Rainsford And General Zaroff Comparison

Every story portrays an idea, or theme, that the reader most likely picks up on and follows throughout the story. A theme in “The Most Dangerous Game” is that civility and savagery are in everyone. In “The Most Dangerous Game” Richard Connell’s idea of civility and its relationship to savage, comes to life through a series of traits in Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff and how they react to certain situations. In The Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell proves, through Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff, one action doesn’t fall specifically under one category of civil or savage, and even if an overall human being might be classified as civil, or savage, that individual can perform savage, or civil, acts. Sanger Rainsford shows many civilized qualities. “[Zaroff] read [his] book about hunting in Tibet’ ”(Connell 5). When he …show more content…
“In a cultivated voice marked by a slight accent that gave it added precision and deliberateness, he said, ‘It is a great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr.Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter, to my home’” (Connell 5). Another sign of civility is Zaroff’s sophistication in his skills and education, much like Rainsford. He knows several languages “‘You see, I read all books on hunting published in English, French, and Russian’”(Connell 6) , he is able to translate Latin “to soothe himself” (Connell 17), and he knows opera too. Zaroff, just like Rainsford, has plenty of wealth, but again he lavishes in his luxury. He owns a mansion: eats all of the finest foods, “They were eating borsch” ; and dresses in the most demur fashion, “Ivan laid out an evening suit [...]” (Connell 6). All of these are traits demonstrate Zaroff’s civility, but readers soon find they only mask his