizes that if he cannot be the hunter, he has to be the prey, it is too late.  He is going to play the game whether he likes it or not.

Rainsford is a trained hunter, and in fact has written many books on the subject.  He is used to being in tough situations, and lives by instinct.  His instincts completely fail him in this situation.  He takes life by the reigns and just goes for it, survival being the ultimate objective no matter what.  He never saw this coming.  Ultimately, Rainsford is able to use his wits to outsmart Zaroff, but at what cost.  He ends up becoming the very thing he despises.  He tells Zaroff he is nothing more than “a beast at bay” right before he kills him, proving Zaroff’s point.  We are no different from the animals.

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How might Rainsford's experience on the island change him in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Rainsford’s experience might make him more ruthless, because he killed general Zaroff when he used to dislike murder.

Rainsford was an experienced hunter before his experience on the island.  He had written many books on the subject, and had travelled the world.  However, he drew the line at killing people.  He considered killing people immoral.  We can tell this from his reaction when he finds out that his host and captor General Zaroff kidnaps sailors and other men and makes them play a game where they are prey and he is the hunter. 

This conversation between Rainsford and Zaroff demonstrates Rainsford’s views on the subject.  See how he answers Zaroff when he suggests that killing in war is the same thing as killing a man in hunting.

"I refuse to believe that so modern and civilized a young man as you seem to be harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life. Surely your experiences in the war--"

"Did not make me condone cold-blooded murder," finished Rainsford stiffly.

However, when Rainsford is forced to play the game, something funny happens.  He does use all of his cunning and wile to evade Zaroff.  He is afraid the entire time.  He does not like this feeling of fear.  He calls it a “cat and mouse” game and, and he does not at all like being the mouse.  He also does not like it that the cat is playing with the mouse.  Zaroff does not just try to get him, he toys with him.  He drags things out.  He commends him when he does well, and seems to enjoy the challenge.  This really annoys Rainsford.

Rainsford only has to survive for three days, and then Zaroff will let him go.  Those are the conditions of the game.  However, when Rainsford breaks into Zaroff’s house, he changes the game.  When Rainsford comes to see Zaroff, it is not with a mind to end the game.  When he describes himself, he does not even seem to use himself as human.

Rainsford did not smile. "I am still a beast at bay," he said, in a low, hoarse voice. "Get ready, General Zaroff."

As the story ends, Rainsford seems to not only have killed Zaroff, but enjoyed it.  He did not have to.  Zaroff was happy to see him, and happy that he won.  Rainsford was not happy until he had killed his tormenter.   The experience in the jungle had changed him.  He said before that he was not a murderer.  Yet he did not need to kill Zaroff.  He had won the game.  He could have left.  Instead, he killed the man.  He had changed.  He was a murderer.  War may not have changed him, but this experience did.

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What are the locations of Rainsford's journey in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

"The Most Dangerous Game" starts out with big game hunter Sanger Rainsford on a yacht in the Caribbean Sea, bound for his next hunt along the Amazon River in South America. The yacht is passing the mysterious Ship-Trap Island when Rainsford falls of the yacht. He swims ashore to the island, making his way to an unexpected mansion owned by General Zaroff, a former Russian Cossack and big game hunter himself. Before Zaroff begins his nightly hunt, he reveals to Rainsford a false channel that he uses as a lure to wreck ships upon the reef. The next day, Zaroff hunts Rainsford. The general warns Rainsford about the Death Swamp located on the island, which includes an area of quicksand. Rainsford heads into the wooded wilderness of the island, managing to avoid the quicksand, and he eventually escapes by reaching a cliff by the sea that overlooked a cove from which he could see Zaroff's chateau. Rather than facing the armed Zaroff and his dogs, Rainsford chose to jump from the cliff into the waters below.

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Where does Rainsford go upon reaching the island in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

When Sanger Rainsford goes overboard, as he swims toward land, he hears shots and the scream of a hunted animal in anguish and terror. When he reaches the rocky shore of the island, he climbs on top of a cliff. He falls asleep at the edge of the jungle and wakes up disoriented.

