The Most Dangerous Game

Connell’s short story begins with a foreboding tone as the ship on which Rainsford and Whitney are passengers passes by Ship-Trap Island in the darkness of the Caribbean waters. The island’s very name suggests danger, and Connell conveys a sense of evil through Whitney’s mention of crewmembers’ superstitions and imagery used to describe the intense darkness of the night. The blackness is described as “palpable,” “thick,” and “moist black velvet” (1), suggesting suffocating and tangible darkness. From the beginning, Connell’s use of tone, imagery, and setting indicates that readers should not expect a feel-good story.

The conversation between Whitney and Rainsford on the ship deck reveals a contrast between the two men’s natures. While Whitney is sympathetic and sensitive, Rainsford is dogmatic and prideful. It also introduces the activity around which the story’s action revolves: hunting. Whitney is willing to consider the point of view of the prey he hunts, but Rainsford is not. For Rainsford, hunting is a metaphor for life. Two classes exist: the hunters and the hunted—the haves and the have nots. This conversation foreshadows the story’s rising action when Rainsford’s position as the hunter will be overturned, and he will experience firsthand the role of the prey and the universal fear to which Whitney refers.

The pistol shots on the island shore and Rainsford’s subsequent fall into the ocean incite the story’s action. Connell describes the water as “blood-warm” (2), foreshadowing the dangers ahead for Rainsford. Although Rainsford finds himself in a life-threatening situation, he does not panic. His cool-headedness and logical thinking recur throughout the story and are key to his survival during Zaroff’s hunt. The rough jungle landscape on the island suggests the lack of mercy and humanity in such a remote place. The jagged coastline, dense jungle, and “snarled” foliage (3) suggest the island is untamed and unforgiving, reflecting the attitude of its owner General Zaroff.

Zaroff’s chateau sharply contrasts with the rough landscape. Whereas the jungle indicates a lack of humanity, the chateau suggests human life, comfort, and refinement. This juxtaposition also is reflected in Zaroff’s character: his cruelty contrasts with his appearance of civility. Zaroff drinks only the finest wines and serves gourmet food on beautiful china. He takes great care to preserve “the amenities of civilization” (5). He treats Rainsford with seeming hospitality, welcoming him as a guest and providing him with clothing and a place to stay. Because his manners are so refined, Zaroff’s revelation that he hunts men is all the more dramatic and shocking. He does not attempt to hide his gruesome hobby nor apologize for it.

The primary reason Zaroff gives for hunting people is that hunting any other kind of animal became boring. He needed quarry that could match his ability to reason. He justifies his actions by putting humans on the same level as animals and employing a “survival of the fittest” mentality. Interestingly, Zaroff’s statement that “[l]ife is for the strong” and “the weak […] were put here to give the strong pleasure” (8) sounds similar to Rainsford’s statement that the world contains only two classes of people: “the hunters and the huntees” (1). Connell creates this point of comparison between the two men, showing that both are accustomed to occupying a position of privilege. Through the dinner conversation between Zaroff and Rainsford, Connell reveals the absurdity of the claim that some people are of less value than others.

Perhaps the most disturbing element of Zaroff’s character is his ability to retain a sense of normalcy and common courtesy despite his horrific practices. While sipping expensive wine and wishing Rainsford a good night’s sleep, he admits to trapping passing ships and training sailors to provide him with an entertaining hunt. In Zaroff’s character, Connell creates a monster clothed as a gentleman. His manner is full of propriety yet contains a menacing undertone. Connell suggests that appearances are not always what they seem; cultural indicators of success and refinement do not necessarily signify upstanding character.

During the hunt, Connell reveals Rainsford’s clear-headedness under pressure, just the kind of prey Zaroff wants. However, Zaroff’s tracking skills exceed Rainsford’s expectations, and he locates Rainsford faster than anticipated. Zaroff’s decision to spare Rainsford to prolong the hunt shows his cruelty and hunting obsession. Connell creates suspense during the hunt through a combination of repetition and imagery. He describes Zaroff’s hunting dogs coming “nearer, then still nearer, nearer, ever nearer” (14), creating mounting tension with each repetition.

The story ends abruptly shortly after the climax, with little falling action or sense of resolution. The sudden ending leaves the reader feeling unsettled, wishing for more explanation for Rainsford’s motivations behind killing Zaroff rather than walking away while he had the chance. The reader spends most of the story rooting for Rainsford, believing him to be the nobler man; however, the story’s final lines challenge the reader’s understanding of Rainsford’s character. Although Zaroff has pronounced the game over and declared Rainsford the winner, Rainsford still feels he cannot rest. By killing Zaroff at this point, his actions are not self-defense; he commits murder. The fear he experiences as Zaroff’s prey turns him into “a beast” (15) and removes the respect for human life he once had. Through this ending, Connell suggests that in the case of Rainsford, instinct ultimately overtakes reason.