Title: "The Most Dangerous Game"

By Richard Connell

Nature: Fiction

Genre: Short Story

Sub-genre: - Action Adventure

Nationality: - American

Time Period: -19th Century

First  read by Dr. Rearick: Fall 1998 // Jan. 2008

Rated: A

Location: -Dr. Rearick's Office Also available in an e-text version  audio version (with some introduction) Source Page

Used for: Introduction to Literature (Syllabus Page)

Scripture which Comes to Mind:

Classical Comment: "Quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius" a Roman proverb: "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad" (with power).

Comments: A great action story with a clear and evil antagonist.  General Zaroff is in many ways typical of villains of the gothic tradition.  He is exotic (a Russian cassock) who lives all by himself in an isolated mansion on an even more isolated island.  Count Dracula and he would have been great friends as long as neither turned his back to the other. It is amusing that in the audio version linked here General Zaroff sounds exactly like the count.  This story usually comes up when discussing the nature of isolation.  General Zaroff is clearly isolated by his self centered evil, Rainsford meanwhile is isolated by the power of nature.

Links:

• Another e-text version of "The Most Dangerous Game"
• Wikipedia article on "The Most Dangerous Game"
• BookRags analysis of "The Most Dangerous Game."
• Link to a film version of the story (note the addition of a woman into the plot line)
• Web Page from which the audio for The Most Dangerous Game was found

Extra Credit Possibility found at http://www.susq-town.org/sutton/Character%20AnalysisDangerousGame.doc

Character Analysis

Stories are usually written to deepen our understanding of conflicts and struggles endured by people, and to show how resilient the human spirit can be in resolving these conflicts.  In the reading of stories, characters combat a host of situations, decisions, and conflicts.  Sometimes the conflict is between characters; at other times, the character may be at odds with ideas and expectations.  This makes character analysis an important aspect of understanding any story.  In writing a character analysis, the goal is to establish how major characters traits and behaviors may significantly affect the outcome(s) of the work. 

To write this analysis successfully, it is strongly suggested that you choose a round and dynamic character.  A round and dynamic character is like a real person: ambiguous, unpredictable, and individual.  This character changes in the story, adapts to circumstances, and experiences growth, which eventually results in a discovery of some previously unrecognized truth.  The character you select should display some of these round and dynamic traits. 

To aid you in this endeavor, choose one of the following statements to write your character analysis:

1. From the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, choose a round/dynamic character that might—on the basis of the character’s actions alone—be considered rebellious.  Analyze the nature of the character’s rebellion and how it enhances meaning in the work. 

2. From the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, choose a round/dynamic character that is in conflict with societal or cultural values.  Analyze the nature of the character’s conflict and the character’s struggle to deal with and/or resolve the conflict.

3. From the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, choose a round/dynamic character whose internal conflict has led to the character’s downfall or demise.  Analyze the psychological state of the character and traits or factors contributing to the character’s downfall or demise.

4. From the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, choose a round/dynamic character that is a villain.  Analyze the nature of the character’s villainy and show how the development of the character makes the reader react sympathetically or unsympathetically to the character.

5. From the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, choose a round/dynamic character that has an affinity (a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc.) toward positive or negative behavior.  Analyze the character’s behaviors and internal state to determine reasons for the character’s choices and decisions.  Discuss how these behaviors, choices, and decisions affect the character’s relationships in the story.