The Most Dangerous Game
by Richard Connell
(p. 67)
Published in 1924
Equation of Literary Elements
• Plot +
• Setting +
• Characterization +
• Title +
• Point of view +
• Symbol =
____________
• THEME
Types of Conflict in
“The Most Dangerous Game”
• Person vs. Person
– physical
– moral
• Person vs. Nature
– physical
• Person vs. Self
– emotional
Aspects of Plot involving
inexplicable Chance and
Coincidence
• The mystery of the hidden island is
•
•
•
•
implausible
Social control of captive sailors is not
adequately explained
The aberration between Zaroff’s cultivated
and primitive natures is not explained
Falling overboard in search of a pipe is hard
to believe
Such a meeting of two great hunters is
unlikely
Ship-Trap Island
• The setting is ambiguous—an isolated island
•
•
•
– essential to the plot but not adequately
explained
The date is uncertain, but the story spans 4 days
The setting is both hostile and friendly
It is both natural and man-made
Characters
• Which are round? Flat? Stock?
•
•
•
Static? Developing?
Protagonist = Rainsford
Antagonists=
Zaroff and Ivan
Minor character = Whitney
Title and Point of View
• Title
– What is the play on words?
– How does the title contribute to the effect of
the story?
• Third person limited point of view is used
– Find evidence for this
– Why is it more effective than omniscient?
Figurative Language/Metaphor
• Darkness
– Look in the text for references to the natural darkness
outside and the inner darkness of human cruelty and
evil
• “Blood-warm waters”
• Animal or human traits of the sea
– “muttering”
– “growling”
• Animal lust of the land
– “licked its greedy lips”
– “unbroken front of snarled and ragged jungle”
• Other metaphors and symbols?
Theme?
• Hunting is cruel?
• Don’t hunt humans?
Why escapist?
• Plot is based mainly on suspense and
entertainment rather than on in-depth
character exploration
• Plot has too many improbabilities
• Setting is in an unbelievable social
environment
• Characters lack depth, and Zaroff is not
a plausible character
• There is an overall lack of artistic unity
• Mainly - no substantial theme