Following the shore, he sees evidence that an animal disturbed the underbrush and then finds a shell cartridge. Next he sees boot prints and follows those. Soon, walking farther, he was astonished to see a structure:

[A]ll the lights were in one enormous building—a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom. His eyes made out the shadowy outlines of a palatial chateau [...].

Rainsford thought it was a mirage, but then decided it was real. He approached the big house, opened the iron gate, walked up the stone steps, and knocked on the massive door with a big gargoyle shaped knocker. A huge man opened the door.

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What survival skills does Rainsford use in "The Most Dangerous Game," and examples of each?

As an experienced hunter, Sanger Rainsford is in possession of any number of survival skills.

First of all, Rainsford is in great physical shape because, after falling off the ship, he can swim far enough to reach the island. Also, having remembered from where he has heard the shot, he has headed in the right direction, and he is then able to reach shore. There, Rainsford pulls himself up on the rocks to a flat place where he falls into an exhausted sleep.

The next day Rainsford awakens in the afternoon. Refreshed, he heads in the direction of the shots that he has heard the previous evening. When he discovers the boot prints, Rainsford follows them until he sees lights far off in the growing darkness. But, his discovery of a chateau proves to be harrowing because Rainsford realizes that his host is a sadistic and deranged man. Rainsford is forced to become the prey of General Zaroff in a "most dangerous game." But Rainsford is very skilled in creating a trail of many twists and turns and reversals, much as a fox does.

When night approaches, Rainsford decides to "play the cat" and climb a tree where he can rest on the massive limbs. Once there he thinks to himself,

...only the devil...could follow that complicated trail through the jungle after dark. But, perhaps, the general was a devil--

When it is almost morning, Rainsford hears a startled bird. Flattening himself against the branch on which he has rested, Rainsford watches General Zaroff approach. When Zaroff's eyes travel up the tree, Rainsford shivers with fear of this "devil."

After hurriedly descending the tree after Zaroff's departure, Rainsford runs into the woods where he finds a large dead tree leaning upon a smaller one. Hurrying, Rainsford uses the knife given to him to fashion an intricate and deadly trap called a Malay man-catcher. Fortunately for the general, his acute senses alert him that the bough he has touched is the trigger of the trap, and he leaps back in time to only injure his shoulder. He departs.

When Rainsford moves on, he steps into quicksand with one foot, but he is able to pull the foot out. He then begins to dig frantically, making a pit in which he places pointed stakes--a Burmese tiger pit. Hearing his pursuer coming again, Rainsford hides where he cannot be seen, but he can listen. The sound of breaking branches soon follows, along with a piercing scream. Peering through his hiding place, Rainsford discerns that the general holds a torch, looking into the pit. It is one of the hunting dogs that has fallen on a stake.

The next day when he hears hounds, Rainsford decides to run. After climbing a tree so that he can see in what direction his pursuers come, Rainsford chooses to put into play a native trick that he learned in Uganda. He ties his knife to a sapling; then he runs because he knows the hounds will trace his scent to the knife. When the baying of the dogs stops, Rainsford climbs a tree to look. He sees the general is still alive. It is Ivan who has been hit by the recoil of the sapling, and the blade entered his body.

The athletic Rainsford runs and runs. He hears the pursuing hounds and races to where he sees blue between trees ahead of him. He is able to reach the shore; then "he leaped far into the sea." The general follows and looks at the expansive sea. He shrugs. At dinner, General Zaroff thinks to himself that by escaping, Rainsford has not played the game. However, when he retires to his bedroom, Zaroff encounters his prey. So, he tells Rainsford with a serious face, "I congratulate you....You have won the game," Rainsford replies, "I am still a beast at bay....Get ready, General Zaroff." And they duel.

