what is the basic situation of the most dangerous game

The basic situation in Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game

" is that a world renowned American hunter named Sanger Rainsford accidentally comes to the island of General Zaroff, a former Russian military man who has a passion for hunting and, because he has become bored with hunting animals, now hunts men on his private island in the Caribbean Sea.

Full Answer

What is the story the most dangerous game about?

The Most Dangerous Game is a short story written by Richard Connell. Also known as “The Hounds of Zaroff”, this story was originally published in 1924. It revolves around an American man passionate about game hunting who realizes, after a series of events, what it means to be a hunter or a huntee – and the ethicality surrounding it.

What is the Exposition in the most dangerous game?

The exposition of any story is the beginning. The exposition for "The Most Dangerous Game" is when the reader meets the characters of Whitney and Rainsford and they have a conversation about the darkness, hunting, and "Ship-Trap Island." The exposition ends when Rainsford goes to check on a sound he has heard in the darkness.

Is the most dangerous game in the public domain?

Upon its publication, it won the O. Henry Award. "The Most Dangerous Game" is one of many works that entered the public domain in the United States in 2020. Big-game hunter Sanger Rainsford and his friend, Whitney, are traveling to the Amazon rainforest for a jaguar hunt.

When was the most dangerous game by Richard Connell published?

Updated: 11/12/2021 "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell was published in Colliers on January 19, 1924. In this dramatic, haunting story, Rainford, a passionate hunter meets a fellow sportsman who hunts the only animal who can reason: humans.

What is the basic situation or exposition of the story The Most Dangerous Game?

The exposition for "The Most Dangerous Game" is when the reader meets the characters of Whitney and Rainsford and they have a conversation about the darkness, hunting, and "Ship-Trap Island." The exposition ends when Rainsford goes to check on a sound he has heard in the darkness.

Which of the following best describes the initial situation in The Most Dangerous Game?

Which of the following best describes the initial situation in "The Most Dangerous Game"? Sanger Rainsford and his friend Whitney are on a yacht on their way to a hunting expedition. Sanger Rainsford and his girlfriend Whitney are on a pleasure cruise.

What is the main conflict of The Most Dangerous Game explain?

The external conflict is man versus man, as General Zaroff relentlessly hunts Rainsford through the jungle. The internal conflict is man versus himself, shown in the story by Rainsford's experience of the hopelessness felt by exhausted prey animals, which gives him an entirely new perspective on the sport of hunting.

What is the first thing that happens in The Most Dangerous Game?

The first thing Rainsford's eyes discerned was the largest man Rainsford had ever seen--a gigantic creature, solidly made and black bearded to the waist. In his hand the man held a long-barreled revolver, and he was pointing it straight at Rainsford's heart.

What are the main events of the rising action in The Most Dangerous Game?

Rising Action: Rainsford gets stuck on Ship-Trap Island. Rainsford meets the antagonist, General Zaroff. General Zaroff begins to hunt Rainsford. Rainsford's first attempt to trick Zarloff is to make a series of loops (footprints on the ground) to confuse his trail.

Which best describes the theme of The Most Dangerous Game?

Revenge is always the answer.

How is the main conflict in The Most Dangerous Game resolved?

RESOLUTION: The resolution of a literary work is the outcome of the conflict. In the story, Rainsford tells Zaroff he is a 'beast at bay. ' By this he means that instead of being the prey, he is now the hunter and Zaroff is his prey. Rainsford defeats Zaroff and sleeps in his bed.

What is the moral conflict in The Most Dangerous Game?

For example, in “The Most Dangerous Game”, Rainsford struggles with the moral conflict of whether or not hunting humans is morally right (Connell, pg. 19). A conflict starts with the point of attack, then a complication, unraveling towards the turning point, and finally leading to a resolution. Save your time!

What are the three main conflicts in The Most Dangerous Game?

A classic adventure story, Richard Connell's “The Most Dangerous Game” demonstrates the aforementioned three types of conflicts, man versus nature, man versus man, and man versus self. Conflict between man and nature is exhibited in the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”.

What happened at the end of the story The Most Dangerous Game?

Zaroff challenges Rainsford to a final duel: the loser will be eaten by Zaroff's dogs, and the winner will sleep in Zaroff's bed. The story ends with Rainsford commenting that the bed is the most comfortable he has ever slept in.

Who wins The Most Dangerous Game?

