The+Most+Dangerous+Game+-+Literary+Devices

Marika Horan.
Short Stories - Literary Devises - The Most Dangerous Game.

Point of View:

-Narrarator – third person.

Protagonist:

-Rainsford

What type of character is the Protagonist?

-Round and dynamic.

Antagonist:

-General Zaroff.

Describe the setting:

-On an island called “ship-trap” in the Carribean Sea, which is surrounded by giant rocks which ships often crash into. The climate was very hot and humid and the nights were very dark. There was a house on the island belonging to General Zaroff, which was very large and beautiful.

Type of Conflict:

-Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self.

Describe the main conflict:

-The main conflict in the story was the antagonist- General Zaroff, against the protagonist, being Rainsford. However, another conflict was created by General Zaroff’s lack of civilization and understanding of humanity. The fact that he thinks it’s alright to hunt other human beings. The fact that he thinks it’s alright to hunt other human beings went against Rainsford’s beliefs, and this caused Rainsford to transform his idea of empathy toward the animals he used to hunt because he was placed in their position, and by the end of the story, understood how it feels to be hunted.

Describe the Climax of the Story:

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">-The climax of the story was when Rainsford jumped off the cliff of the Island, because that was the turning point in the story where the conclusion begins. The reader doesn’t know whether or not Rainsford had survived the jump until the final conclusion.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story?

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">-In the beginning, Rainsford believed animals, including the ones he hunted, could not feel or understand the emotions of the fear of pain and death. He is then put in the exact position of being a hunted animal by Zaroff, and is forced to experience how terrifying it feels – and proves it, by saying “I am still a beast at bay.”

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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">Describe the relationship between the title and the theme.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">-I think the theme of the story was related to the title in that when people are placed in a situation which they are used to, but in a different position – in this case being the hunt, and instead of being the hunter Rainsford is forced to become the hunted - it brings fear, which leads to empathy but also brings out the worst in a person because they end up having to throw away their beliefs and morals for the ability to survive which is a very dangerous thing. Instead of capturing Zaroff and taking him back to civilization, forcing him to pay for his crimes and be brought to justice, Rainsford kills him and then sleeps in his bed. While this could be seen as a positive thing which Rainsford has done, it only contradicts Rainsford in the story because he did exactly what he is against Zaroff doing – murdering humans.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme?

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">-The main conflict helped illustrate the theme through irony. Zaroff’s actions put fear in Rainsford, which caused him to change as a person for the better, in a way because he is able to feel empathy toward animals afterwards because he discovered how it felt to be hunted.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">Ironically, Rainsford’s fear also caused him to give up his values and commit murder, which he fought against.

<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif';">How does the climax help to illustrate the theme?

<span style="font-family: 'helvetica','sans-serif';">- The climax helps illustrate the theme by not telling the reader whether or not Rainsford survived the fall and made the story more exciting, by pulling the reader in and capturing our interest.

Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

Simile:

- 'Moonless Caribean night .. It's like moist black velvet," directly compares literally a Caribean night with no visible moon, to moist black velvet.

Metaphor: - “blood-warm waters of the Caribbean sea,” compares the warmth of the water in the ocean to the warmth of blood.

Personification: -“muttering and growling of the sea,” because the sea cannot mutter or growl. Also, “sea licked greedy lips,” because the sea cannot lick, because of the fact that it doesn't have lips. The sea also does not have the human emotion of greed as it was described to.

Symbol: -The Cape buffalo head on General Zaroff's wall inside his home is a symbol of his skill as a hunter, because it is one of the largest and most dangerous of big game to obtain.

Foreshadowing (give both elements): -"I've always thought," said Rainsford, "that the Cape buffalo is the most dangerous of all big game." For a moment the general did not reply; he was smiling his curious red-lipped smile. Then he said slowly: "No. You are wrong, sir. The Cape buffalo is not the most dangerous big game." He sipped his wine. "Here in my preserve on this island," he said in the same slow tone "I hunt more dangerous game.." This passage foreshadows what type of prey Zaroff is really interested in hunting - which is humans.

Irony: -One example of Irony in the story is the fact that Rainsford the hunter, becomes the hunted after arriving on the island. Another example is when General Zaroff stated that they "try to be civilized" on the island, yet he hunts other human beings for his own leisure, which is one of the most uncivilized things a person could ever do.

Imagery: -"The dining room to which Ivan conducted him was in many ways remarkable. There was a medieval magnificence about it; it suggested a baronial hall of feudal times with its oaken panels, its high ceiling, its vast refectory table where twoscore men could sit down to eat. About the hall were the mounted heads of many animals - lions, tigers, elephants, moose, bears; larger or more perfect specimens Rainsford had never seen."

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story.

- This story, "The Most Dangerous Game", is related to the class theme of humanity because it highlights and focuses on a few negative and even a few positive aspects of human nature, therefore asks the reader the question deep down, what really makes us human. As other creatures may kill one another for a purpose, such as self defence or food, etc. we humans are really the only species alive which kills it's own kind for no purpose or reason at all. In the story, General Zaroff said to Rainsford, "life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if need be, taken by the strong." By saying this, he proved that he has an undeserved sense of self superiority, as well as the fact that he doesn't have the ability to value the lives of other beings. As a species, us humans have these same feelings toward animals, and in some cases, even toward other humans. The main human aspects which were highlighted in the story are self-riteousness, terror, and proves that us humans are animals too, and if forced to, can be reduced to our animal instincts to gather the will to survive. This is how the story relates to the class theme

15/15!