The Most Dangerous
Game
By Richard Connell
Tema Fodje, Sam Wilson,
Mary Kelly Coughlin, Charlotte Britt
“The Most dangerous Game” (1932)
Starring:
Leslie Banks as General Zaroff
Joel McCrea as Bob (Rainsford)
Author: Richard Connell
Richard Connell(1893-1949): Was an
American author and journalist. Became
most famous for his short stories one of
which was “The Most Dangerous Game”.
Plot Summary
An expert hunter, Sanger Rainsford, is on his way to hunt jaguars in South America when
a series of unfortunate events causes him to become deserted on Ship-Trap Island. After he
discovers a mansion on the island, he comes in contact with Ivan, a deaf-mute servant, and
the mansion’s owner, General Zaroff. Zaroff describes his background and his new hunting
interest(humans). Zaroff invites Rainsford to hunt humans with him, but when Rainsford
declines, he becomes the hunted. Zaroff gives Rainsford until dusk to prepare for the hunt.
Over the next couple of days, Rainsford sets up traps; however, none of the defeat Zaroff.
One of the traps injures Zaroff’s shoulder and another kills Ivan. Rainsford then decided to
jump off the cliff into the ocean to swim around the island , leading Zaroff to believe that
Rainsford had died. While Zaroff was out of his room, Rainsford snuck into his house and
hid behind the curtains in Zaroff’s room. When the General enters his room, he and
Rainsford have a SHOW DOWN. With the stipulation, that whoever wins would get to
sleep in Zaroff’s bed . The story ends with “ He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford
decided .”
Setting
Place:
A Caribbean island called Ship-Trap Island.
Time:
1920s
Major world event:
Bolshevik Revolution aka Russian Revolution
of 1917.
Perspective
3rd person limited : The reader finds out
information as the protagonist does.
Protagonist
Sanger Rainsford: expert hunter from New York
who winds up becoming the hunted.
Antagonist
General Zaroff: a former Soviet general, a
hunter of many animals including humans.
Conflict
Man vs. Man: General Zaroff vs. Rainsford.
Zaroff throughout the latter half of the book hunts
Rainsford.
Rising Action
Rainsford falls of the boat
Rainsford finds the mansion of Ship-Trap Island
Rainsford meets General Zaroff and Ivan
General Zaroff says he is going to hunt Rainsford.
Rainsford sets up traps that do not work
Rainsford escapes and jumps off cliff then ending up Zaroff’s room
Climax
When Rainsford and General Zaroff come faceto-face in Zaroff’s room.
Falling Actions
Zaroff and Rainsford have their final fight.
Denoument
Rainsford defeats(kills) Zaroff and gets to sleep in
Zaroff’s bed.
Literary Devices
Allusion: “I have played the fox, now I must play the cat of the fable.”(Rainsford)
Paradox: "the world is made up of two classes - the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are
hunters“ (Rainsford to Whitney)
Personification: “…a sharp hunger was picking at him.”
Simile: “…moonless Caribbean night… It’s like moist black velvet.”
Metaphor: “ the night would be my eyelids” (Rainsford)
Hyperbole: ”even cannibals wouldn't live in such a God-forsaken place." (Whitney to Rainsford)
Irony: “We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here.” (Zaroff)
Oxymoron: The hunter(Rainsford) is hunted.