That according to the rules of engagement, Rainsford wins the hunt because he survives three days out in the jungle without getting killed.

What is Rainsford's initial strategy?

First, Rainsford digs a shoulder-deep hole. After this step, he sharpens wooden stakes and places them at the bottom of the hole. Finally, a cover or jungle foliage is placed over top to hide the trap. This is called the Burmese Tiger Pit.

What is the mood in the beginning of The Most Dangerous Game?

suspenseAnswer and Explanation: The mood of ''The Most Dangerous Game'' is suspense. There is suspense throughout the entire story. The suspense comes from the ongoing hunt of Rainsford by General Zaroff.

What is the setting of The Most Dangerous Game quizlet?

setting: the overall setting of "The Most Dangerous Game" takes place on Ship-Trap Island, a privately-owned jungle-infested island around the Caribbean. The story took place over a three day period in 1924.

What does The Most Dangerous Game refer to?

Zaroff and Rainsford are opponents playing a game in which Zaroff hunts Rainsford and Rainsford must survive. This game is the ''most dangerous'' because Rainsford's life is at stake. The other meaning of ''The Most Dangerous Game'' uses the definition of game as a wild animal that is hunted.

What is the difference between Zaroff and Rainsford?

The only difference between such individuals and Zaroff is that Zaroff at least has the decency to be candid about his depraved bloodlust. Anyone looking to Rainsford for a corrective to this grim picture is in for a major disappointment. For he, too, is not exactly the keeper of the flame for Western civilization.

What does Zaroff attempt to justify?

Zaroff attempts to justify his violence with civilized arguments. Issues of violence and cruelty in "The Most Dangerous Game" exist not only on a literal level but on a symbolic level as well. As Connell directs the reader to sympathize with Rainsford, the reader feels what it is like to be a hunted animal.

Why did Zaroff lure people to his lair?

Cruelty and violence are manifest in that Zaroff and his crew purposefully lure people to their lair in order to hunt them down like animals.

What is disturbing about Zaroff?

What's particularly disturbing about Zaroff is that he's by no means the only Westerner who has blurred the distinction between civilization and savagery. Many of those involved in the colonial enterprise descended to the very depths of depravity while claiming to uphold civilized values. The only difference between such individuals and Zaroff is that Zaroff at least has the decency to be candid about his depraved bloodlust.

What does Rainsford feel at the end of the story?

At the end of the story, Rainsford even remarks that he feels like a "beast at bay.". The reader is challenged to contemplate Rainsford's initial statement about the world being made up of "two classes—the hunters and the huntees" and assess the value of life in general.

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Did Rainsford kill Zaroff?

Although he won the game, and General Zaroff appeared ready to set him free, Rainsford still killed Zaroff. Zaroff's murder, therefore, is not self-defense, as it would have been before Rainsford won the game. It is either an act of revenge or a killing for sport. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team. Educator since 2007.

What is the exposition of the most dangerous game?

The exposition of a story is where the setting and many of the major characters are introduced . In the beginning of the story, it's around 1920. Sanger Rainsford, the protagonist, and his hunting crew are on ...

What animal does Rainsford think is the most dangerous?

He says that he has read every book on hunting and has hunted almost every big game animal. Rainsford remarks that he thinks the Cape Buffalo is the most dangerous big game.

What does Zaroff insist on Rainsford?

Zaroff insists that Rainsford take a room and change his clothes. Rainsford obliges. Soon, Rainsford comes to dinner, and he and General Zaroff talk. During this conversation, Rainsford learns more about his life. Zaroff was a General in the Russian military before the Russian Revolution. He fled to the island to escape persecution and brought Ivan with him.

Why does Rainsford think Zaroff will come around to the idea?

Rainsford is horrified and Zaroff thinks he will eventually come around to the idea because he is an avid hunter as well. He further explains the rules of the hunt, which are all in his favor, and that he eventually uses dogs if his prey remains elusive. He remarks that to date he has never lost. Rainsford becomes ill and Zaroff allows him to retire to bed.

Why does Rainsford fall off the yacht?

The rising action in this story begins when Rainsford falls off of the yacht because he is now in conflict with nature, trying to survive it. The next day, Rainsford finds General Zaroff's house. Zaroff recognizes Rainsford from his book that he wrote on hunting.

What is the island that Whitney and Rainsford are passing?

They are passing a rumored island called 'Ship Trap Island' and the crew is noticeably apprehensive. Whitney and Rainsford continue talking and the conversation changes to hunting. Rainsford says that hunting is the best sport in the world.

