Obstacles In The Most Dangerous Game

Improved Essays
Overcoming Frequent Obstacles

Everyone goes through obstacles and some more than others. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell about a man names Rainford washing up on an island with a man named General Zaroff who likes to hunt for humans because hunting got too easy. General Zaroff goes through obstacles when his new friends Rainsford wants to leave before they hunt together. He tries to overcome these obstacles by bribery, misdirection the conversation, and being kind to change Rainsford’s mind. Zaroff overcomes the obstacles he is faced with doing it with respect and kindness.

General Zaroff uses bribery to get Rainsford to want to join him on the hunt although he doesn't want to. General Zaroff starts to distract
…show more content…
Zaroff changes the subject and assures Rainsford that he is not a bad guy, “Dear me, what a righteous young man [Rainsford is]. I assure you I do not do the thing you suggest. That would be barbarous. I treat these visitors with every consideration… [Rainsford] shall see for yourself tomorrow”(28). Zaroff is being smart by changing the subject to distract Rainsford from the fact he doesn’t want to be there. He is very good at changing the subject and making Rainsford forget about the truth and what he thinks. Zaroff avoids the obstacles by avoiding the answers from Rainsford and changing the subject. “[Rainsford will] want to start, no doubt. [Zaroff] shall not follow till dusk. Hunting at night is so much more exciting than by day, don't you think? Au revoir, Mr. Rainsford, …show more content…
If Zaroff is nice, it will not make him look as mean or dangerous during to hunt. “"I wish to leave this island at once." The general raised his thickets of eyebrows; he seemed hurt. "But, my dear fellow," the general protested, "you've only just come. You've had no hunting--"(30). You can tell that the general is upset that Rainsford doesn’t want to hunt but he is nice about it knowing that he will make him hunt. Zaroff overcomes Rainsford’s opinions on hunting by obeying his wishes and not fighting back, “Rainsford shook his head. "No, general," he said. "I will not hunt." The general shrugged his shoulders and delicately ate a hothouse grape. "As you wish, my friend," he said”(30). By being kind, it makes Zaroff look nicer and Rainsford rude. It makes it harder for him to say no. Zaroff thinks ahead even though he knows he will make Rainsford hunt. Lastly, after the hunt, General Zaroff wants a rematch after Rainsford survived. He is nice about the rematch offering a prize to whoever wins. “One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford." . . .He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided”(36). Even though General Zaroff’s plan didn’t work out and it fired back in the end, he is nice about the rematch and Rainsford’s win in the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Nevertheless, his pride and lifestyle has made a killer out of him and with it all sense of humanity. The thing that got my attention about General Zaroff is his complex personality and his superficial charm. He appears like a cultivated and legitimate noble man when he welcomes Rainsford with food and "held out his hand to welcome Rainsford", yet when he starts to recount his story you discover how ruthless his personality is. He uses the island to take wrecked travelers into his house to encourage them and give them a place to…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Is General Zaroff guilty in the name of the law? General Zaroff: a skillful, innocent hunter, or a deranged, guilty murderer. In “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, General Zaroff descends from a family of aristocrat Cossacks described as nothing short of savages. Savages are violent and uncontrollable, similar to Zaroff when he is hunting his most precious prey, humans.…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Most Dangerous Game: What is the mental state of General Zaroff? General Zaroff is the main antagonist of the story The Most Dangerous Game. He's got it all but he still wants more.…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to “Dictionary.com” the definition of a psychopath is “a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior.” In the short story The Most Dangerous Game by: Richard Connell, General Zaroff demonstrates these psychopathic characteristics. Throughout the text there are examples that provide proof that Zaroff is a psychopath. In the beginning of the story we are introduced to two friends, Whitney and Rainsford, on a Yacht bound for Rio. Both are big game hunters headed to a hunting trip in the Amazon River.…