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Rainsford is able to stay calm under pressure. He is clear-headed and doesn't panic. When he falls off of the yacht, he doesn't panic; he calmly swims to shore. Later when Zaroff is hunting Rainsford, he is able to stay calm and clear-headed and set traps in order to give him time to escape. Rainsford also relies on his hunting experience to survive. He sets up a Maylay man-catcher and a Burmese tiger pit. When Rainsford is under direct pressure and can hear Zaroff behind him, he again stays calm and quickly ties a knife to a sapling for one last chance to kill Zaroff.

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What does Rainsford discover in the jungle in The Most Dangerous Game?

On his way to hunt jaguars in the Amazon, Rainsford hears several shots coming from a nearby island and accidentally falls off the yacht as he attempts to see further into the dark. After falling into the sea, Rainsford survives the treacherous waters and manages to swim ashore. The next day, Rainsford begins walking along the shore of the island, where he discovers evidence that a large animal thrashed about in the underbrush. Rainsford carefully examines the brush and discovers that one patch of weeds is stained in blood.

Nearby, a "glittering object" catches Rainsford's eye, which turns out to be an empty cartridge. Rainsford immediately recognizes that the cartridge is for a twenty-two caliber pistol, which is a gun used to hunt small game. This discovery is perplexing to Rainsford, who finds it odd that a hunter had the nerve to tackle a large animal with a light gun. He reasons that the first three shots he heard were the hunter flushing his quarry, and the fourth shot finished it off.

Rainsford's discovery foreshadows the startling reality of Ship-Trap Island, where the fanatical General Zaroff hunts humans for sport. Rainsford does not know it yet, but the large "animal" that was shot and killed in the forest is actually a human. Eventually, Rainsford arrives at Zaroff's chateau and learns about the general's maniacal game.

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How might Rainsford's experience on the island change him?

One conclusion that seems to be almost implied by the story's ending is that Rainsford will become just like Zaroff, taking his place and becoming like him. After all, he has already become the human hunter... We can hope that he does not lose his sense of right and wrong, but there is some reason to wonder if he has already lost it in being forced into a life-or-death struggle with Zaroff. 

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It is possible that Rainsford might decide to give up hunting altogether, now that he knows what it feels like to be hunted. Something like this occurred in the movie The Deer Hunter. The main character played by Robert DeNiro found that he didn't want to shoot the magnificent deer even though it would be the best prize and the best shot he had ever had. He had been a hunted animal himself in Vietnam, and he knew how it felt to be in danger of losing his life. A lot of us do not have to go through the experience of being hunted animals in order to learn to feel sympathy for animals who are hunted for sport. We might kill an animals for food in a distressed situation, but we wouldn't kill an animal just for fun. There are a lot of other ways to have fun.

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I think there are a lot of responses to this question as it is asking for your opinion.

In my opinion, considering Rainsford's anxiety over the three days running through the woods understanding what it is like to be the game in a hunting expedition, I would hope Rainsford would lose his desire to hunt. He did talk about at the beginning his love for a good hunt. No longer would I think he would find enjoyment in tormenting an animal by chasing it, trapping it and finally killing it.

Another idea would be to look at this good night sleep he got at the end of the story. Perhaps Rainsford will keep his post there on the island and enjoy the Caribbean island lifestyle - hopefully without resorting to murder as entertainment.

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How did Rainsford reach the island in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

As was mentioned in the previous post, Rainsford is traveling on a yacht through the Caribbean Sea when he hears several gunshots coming from the direction of a nearby island. Rainsford is startled and moves quickly to the rail of the yacht. As Rainsford is straining his eyes to see where the shots are coming from, he climbs on top of the rail and attempts to balance himself. Unfortunately, Rainsford's pipe gets knocked out of his mouth, and he reaches for it. When Rainsford reaches for his pipe, he loses his balance and falls off of the yacht into the water. The yacht continues to travel through the water at a rapid pace and Rainsford is unable to catch up to it. Rainsforth then begins to swim to his right towards the island where he heard the shots. After swimming for ten minutes, Rainsford reaches the rocky edge of the island and climbs the ledge of rocks to shore. 

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After Rainsford falls off the yacht, he calls for help but the yacht fades away quickly. Having zero visibility a cool-headedness comes over him because he remembered hearing shots from a certain direction. He begins to swim in that direction.