What does Rainsford notice about the shell casing?

He sees the shell casing and notices that the caliber is very small to take on such a large animal. Eventually, Rainsford notices an enormous, 'palatial chateau.'. He knocks on the door and is greeted by a giant man that has a revolver pointed at him.

What does Zaroff mean by forcing Rainsford into his game?

By forcing Rainsford into his game, Zaroff demonstrates that, whatever the given pretense, his intention is simply to kill other men because he can. When Rainsford asks what happens if he wins, Zaroff assures him that he can leave the island, but on the condition that he never tells anyone about his experiences there.

What happens if the men refuse to be hunted?

Rainsford asks what happens if the men refuse to be hunted, and Zaroff explains that the men can choose to participate in his game or be handed over to Ivan, who was a professional torturer for the Russian Czar.

What does Zaroff give to the hunter?

The game, Zaroff explains, is that he gives the man hunting clothes, a supply of food, a hunting knife, and a three-hour head start. He follows with a small pistol, and if the hunted man eludes him for three days, he wins. Only one man has come close to winning, and then Zaroff used his hunting dogs.

Why does Zaroff prefer to hunt humans?

After Rainsford presses him, Zaroff explains that he prefers to hunt humans because unlike animals, humans possess the faculty of reason and are, therefore, more dangerous and exciting to hunt.

What is the loaded pistol?

The loaded pistol is an unexpected and violent greeting from such an elegant place, warning Rainsford and the reader that the inhabitants might not be as civilized as their house would suggest. General Zaroff’s name reveals his military background, and the reader is led to wonder why an aristocratic general who lives on a remote island would need the services of a body guard who is unable to hear or speak.

What does Rainsford assume the blood in the grass is?

The lights guide him not to a village but an enormous mansion, which he takes for a mirage at first. Rainsford assumes the blood in the grass is animal blood, and the evidence of a hunter outfitted with a pistol and hunting boots suggests civilized inhabitants, making Rainsford hopeful for food and shelter.

Why did Zaroff leave Russia?

Zaroff explains that he had to leave Russia because of his position as an officer in the former Czar’s military and searched for ways to occupy his time. Even his sole passion, hunting, became dull because it was too easy, so he “invented” a new animal to hunt.

What did Rainsford do to escape Zaroff?

To escape Zaroff and his approaching hounds, Rainsford dives off a cliff into the sea; Zaroff, disappointed at Rainsford's apparent suicide, returns home.

What does Rainsford say about the hunt?

Rainsford denounces the hunt as barbarism, but Zaroff replies by claiming that " life is for the strong .". Realizing he has no way out, Rainsford reluctantly agrees to be hunted. During his head start, Rainsford lays an intricate trail in the forest and then climbs a tree.

What is the Malay man catcher in the movie?

After the failed attempt at eluding Zaroff, Rainsford builds a Malay man-catcher, a weighted log attached to a trigger.

What is the most popular short story ever written in English?

The story has been adapted numerous times, most notably as the 1932 RKO Pictures film The Most Dangerous Game, starring Joel McCrea and Leslie Banks, and for a 1943 episode of the CBS Radio series Suspense, starring Orson Welles. It has been called the "most popular short story ever written in English.".

When was the most dangerous game published?

January 19, 1924. " The Most Dangerous Game ", also published as " The Hounds of Zaroff ", is a short story by Richard Connell, first published in Collier's on January 19, 1924 with illustrations by Wilmot Emerton Heitland. The story features a big-game hunter from New York City who falls off a yacht and swims to what seems to be an abandoned ...

Where did the Zodiac Killer write the most dangerous game?

There is a possible reference to "The Most Dangerous Game" in letters that the Zodiac Killer wrote to newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area in his three-part cipher: "Man is the most dangerous animal of all to kill," though he may have come up with the idea independently.

Who illustrated the Collier's book?

Illustration by Wilmot Emerton Heitland in the January 19, 1924 issue of Collier's.

What happens at the end of the story of The Most Dangerous Game?

On Day 3 – the final day of the hunt – through a series of events, Ivan (General Zaroff’s assistant) is killed and hounds are let loose that push Rainsford to the edge of the cliff. He chooses to jump into the ocean than handle the hounds.

What is the story of the Hounds of Zaroff about?

