The Most
Dangerous Game
Richard Connell
Important Facts
Protagonist - Sanger Rainsford
Antagonist - General Zaroff
Conflicts - person v/s person;
person v/s self
Point of View - third person
limited
Setting - a yacht & an island in
Theme
While nature is predictable
and animals follow instincts
only man has the superior
power of reason.
Freytag’s Pyramid
4
3
1
2
5
6
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Exposition
Narrative Hook
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Exposition
Part of the work which introduces
the characters, the setting, and the
basic situation.
Aboard the yacht, Rainsford
discusses hunting plans with his
companion, Whitney.
Narrative Hook (Conflict)
The point in a story, novel, or play at
which the author catches the reader’s
attention by presenting a problem or
conflict
Rainsford enjoys Zaroff’s civility until
he learns what Zaroff hunts.
Rising Action
All of the events leading up to the
climax
Rainsford falls overboard, finds
island, meets Zaroff, learns of his
“hobby”, and is told he is to be
hunted next!
Climax
Highest point of interest or
suspense
Rainsford confronts Zaroff in the
bedroom
Falling Action
Any events occurring after the
climax but before the resolution
Not much else in this story.
Climax, Falling Action, and
Resolution, all occur very close
together
Resolution
End of the central conflict - loose
ends tied up
Rainsford realizes that it is
sometimes necessary to abandon
one’s principles to survive
“He had never slept in a better bed,
Rainsford thought.”
Denouement
French for “descending.” Any events
that occur after the resolution.
Conflict
Exchange between Rainsford and Whitney
about the feelings of the jaguar show two
opposing views on hunting. Hunter v/s
hunted
Man v/s Man - Rainsford v/s Whitney
Man v/s Nature - Rainsford v/s the island
and the ocean
Man v/s Himself - Rainsford v/s feelings
about hunting
Foreshadowing
Island seems dangerous; sailors
fear it
Hunting of large animal with a
.22 caliber rifle
Verbal Irony
Zaroff loves his dogs, but feels
no love for humanity
Zaroff says he is civilized, but he
is actually not because he hunts
humans.