One of the most prominent motifs throughout Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game is General Zaroff’s smile and laughter. This motif serves two purposes in the passage. First, it reveals the general’s true nature. His smile, described as showing “pointed teeth”, is in stark contrast with the rest of his face, which is described as “singularly handsome”. Zaroff’s face can be seen as a representation of his entire person. The general often smiles and chuckles when he approaches the subject of hunting humans. On the surface, he seems like a perfect “aristocrat”, but underneath he is a savage who enjoys hunting other human beings. This view of hunting juxtaposes Rainsford’s idea of hunting, which only involves animals. This clash of opinions