Again,

Rainsford heard a sound. It came out of the darkness , a high screaming sound, the sound of an animal in an extremity of anguish and terror.

This sound gave him a "fresh vitality" and he swam with more force in that direction. These sounds were of life and not just life on a boat, he would eventually hit land. He continued to hear gunshots. Finally he heard the lapping of water on a jagged rocky shore. He climbed the cliff and ended up on the edge of the jungle for a deep sleep.

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The story is missing some specifics, but  the outcome is that Rainsforth kills Zaroff.  At the end of the story, Rainsforth sleeps in Zaroff’s bed.  The implication is that Rainsforth has killed Zaroff.  After Rainsforth jumps off the cliff, Zaroff returns home.  Later that night Rainsforth appears, from where he has been hiding in Zaroff’s room, and Zaroff congratulates him on winning the game, but Rainsforth informs him that they are still playing.  Zaroff has assumed that Rainsforth won, because the game was to survive three days in the judge and Rainsforth has done so, but Rainsforth only wins when he kills Zaroff. 

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In Richard Connel's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" a big game hunter named Sanger Rainsford accidentally falls off a yacht heading for South America and swims to a nearby island. On the island he discovers a "palatial chateau" in the middle of the jungle. There he meets General Zaroff for the first time. Zaroff is a Cossack who fled Russia after the civil war. It turns out that, because he has grown bored with hunting animals, Zaroff now hunts men.

When Rainsford refuses to hunt with Zaroff, the general provides Rainsford with a three day head start, a pair of moccasins and a hunting knife. Then Zaroff sets out to hunt Rainsford. Although Rainsford wounds Zaroff and kills the general's servant and best dog, he eventually has to jump into the ocean to escape.

After eluding the general, Rainsford swims across a cove to Zaroff's chateau and hides in the bedroom. Rainsford confronts the general and they duel. The final lines of the story reveal that Rainsford has won:

He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided. 
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How does Connell depict Rainsford's courage in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

    The famed hunter, Sanger Rainsford, shows great courage throughout his ordeal with the maniacal General Zaroff on Ship-Trap Island in Richard Connell's short story, "The Most Dangerous Game." As a big game hunter, his courage has been proven in the past while stalking his deadly game. After falling off his yacht, he survives the dangerous waters and swims to shore safely. After dining with Zaroff, Rainsford dares to disagree with the Cossack,

    "I can't believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke."
    "Why should I not be serious? I am speaking of hunting."
    "Hunting? Great guns, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder... I'm a hunter, not a murderer."

    During the hunt when he has become the prey, Rainsford thinks calmly and clearly. "I will not lose my nerve. I will not." One by one, he sets his own traps for the armed Zaroff while clearly setting his primary goal: to escape alive. When he throws himself from the cliff into the rocky waters below, he knows that he may not survive. Finally, he shows the great audacity to return and turn the tables on Zaroff. A man with less courage would not have survived the game.

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What is Rainsford's view on hunting before reaching the island in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell begins on a yacht. The ship is sailing through the Caribbean on its way to Rio de Janeiro where Sanger Rainsford plans to hunt jaguar in the Amazon. 

Rainsford and Whitney, the ship's captain, have a short philosophical discussion about hunting. Whitney believes hunting is a "great sport," but only for the hunter. Rainsford thinks Whitney is being a bit soft-hearted, and he tells the captain he should not "talk rot." Though Rainsford does not care in the least about how the jaguar feels about being hunted, Whitney believes that the jaguar certainly understands two fears, the fear of pain and death. 

"Nonsense," laughed Rainsford. "This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes--the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters."

By the next evening, Rainsford's strong position on this subject will waver; for now, however, he feels quite certain that there are only these two categories in life. 

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How does Rainsford elude his hunter in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

He does a lot of stuff.

First he runs, almost panicked.  But then he calms down.  So then he lays a twisted trail for Zaroff to try to follow and he climbs up a tree to sleep.

