Lit.+Doc,+The+Most+Dangerous

__Short Stories - Literary Devices__ __Title: The Most Dangerous Game__ Point of View: 3rd person/ limited omniscient

Protagonist: What type of character is the Protagonist? Rainsford. He is round as well as dynamic.

Antagonist: General Zaroff

Describe the setting The story begins on a boat, travelling to Rio. The focus is on Rainsford and as he falls of the boat it follows his journey to “Ship Trap island” The island is dense with trees and has a swamp named “Death Swamp” in the southeast corner of the island, filled with quicksand. There is also a large Mansion owned by general Zaroff. Type of Conflict: Man vs Man

Describe the main conflict: The conflict is that the main antagonist has become bored with hunting animals, so he begins hunting humans. Soon Rainsford arrives, and is to be hunted. Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax is undoubtedly the end of the story, When Rainsford jumps out from behind the curtain.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? Towards the end Rainsford has changed from a civilized being into more of an animal

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The title, The most dangerous game seems to be a pun on the word game. Game could mean game as in large game hunting or as in the game that General Zaroff is plays, the hunt. This is relevent to the theme, which I think is hunter becomes hunted, because hunting is just a game, but with humans, a dangerous one How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict, which I believe is the hunt illustrates the hunter, Rainsford, becoming prey to General Zaroff. This is laced with the irony as Rainsford is discussing how prey do not feel and he is lucky that he is the hunter, not the huntee.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? I assume that the climax is towards the end where rainsford jumps out from behind the curtains. If that is the case then the climax illustrates the theme (the hunter becoming the hunted) Absolutely. When Rainsford says “I am still a beast at bay” he is saying that Dr. Zaroff treats him like an animal and so an animal he will stay until one of them is dead. The hunter has become the hunted, an animal, and until the deadly game of hunting is finished he will not again be human.

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

Simile: The revolver pointing as rigidly as if the giant were a statue gave off a smell like incense night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake

Metaphor: who'd go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light the night would be my eyelids blood-warm waters of the Caribbean Sea

Personification: the muck sucked viciously at his foot

Symbol: Lazarus: General Zaroff is more saddened by the fact that his hunting dog is dead than a human, this is because Lazarus helps him hunt and his brain is so warped that he sees humans not as humans, but as prey. Foreshadowing (give both elements): It was the baying of a pack of hounds. this foreshadows the coming of General Zaroff, Ivan, and the dogs.

Irony: It is highly ironic when at the beginning Rainsford says, I am glad that we are the hunters, and not the huntees, this is ironic because soon Rainsford will become the hunted.

Imagery: but there was a fragment of sallow moon, and by its wan light he could see, dimly, the courtyard. There, weaving in and out in the pattern of shadow, were black, noiseless forms; the hounds heard him at the window and looked up, expectantly, with their green eyes

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. In the story the main antagonist, General Zaroff thinks that he has fully transcended his humanity and become a greater being, a hunter, and because of this he thinks he is better than all of his prey. He has, however more so descended backwards and become an animal. Humanity play a big role in this story, Rainsford is essentially striped of his humanity and treated as a beast, and acts as one “‘ I a still a beast at bay.”

1. What is meant by “He lived a year in a minute”? /2 This metaphor means, even though literally only a minute passed Rainsford was so tense time seemed to slow down and last a year. 2. What is meant by “I am still a beast at bay”? /2 He is still an animal not hunted. Even if you stopped hunting an animal, it wouldn’t just go away. 3. In which sea has Connell set Ship-Trap island? /1 Caribbean Sea 4. How is Zaroff able to finance his life style? /2 Not only was his father vastly wealthy, he invested in American stocks and made plenty of money. 5. If Rainsford wins the hunt, what does Zaroff promise him? /1 To take him to the mainland, “but you cannot say a word about my business there.” 6. What happened to Lazarus? /2 Lazarus, one of General Zaroffs best dogs was eaten by the quicksand of Death Swamp. 7. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt? /1 After weaving an elaborate trail Rainsford climbs a tree. 8. How many acres did Zaroff’s father have in the Crimea? /1 Half a million. 9. Why does Zarroff suggest Rainsford wear moccasins? /1 Because “ they leave a poorer trail.” 10. What caused Rainsford to believe Zaroff knew he was hiding in the tree? Do you think he was right? Give reasons. /3 Rainsford watched the General look up the tree then smile turned and left. I believe he was right, and that the general was simply playing with him. Why would Zaroff smile, or leave if he was hunting and didn’t know.? 11. How does Zaroff stock his island with “game”? /2 Either storms crash ships against the Islands mighty cliffs, or if none do, he flashes a light to indicate a channel where there isn’t one so that ships will turn and crash. 12. What happened to General Zaroff at the end of the story? /2 It is implied in the statement “ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed” then later, “He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.” that general Zaroff furnished (Took care of) a repast (a meal or the food). Or, in simpler terms was fed to the dogs. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. Inspite of being hurt, Zaroff congratulates Rainsford on his “Malay mancatcher,” why? /2 General Zaroff is a hunter and admires other hunters, as well as probably enjoying the challenge that Rainsford is providing. 14. How do we know Rainsford is an exceptionally fit man? /2 At the beginning of the story he swims for quite a distance as well as the fact that he is an excellent hunter who has fought multiple fast animals at different times. 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 In the beginning, Rainsford says “who cares how the animal feels” among other statements. He doesn’t really care about what the animal is thinking, he also doesn't think that animals can fear. After his horrible experience on Ship Trap Island, I would imagine that his perspective would change to one quite different, and maybe would consider that animals are still living beings that think, fear and that animals feel. 16. How does Connell inspire fear without obvious bloodshed/grotesqueness. /3 Connell Inspires fear with the use of dramatic tension, as well as the idea that that the violence that humans commit to animals can be flipped, to form a deadly game. He makes us shudder when we here the gunshots, and let us imagine the scenario, instead of him having to explain it. He makes a reader clench their teeth as they wait to see if Rainsford will live. He lets us think, so that we can make it as gory and awful as we can imagine. Completion 5/5 Effort 4/5 Content 4/5 Questions 31/32 Total 44/47