The Most Dangerous Game - Analysis and Themes
A detailed exploration of Richard Connell's classic short story, "The Most Dangerous Game." The plot follows Rainsford's harrowing journey as he is hunted by the menacing General Zaroff on Ship-Trap Island. The conflicts, characters, setting, suspense, themes, point of view, and literary techniques such as irony and foreshadowing are discussed in depth, offering a comprehensive analysis of this thrilling tale.
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PLOT Rainsford falls off yacht Swims to Ship-Trap Island Meets Ivan & Zaroff Gets hunted Defeats Zaroff in a duel CLIMAX duel with Zaroff
Conflicts Man vs. Man Rainsford vs. Ivan, Zaroff Man vs. Nature Rainsford vs. sea, quicksand Man vs. Self Rainsford vs. fear, decisions
Characters Rainsford round, dynamic Whitney Flat, static Zaroff Round, static Ivan Flat, static
Setting Ship-Trap Island in Caribbean Starts at night, lasts for days Foggy, hot, humid Mood Spooky, mysterious, suspenseful
Suspense P. ____ word choice mystery Ship-Trap Island suggestive name, dread, superstition, evil can be sensed P. ____-____ pacing Wait for General Zaroff to identify the game he hunts on the island P. ____-____ multiple mini-climaxes During the hunt, each trap creates a mini-climax
Theme P. ____ The world is made up of 2 classes the hunters & the huntees. P. ____ Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if need be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure.
Point of View 3rdperson
Literary Techniques Irony P. __ Luckily, you and I are the hunters. P. __ Don t be alarmed. P. __ This is a most restful spot. P. __ We do our best to preserve the amenities of civilization here. P. __ Rainsford kills Zaroff at his own game.
Literary Techniques Foreshadowing P. ____ bizarre quality in the general s face P. ____ Zaroff is also a savage P. ____ Rainsford saw Zaroff studying him
Literary Techniques Simile P. ____ It s like moist black velvet. P. ____ The sea was as flat as a plate-glass window. P. ____ It s like finding a snuffbox in a limousine P. ____ An apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake.
Literary Techniques Metaphor P. ____ The lights of the yacht became faint and ever- vanishing fireflies P. ____ He was in a picture with a frame of water, and his operations, clearly, must take place within that frame. (island=picture, water=frame)
Literary Techniques Imagery P. ____ trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht P. ____ The lights from the windows sent a flickering illumination that made grotesque patterns on the courtyard below, and Rainsford could see moving about there a dozen or so huge black shapes; as they turned toward him, their eyes glittered greenly.
Literary Techniques Onomatopoeia P. ____ muttering and growling of the sea
Literary Techniques Syllogism form of logic/reasoning using 2 statements and a conclusion drawn from them P. ____ Where there are shots, there are men. Where there are men, there is food.
Writing Style Sentence structure P. ____ Short sentences are used to emphasize Rainsford s state of panic, quick-thinking
Plot Princess falls in love with common youth against the law Youth must face King s arena & choose Lady or Tiger Princess finds out secret of doors & must decide how to influence youth (She HATES the lady.) Climax Youth opens door Resolution Reader decides!
Conflicts Man vs. Man Princess vs. Lady, Youth vs. King Man vs. Nature Youth vs. Tiger Man vs. Society Youth loves too far above his social class. Man vs. Self decisions, fear
Characters King Flat, static Youth Flat, static Princess Round, static/dynamic Lady Flat, static
Setting Olden times in a kingdom Mood Suspenseful, humorous
Point of View 3rdperson P. ____ change to 1st& 2ndperson
Literary Techniques Irony P. ____ his [the King s] nature was bland and genial; but whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his orbs got out of their orbits, he was blander and more genial still, for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight, and crush down uneven places. King is NOT kind and easy-going; he s cruel and ruthless the minds of his subjects were refined and cultured Minds were ACTUALLY dulled, diluted, corrupted
Literary Techniques Irony P. ____ This was the king s semibarbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious. His method is NOT just or fair. the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan Subjects are savage and unreasoning. Subjects were entertained and pleased by arena trials Like reality TV? Voyeurism? Mourners had to be paid Shouldn t have to pay people to mourn for the dead
Theme Which is more powerful, love or jealousy?
Plot Scout, doing his job, sees enemy man with ginger beard and doesn t shoot. Scout stops at farm and gathers apples for his unit. He gets shot by man whose life he spared earlier. Climax He heard the shot that killed him. Resolution He s killed by the man whose life he spared earlier.
Conflicts Man vs. Man enemy Man vs. Nature pollen, heat Man vs. Society war Man vs. Self fear, decision
Characters Scout (no name=any soldier) Round, static Man with ginger-colored beard Flat, static
Setting A war (no name=all wars) Heat of the day (starts around noon) Mood Suspense, sadness/depression
Point of View 3rdperson
Theme War turns men into animals kill or be killed. War is impersonal. It dehumanizes. Scout stays too long at farm gathering apples for his buddies. He gets shot because he did something compassionate too human.
Literary Techniques Imagery P. 40 The ridge ended in a steep descent so steep that he zigzagged back and forth across the face of the slope, sliding and stumbling among the dead leaves and matted vines and keeping a watchful eye on the horse above that threatened to fall down upon him. The sweat ran from him, and the pollen dust, settling pungently in mouth and nostrils, increased his thirst. Sight, sound, touch, smell, taste
Literary Techniques Foreshadowing P. 42 One thought persisted maddeningly. It was of the crash into his body of a high-velocity bullet. Simile & Onomatopoeia P. 43 And he winced and ducked even lower when a third bullet, fired low, struck a stone between the horse s legs and ricocheted off through the air, buzzing and humming like some incredible insect.
Literary Techniques Irony P. 44 The ginger-bearded man, whose life he spared earlier, kills him. The enemy soldiers laugh and clap when the scout dies. The scout hears the bullet that kills him.
Plot Framework story Holmes & Watson talk. Inner story Musgrave Ritual Case Musgrave comes to see college friend Holmes because his butler, Brunton, and maid, Rachel Howells, are missing. Brunton was fired for looking through family papers. Brunton uses the Ritual to find the treasure (crown & coins of King Charles I of England) but is killed in the cellar by Rachel either on purpose or by accident. Rachel is never found. Rising Action p. 54 Fact that Brunton might gain personal advantage clues reader to monetary value of the secret relating to the Ritual
Conflicts Man vs. Man Rachel vs. Brunton Musgrave vs. Brunton Holmes vs. Brunton Man vs. Self decisions, pressure, fear of failure
CharactersKnow who these characters are! Holmes Watson Brunton Musgrave Rachel Character traits & roles of Holmes & Watson Holmes Detailed, observant, proud, disorganized outwardly, organized mentally Watson Organized outwardly, puts up with Holmes idiosyncrasies, writes down cases
Setting Framework Holmes and Watson s flat Inner Hurlstone Mood Suspense needed for mystery
Point of View 1stperson Framework Watson s perspective Inner story Holmes telling the story to Watson, who is telling us
Suspense P. 52 Rachel s strange hysterical attack intensifies the reader s curiosity. Brunton s clothes, his watch, and even his money were in his room, but the black suit which he usually wore was missing. His slippers, too, were gone, but his boots were left behind clues suggest Brunton has not really left the house. P. 57 Though Brunton has been found, there is still no clue as to who else is involved, who robbed the Musgrave treasure.
Literary Techniques Allusion P. 50 Brunton is a bit of a Don Juan. Irony P. 51 Musgrave thought the Musgrave Ritual was of no practical use whatever, but it will be the clue upon which Holmes bases his deductions. It leads to a very valuable treasure!