Next he makes a trap with a fallen tree.  It hurts Zaroff but doesn't kill him.  Then he makes a Burmese tiger pit -- sharp stakes in a pit.  It gets one of the dogs, but not Zaroff.  Then he sets up a trap with the knife.  It kills Ivan.

What he finally did was jump out into the ocean and swam to Zaroff's place and (we are not told this) climbed up to Zaroff's room.

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How does Rainsford in "The Most Dangerous Game" use his ability to think under pressure?

In Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford, the protagonist, uses his ability to think under pressure to save his life. General Zaroff, a psychotic Russian hunter, hunts human beings on his island and Rainsford is the next victim. As the hunt begins, Rainsford panics and runs as fast as he can to get away from Zaroff; however, he stops to collect himself and think through the situation at hand. The first strategy that Rainsford employs is to leave a trail for Zaroff that twists, turns, and doubles back upon itself--for confusion's sake. For the first night, he decides to sleep in a tree and away from his planned trail. On the second day, Rainsford builds a Malay man-catcher using two trees that helped with its construction. Sadly, Zaroff isn't caught or killed by it; he escapes with a wound to the shoulder. In order to keep himself sane during such a traumatic experience, Rainsford keeps telling himself not to lose his nerve. The next day, Rainsford makes a Burmese tiger pit that kills one of Zaroff's dogs. Then he rigs his knife to a tree branch that springs up and stabs Zaroff's servant, Ivan. After that incident, Rainsford tells himself, "Nerve, nerve, nerve!" in order to keep his brain in the game. These reminders also challenge Rainsford to do things that he wouldn't normally do--like jumping off of a cliff to save his life in the water below.

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In "The Most Dangerous Game," how does Rainsford outwit Zaroff's dogs?

Rainsford swims across the bay, doubling back to the "castle" while the dogs have been sent out (along with Ivan) to flair his trail. In this way he accomplishes three things:

  1. He gains time by going back to the castle in a straight line.
  2. By being in the water the dogs can't trace his scent.
  3. He ambushes Zaroff where he least expects him, while at the same time being safe from the dogs outside.

Finally, it's not the dogs Rainsford outwits but Zaroff himself.

Incidentally, Zaroff's favourite hunting dog falls victim to one of Rainsford's traps, originally intended for Ivan, Zaroff's butler and henchman.

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Before reaching the island, what is Rainsford's view on hunting?

In the exposition of the story, Rainsford asks Whitney what the best game is, to which Whitney replies, "hunting...for the hunter, not the jaguar."  Rainsford says, "Don't talk rot Whitney.  You're a big game hunter, not a philosopher, who cares what the jaguar feels!"

Rainsford is alpha-male here.  He shows no empathy toward his prey.  He has not been desensitized in the way modern males have to the feelings of animals.  In those days, and in that part of the world, there were few zoos, no animals rights organizations, no dog and cat-lovers culture.

As a note, this scene is parodied in The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XVI in which Lisa exclaims, "Hunting is cruel!"  Homer replies, "Lisa, animals don't feel death.  That was proven by the scientists at Black Angus!"  Then, Bart chimes in, "No fair!  Dad gets to kill wild animals..."

So, it seems there's been a shift in how we view the feelings of animals.  Historically, even biblically, man has been a big game hunter, trusting his instincts, free to exert dominion over the animal kingdom.  But lately, there's been some apologies made.  Males in particular have been made for feel guilty for hunting, but not eating (yet!) animals.  Now, our meat is butchered and pre-packaged.  Our mercies, as Ian McEwan would say, are selective.  We still eat animals, but we don't want to watch them die.  In his novel Saturday, McEwan says his protagonist would never throw a lobster into a boiling pot, but he would never refuse a lobster dinner.  Such equivocation is unsettling, even hypocritical.

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In "The Most Dangerous Game," how does Rainsford demonstrate bravery and intelligence?

Rainsford is a brave in two ways. First, he is a hunter.  In fact, he is a world renowned hunter.  We can deduce this from the fact that General Zaroff recognizes him and has even read his books. So, as a hunter, we can say that Rainsford is a brave man. 