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ by Richard Connell Rainsford is in no way a murderer. Rainsford is only capable of killing an animal. Rainsford only killed Zaroff in self defense, Rainsford also made it very clear that he thought killing another human being was inhumane, but on the other hand Rainsford had no real reason to kill General Zaroff. Rainsford did not know what Zaroff had in mind so his last resort was self defense. Rainsford must have thought that if Zaroff did not die then he would be the one to die instead.…

    • 297 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    “The Most Dangerous Game” Character analysis essay “The Most Dangerous Game” is a story about a hunter named Rainsford who falls off a boat and ends up on an island. There is a big castle and Rainsford rings the doorbell and and a big giant named Ivan opens the door. Rainsford meets General Zaroff .General Zaroff hints that he is tired of normal hunting games. General want to play a new game with Rainsford.…

    • 264 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As states by Zaroff "But no animal can reason, objected Rainsford. My dear fellow, said the general, there is one that can." (Conell). Through this quote one can infer that Zaroff is suggesting that he is hunting humans but at first he never comes out and says it. Zaroff is also extremely cold hearted.…

    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Although Rainsford is a hunter, after refusing to hunt with Zaroff, he becomes the hunted. This puts him in a position he never thought he would be at. As the story comes to a conclusion, he now feels guilty for showing no sympathy for his prey, but now understands how they feel after being the…

    • 730 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sitting in a tree waiting for Zaroff to expose himself, suddenly he spotted Zaroff walking through the jungle. Becoming more and more anxious by the second, Rainsford realized that Zaroff was right below him. Trying to lay as still as possible so he wouldn’t get spotted, Zaroff began to scan tree and suddenly, looked up at him and had a huge smile take over his face. “The general was playing with him! The general was saving him for another day’s sport!”…

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Salt and pepper both used for seasoning but have very different tastes. This is an analogy I would use to describe Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff. In the duration of the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game”, both are portrayed a impeccable hunters, but, as the story proceeds the separation the two hunters unfolds. Although they bear some mutual similarities, the difference between Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff are quite pronounced; differences such as their age, where there from, personality, and their style of hunting. Starting off, Zaroff is an older man who is an ex militant from Russia, while Rainsford, a young man who was also in the military, is from America.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jumping the Hurdle Most people tend to think that they behave differently than the characters that are portrayed in books, magazines, and movies. However, most of them imitate the characters behavior, whether it is the way they overcome a challenge, or deal with an issue. In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, Richard Connell tells of Sanger Rainsford, a hunter, who must overcome an obstacle using his wits, logic, and hunting skills to outsmart General Zaroff at his own game; hunting.…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Suddenly Zaroff jumped up and pulled out a hand pistol underneath his pillow, holding it to Rainsford's forehead. “Now if only it was that easy,” Zaroff said. ”I’ll give you two options we can go for around two or I could easily just end it all for you here now, I got six bullets but only need one. Any man who has won against me is cheating and I'm not very fond of cheaters” Rainsford stood in silence glancing the room around, and in a swift movement he grabbed the knife that was in his back pocket and stabbed Zaroff’s stomach making him drop the pistol.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To conclude, Rainsford will hunt again, to keep himself busy, and to protect himself with his professional hunting skills. Since Rainsford is ambitious, protective, and a quick learner his success on the island will cause him to hunt again. If you were stranded on an unaccustomed and unknown island, with the experience you have with hunting and your personality, what will you do? Will you hunt again?…

    • 67 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Man that was Used Up” discusses the role of a war hero in society through Brevet Brigadier General John A.B.C. Smith. Due to his efforts in the Bugaboo war, Smith is idolized by the community. However, Smith’s respected and remarkable ego is only an illusion since the war has taken Smith’s true identity, and Poe satirizes some political figures in his lifetime through the characterization of General Smith. Throughout the story, Brevet Brigadier General John A.B.C. Smith is highly venerated by the members of society.…

    • 592 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Rainsford is then invited to rest at Zaroff’s home, he then proceeds to be invited to dinner with Zaroff. At dinner Zaroff tells Rainsford of his many hunting expeditions, and how hunting has begun to bore…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays