The+Most+Dangerous+Game

Short Stories - Literary Devises Title:The Most Dangerous Game

Point of View: 3rd person limited omniscient

Protagonist: Rainsford

What type of character is the Protagonist? round, dynamic

Antagonist: Zaroff

Describe the setting It is a lonely, if possible avoided, island in the Caribbean. Sailors fear the island because of it's ill fame. There are lots of shipwrecks nearby the island. The island itself is a jungle sort of place with lots of trees, bushes and fauna. There are some animals living on it. I believe the story takes place in the 17th or 18th century because of the ships that were around, but the characters had guns and rifles, but they did not think these weapons were novelties. The mood id definitely adrenaline filled, dangerous, exciting but scary.

Type of Conflict: man vs man

Describe the main conflict: The main conflict is "the game" being played by Zaroff and Rainsford. It is almost a competition to see who is a better hunter.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax of the story is almost at the end of the story, when the men duel, and Rainsford wins.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? The protagonist change by realizing how the hunted being really feels. He understands just how much fear the animal is experiencing when it is hiding, or running for their life.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The relationship between the title and the theme is not a direct one. The title is "The Most Dangerous Game". In my opinion, the theme is how you feel when you are put in someone else's shoes. Although the story is about Zaroff's game, that is not the theme. So, the theme and the title are not closely related, but there is a connection. In this story, during the game, Rainsford is put in the shoes of his prey, and it does not feel good.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?

The main conflict helps illustrate the theme because the main conflict is the game being played by Zaroff and Rainsford. During the game, Rainsford is being placed in the prey's shoes, and that is what the theme is.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?

The Climax also helps illustrate the theme because in the climax, Zaroff is killed by his prey, so in a way, he is being put in the prey's situation. He can see the other's point of view.

Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

Simile: The sea was as flat as a plate-glass window

Metaphor: The lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing fireflies.

Personification: The muck sucked viciously at his foot.

Symbol: The bed that Rainsford gets to sleep in at the end is a symbol of winning.

Foreshadowing (give both elements): I thought that when Zaroff talks about his game, it is quite obvious that he is going to make Rainsford participate.

Irony: When Zaroff is killed by his prey.

Imagery: It was set on a high bluff, and on three sides of it cliffs dived down to where the sea licked greedy lips in the shadows.

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story.

There is a strong relationship between the class theme and the story. The class theme is humanity, and the story touches on fear quite a lot. Fear is a huge aspect of humanity. Without fear, we would not be cautious around danger. Fear is something that makes us who we are, and this story gives some great examples of how fear and humans are in a close knot, we are tied together. Without fear, there would be o humans, without humans, there would be no fear.

1. What is meant by “He lived a year in a minute”? /2
That means that time went really slowly.

2. What is meant by “I am still a beast at bay”? /2
That means that he is still a force to be reckoned with.

3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island? /1
In the Carribean Sea.

4. How is Zaroff able to finance his life style ? /2
Zaroff invested in American finances.

5. If Rainsford wins the hunt, what does Zaroff promise him? /1
Zaroff promised Rainsford freedom.

6. What happened to Lazarus? /2
He got stuck in the quick sand and died while following a man that Zaroff was after.

7. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt? /1
Rainsford spends his first night in a tree, he may feel safe, but it is not so.

8. How many acres did Zaroff’s father have in the Crimea? /1
Zaroff's father had a quarter of a million acres in Crimea.

9. Why does Zarroff suggest Rainsford wear moccasins? /1
Because they leave less tracks.

10. What caused Rainsford to believe Zaroff knew he was hiding in the tree? Do you think he was right? Give reasons. /3
I believe that Zaroff knew that Rainsford was hiding in the tree because he blew smoke in his direction and there is no possibility for Rainsford not to affect the direction the smoke was going. So Zaroff saw that and realized where Rainsford was. I think he was definitely correct in his assumption.

11. How does Zaroff stock his island with “game”? /2
He makes sure that there are shipwrecks and then rescues the survivors, and kills them in the game.

12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story? /2
He gets killed by Rainsford.

13. Inspite of being hurt, Zaroff congratulates Rainsford on his “Malay mancatcher,” why? /2
Because he feels that he has finally met a somewhat worthy opponent.

14. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man? /2
Because he is able to run for a long time, and climb trees easily.

15. Discuss the state of mind of Rainsford before he lands on the island versus that after he meets the General. What is different? (Especially about how he perceives animal feelings.)/5
When he is thrown into the water, he is determined to make it to the island because he is certain that there are people there who can help him. He believes that the islanders will feed him, and help him go home. after he meets the general there is only one wish in his mind: to leave this island as soon as possible. The general scares him, he disgusts him. Rainsford does not wish to be a murderer, he only hunts animals. He doesn't care about what the animals are thinking when they are being hunted. However, when he is involuntarily participating in Zaroff's game he finally understands how the animal feels.

16. How does Connell inspire fear without obvious bloodshed/grotesqueness. /3
Connell inspires fear by making the story very suspenseful. We do not know that Zaroff did not fall in to the trap, we do not know that Zaroff will let Rainsford get away with hiding in a tree. We are not aware of these things at first, and it makes us fear for the life of the protagonist.

Completion 5/5

Effort4/5

Content 4/5

Questions 31/32

Total 45/47