Second, when he forced to play the "game" with General Zaroff, he tries his best.  At first he tries to hide, but then he realizes that he has to go on the offensive.  He does not allow the dogs, Ivan, or Zaroff who have the clear advantage get to his head.  Rainsford stays as calm as he could and even attacks them. In the end, he wins. 

As for Rainsford's intelligence, Rainsford uses his hunting skills.  For example, he makes a Malay man-catcher.  Zaroff even says that not many men know how to make this.  He also shows intelligence when he doubles back to Zaroff's house and attacks him there.  He know that Zaroff would not be expecting this move.

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Before reaching the island, what is Rainsford's view on hunting in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

This question was previously answered, but if you look at the first page of the story, the author uses Rainsford's words to illustrate his position on hunting. When discussing hunting with his travel partner, he describes hunting as "The best sport in the world. "   When Whitney (his travel partner) distinguishes and says it is great the hunter, Rainsford replies wih "You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher.  Who cares how a jaguar feels?... They've no understanding.... The world is made up of two classes - the hunters and the hunted. Luckily, you and I are the hunters."  These selected passages from the first page demonstrate to the reader how Rainsford thinks highly of his sport and does not care what his prey may feel.

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Summarize Rainsford's survival quest in "The Most Dangerous Game".

Rainsford knows he is up against a dangerous adversary when Zaroff decides to hunt him. He knows he will have to outthink and outsmart this experienced hunter.

When Zaroff toys with Rainsford for hiding in a tree, Rainsford decides to up his game. Rather than simply run, he goes on the offensive. He sets up three traps to try to kill Zaroff. The first, the Malay mancatcher, wounds Zaroff's shoulder. For the second trap, Rainsford digs a trench and fills it with sharp spikes. One of Zaroff's dogs falls in and dies, alerting Zaroff of the danger. Next, Rainsford ties back a young sapling and attaches his knife to it. This trap springs and kills Zaroff's man, Ivan.

Having failed three times to kill Zaroff, Rainsford jumps into the sea, tricking Zaroff into thinking he has committed suicide. Zaroff goes to bed disappointed, only to find Rainsford confronting him in his bedroom. The two fight. The only indication we have the Rainsford has won is that he sleeps in Zaroff's bed.

Rainsford uses surprise to survive and save his life. Being a human, he can act in unpredictable ways.

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What traits allow Rainsford to triumph in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Rainsford is a skilled hunter in excellent physical condition with an analytical mind. He is a World War I veteran, who

... had dug himself in in France when a second's delay meant death. 

So, the hardships of physical exertion and endurance is not new to him. He has already displayed his physical skills by surviving the fall from his yacht and making the treacherous swim to the shore of Ship-Trap Island. When Zaroff forces Rainsford to become the prey of his next special hunt, Rainsford sets out at a fast pace, hoping to distance himself from his pursuer. He survives two nights on the run and still has the strength to make his final swim from the cliffs back to Zaroff's chateau.

Although Rainsford feels "panic" at the beginning of the hunt, and he later comes to understand "the full meaning of terror," he constantly reminds himself that

"I must keep my nerve. I must keep my nerve."

Soon, Rainsford 

... had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation. He saw that straight flight was futile; inevitably it would bring him face to face with the sea. He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place within that frame.

He recognized that he was Zaroff's prey in this deadly game, but Rainsford resorted to several tricks he had learned from his journeys to Africa and Asia--tricks used by hunters of a different kind. Although his flight seemed "a desperate, hopeless" one, his cunning traps first injured Zaroff, and then disposed of Ivan and one of the dogs. At last, when he was presented with the option of certain death at the hands of Zaroff and the dogs, and the possibility of surviving the leap from the cliff into the waters below, Rainsford was clear-headed enough to make the logical decision. His final move--to double back and confront Zaroff in his own home--was a stroke of genius, and one that caught the unexpected Zaroff completely by surprised.

