Richard Connell’s text, “The Most Dangerous Game” recounts the tribulations of a hunter, Rainsford, and his journey of survival after landing on General Zaroff’s island. Upon landing on the island, Rainsford soon finds out that General Zaroff--who has grown bored with hunting big game-- devises a hunt that pits hunter against human prey which leads Rainsford to become the mouse in General Zaroff’s game of wits. After three days of eluding General Zaroff--many times close to being killed-- Rainsford evaded Zaroff and assumed the position of game master. In “The Most Dangerous Game,” Richard Connell uses symbolism and setting to create and maintain a mood of suspense. Connell, using the color red as a symbol to represent violence and bloodshed,
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As the story opens, the reader is met with darkness as a setting. For example, Whitney places the reader in suspicion as he states, “evil is a tangible thing—with wavelength, just as sound and light have...An evil place can, so to speak, broadcast vibration of evil”(31). Darkness reinforces the suspenseful mood of mystery. Upon Rainsford landing on the island, he is meeting with “bleak darkness was blacking out the sea and jungle.” This further reinstates the ominous feeling. And after following the light, Rainsford meets the general. As in any traditional story, the light may symbolize hope, happiness, and a resolution to the problem. Instead Connell uses, a “moth to a flame situation,” where the light draws in unexpected prey to their death. After Rainsford arrives to Zaroff’s mansion, he is met with “a river of glaring gold light, but a man with a dark face” (49). Connell rearranges the perspective of light vs. dark by not putting any sign of goodness. General Zaroff’s tactic of luring sailors to their doom by using light as a beacon of hope for safety. Lighthouses are often used by sailors to get to safety. Instead, Zaroff’s use of the light causes sailors to crash and forcefully put them into the savage game of hunter and
As the story opens, the reader is met with darkness as a setting. For example, Whitney places the reader in suspicion as he states, “evil is a tangible thing—with wavelength, just as sound and light have...An evil place can, so to speak, broadcast vibration of evil”(31). Darkness reinforces the suspenseful mood of mystery. Upon Rainsford landing on the island, he is meeting with “bleak darkness was blacking out the sea and jungle.” This further reinstates the ominous feeling. And after following the light, Rainsford meets the general. As in any traditional story, the light may symbolize hope, happiness, and a resolution to the problem. Instead Connell uses, a “moth to a flame situation,” where the light draws in unexpected prey to their death. After Rainsford arrives to Zaroff’s mansion, he is met with “a river of glaring gold light, but a man with a dark face” (49). Connell rearranges the perspective of light vs. dark by not putting any sign of goodness. General Zaroff’s tactic of luring sailors to their doom by using light as a beacon of hope for safety. Lighthouses are often used by sailors to get to safety. Instead, Zaroff’s use of the light causes sailors to crash and forcefully put them into the savage game of hunter and