Also known as “The Hounds of Zaroff”, this story was originally published in 1924. It revolves around an American man passionate about game hunting who realizes, after a series of events, what it means to be a hunter or a huntee – and the ethicality surrounding it. “The world is made up of two classes – the hunters and the huntees.

Why does Whitney want to sail past the island?

Noticing the jitteriness of the crew, Whitney wants to sail past the mysterious island as soon as possible. He theorizes that sailors can sense danger and that is because evil “emanates in waves like light and sound”. While Whitney retires for the night, Rainsford stays back on the afterdeck to smoke his pipe.

Why does Rainsford not kill him?

On Day 1, General identifies Rainsford’s location easily but chooses not to kill him to prolong the duration of pleasure he derives from the hunt. This leaves Rainsford terribly scared with very little hope to be able to escape the island.

Where did the story of Rainsford come from?

This story derives inspiration from the big game hunting that was very popular among affluent Americans back in the 1920s. Rainsford, a big time game hunter from New York is travelling to Rio de Janeiro in a yacht. In a conversation with a fellow passenger Whitney, Rainsford reveals that he believes that the world is only made up ...

What is the theme of The Most Dangerous Game?

The main theme of The Most Dangerous Game is fear, competition and perseverance. The author has a done a remarkable job at blurring the line between the hunter and the hunted. He has shown – through the protagonist’s journey through the story – that the one thing the prey always feels, irrespective of who it is, is fear.

Who finds Rainsford hidden behind the curtains?

Upon return to his room later that night, Zaroff finds Rainsford concealed behind the curtains. Zaroff congratulates him on winning the game, but he insists that the game is not over yet and that he intends to fight Zaroff. Zaroff accepts his challenge and declares that the loser of the fight will become food to the dogs while the winner will sleep in Zaroff ’s bed.

Why is Zaroff's claim that animals are boring to hunt?

Zaroff claims that animals are boring to hunt because their instinctual actions make them predictable, whereas humans' strategy-based minds are more thrilling. Rainsford connects the worlds of animals and humans when he realizes that a mixture of animalistic instinct (running and hiding) and thoughtful strategy (setting traps) is necessary to survive.

What is the connection between Rainsford and Madame Butterfly?

This connection between Rainsford and Madame Butterfly suggests a love or obsession over Rainsford from Zaroff. The irony here comes from Zaroff's sadness at missing Rainsford. Zaroff acts as if he has been jilted when he misses the chance to catch Rainsford, but his intentions from the beginning are to kill the man. This dissonance between General Zaroff's actions and his obvious intentions shows a sort of irrationality or unpredictability in even the most basic humans. Humans are unpredictable, and this scene illustrates this idea by including both Rainsford's leap off a cliff and Zaroff's surprising reaction.

What is the theme of the book War and its consequences?

War and its consequences are a theme that runs throughout Connell's story. When Zaroff is describing his sport to Rainsford at dinner, he compares it to war, saying that Rainsford has killed men in war and that it is no different than hunting them down for sport. Rainsford disagrees with Zaroff, proclaiming that killing in a war is not murder and that he, Rainsford, is no murderer for having been to war.

What is the meaning of perseverance in Rainsford?

Like fear, perseverance is an abstract term that can be interpreted in many ways. Connell demonstrates perseverance in Rainsford when he is being hunted for sport. He uses the motivation of life to drive his main character forward. The will to persevere pushes Rainsford through both animalistic instinct and intelligent strategy to ultimately beat Zaroff in his own game.

How does Rainsford trick Zaroff?

Rainsford tricks Zaroff by jumping off a cliff to flee his hunting hounds. Late in the night, when Zaroff is in his room, it is implied that Rainsford stabs him, but it is not directly stated so.

Why is General Zaroff so bored?

General Zaroff explains that he grows bored of hunting animals because they are too predictable. Zaroff claims that a human man is different from an animal because he acts on strategy rather than instinct. "The Most Dangerous Game" summary would be incomplete without a mention of the rules General Zaroff sets for his human hunts. Here are said rules:

What is the theme of the book Animals?

Perhaps the most prevalent theme in the story, the distinction between human and animal, is explored as a sort of moral compass throughout Connell's plot. Connell's characters debate with themselves and one another about the difference between animal and human and whether or not there is one. In the beginning of the story, Rainsford declares to have no emotional connection to animals, saying their feelings have little weight in his mind. By the end, though, Rainsford understands what it means to be the hunted and labels himself "the animal at bay."

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