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How did Rainsford arrive on the island in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Renowned big game hunter Sanger Rainsford was on the way to South America to track the elusive jaguar along the Amazon River when he first came upon Ship-Trap Island. Rainsford was aboard his yacht, talking with his friend, Whitney, when they passed near the island, invisible in the darkness of the night. After Whitney went to bed, Rainsford decided to enjoy a last smoke before retiring for the night. When he heard a gunshot in the distance, 

He leaped upon the rail and balanced himself there, to get greater elevation; his pipe, striking a rope, was knocked from his mouth. He lunged for it; a short, hoarse cry came from his lips as he realized he had reached too far and had lost his balance. The cry was pinched off short as the blood-warm waters of the Caribbean Sea closed over his head.

Rainsford could not swim fast enough to catch up with his yacht, so he swam through the dark waters for the unseen shore. Growing tired, Rainsford began to wonder if he could make it, but when he heard the sound of waves crashing on the rocks, he summoned his last energy to pull himself ashore.

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What are the places Rainsford visited in "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell?

The first strategy I would highly recommend for this assignment is making index cards. As you read through the story, each time you encounter a specific locale, make up an index card containing:

  • A short name or description for the locale
  • The page number where it first occurs
  • A two- or three-sentence description of what happens in the place.

As you encounter places additional times, just add the additional page numbers and descriptions onto the index cards. By the time you have reached the end of the story, you will have completed the assignment. The key is having a very organized process rather than just trying to skim over the story and remember all the places that are mentioned.

The starting place for the story is Sanger Rainsford's yacht. Next, we have the ocean through which he swims. Then we encounter the exterior of the house. When we see the inside of the house, every room can count as a distinct place. During the hunt itself, we see several different parts of the island. The story concludes in Zaroff's bedroom.

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What was Rainsford's method of escape in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

On the third day of being hunted by General Zaroff throughout Ship-Trap Island, the general closes in on Rainsford, who is forced to fashion a trap that he learned to make in Uganda. Fortunately, Rainsford is able to kill Zaroff's massive servant, Ivan, using the trap but is unable to halt the general's advance.

As Zaroff and his baying dogs approach Rainsford, he has no other choice but to sprint towards the "blue gap" that shows through the trees. Once Rainsford reaches the island's edge, he leaps into the sea and manages to get away from Zaroff.

Rainsford survives the treacherous waters and ends up sneaking into Zaroff's chateau, where he surprises the general in his room. Rainsford proceeds to kill the general in hand-to-hand combat and rests peacefully in his bed after his victory. The story ends with him comfortably settling into the general's bed.

Overall, Rainsford ends up making his getaway from the general by sprinting towards the sea and leaping into the ocean before the general can reach him.

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What has Rainsford learned from his dangerous journey in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

As the question stated, this is an opinion based question. The author does not explicitly tell readers what Rainsford did and did not learn from his experience with Zaroff.  The answer could go a few different ways.  

1.  Rainsford learned nothing.  Rainsford is an experienced hunter that tells his colleague in the beginning of the story that prey animals have no feelings.  They do not experience fear or anything similar.  As prey, Rainsford felt fear, but he still doesn't believe that animals experience the same feeling.  He believes this because he still considers humans different from the prey species that he normally hunts.  Readers know that Rainsford considers humans different because he admits that he believes humans are the only animals capable of reasoning.  Despite his experience with Zaroff, Rainsford still feels that humans are different from animals, and animals experience no fear.  

2. Rainsford now has learned that the animals that he hunts experience fear.  The fact is interesting to Rainsford, but he still continues to be an avid hunter; however, he now has more respect and compassion for the animals that he hunts and kills.

3. Rainsford learns that hunted animals experience fear.  Because of this knowledge, Rainsford gives up hunting completely.   

4. Rainsford is so thrilled from his experience with Zaroff that he decides he wants more of the experience.  He has learned that Zaroff was correct and the ultimate hunting thrill is hunting humans.  Rainsford takes over the island and continues to use it in the same way that Zaroff used the island.  Rainsford now becomes a hunter of men. 

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