The lesson of the story is to beware of human nature. Rainsford was a man who didn't care much about the animals being hunted, anyone else, or their superstitions. He believed that animals were dumb and that they had no clue what was happening until they were shot. He also was annoyed that Whitney was worried about the haunted island. Rainsford new it was not true, and so should Whitney. He felt that the superstition is fake, that it's just an empty island with nothing on it. Rainsford learned his lesson on the island. After first meeting General Zaroff he thought he was a nice man, then he found out the the General hunted humans. Rainsford refused to participate, then found he was the one being hunted. He then understood how the jaguar, or
