The Most Dangerous Game

Question

by Richard Connell

“General,” said Rainsford, firmly, “I wish to leave this island at once.”

The general raised his thickets of eyebrows; he seemed hurt. “But, my dear fellow,” the general protested, “you’ve only just come. You’ve had no hunting——”

“I wish to go to-day,” said Rainsford. He saw the dead black eyes of the general on him, studying him. General Zaroff’s face suddenly brightened.

He filled Rainsford’s glass with venerable Chablis from a dusty bottle.

“To-night,” said the general, “we will hunt—you and I.”

Rainsford shook his head. “No, General,” he said. “I will not hunt.”

The general shrugged his shoulders and delicately ate a hothouse grape. “As you wish, my friend,” he said. “The choice rests entirely with you. But may I not venture to suggest that you will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan’s?”

He nodded toward the corner to where the giant stood, scowling, his thick arms crossed on his hogshead of chest.

“You don’t mean——” cried Rainsford.

“My dear fellow,” said the general, “have I not told you I always mean what I say about hunting? This is really an inspiration. I drink to a foeman worthy of my steel—at last.”

The general raised his glass, but Rainsford sat staring at him.

“You’ll find this game worth playing,” the general said, enthusiastically. “Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?”

“And if I win——” began Rainsford, huskily.

“I’ll cheerfully acknowledge myself defeated if I do not find you by midnight of the third day,” said General Zaroff. “My sloop will place you on the mainland near a town.”

The general read what Rainsford was thinking.

“Oh, you can trust me,” said the Cossack. “I will give you my word as a gentleman and a sportsman. Of course, you, in turn, must agree to say nothing of your visit here.”

“I’ll agree to nothing of the kind,” said Rainsford.

“Oh,” said the general, “in that case—— But why discuss that now? Three days hence we can discuss it over a bottle of Veuve Cliquot, unless——”

The general sipped his wine.

Then a businesslike air animated him. “Ivan,” he said to Rainsford, “will supply you with hunting clothes, food, a knife. I suggest you wear moccasins; they leave a poorer trail. I suggest, too, that you avoid the big swamp in the southeast corner of the island. We call it Death Swamp. There’s quicksand there. One foolish fellow tried it. The deplorable part of it was that Lazarus followed him. You can imagine my feelings, Mr. Rainsford. I loved Lazarus; he was the finest hound in my pack. Well, I must beg you to excuse me now. I always take a siesta after lunch. You’ll hardly have time for a nap, I fear. You’ll want to start, no doubt. I shall not follow till dusk. Hunting at night is so much more exciting than by day, don’t you think? Au revoir, Mr. Rainsford, au revoir.”

General Zaroff, with a deep, courtly bow, strolled from the room.Use the passage to answer the question.

Evaluate the passage. How does the conflict between Rainsford and General Zaroff enhance the meaning of the passage?

(1 point)
Responses

The general’s keen interest in the hunt that will take place between the men generates a sense of excitement.
The general’s keen interest in the hunt that will take place between the men generates a sense of excitement.

Rainsford’s clear disadvantage in the contest between the two men generates a feeling of resentment.
Rainsford’s clear disadvantage in the contest between the two men generates a feeling of resentment.

The sense of accomplishment that the general anticipates from defeating Rainsford creates a celebratory feeling.
The sense of accomplishment that the general anticipates from defeating Rainsford creates a celebratory feeling.

Rainsford’s realization that the general intends to make him the object of the hunt creates a sense of foreboding.

Answer 1

The conflict between Rainsford and General Zaroff enhances the meaning of the passage by highlighting the sinister nature of the game and the power dynamics between the two characters. Rainsford’s realization that the general intends to make him the object of the hunt creates a sense of foreboding, establishing the stakes of the contest and the moral implications of hunting another human being for sport. This tension illustrates the themes of civilization versus savagery, the hunter versus the hunted, and the ethical boundaries of sport, making the reader acutely aware of Rainsford’s precarious position in the unfolding conflict. The impending danger and the general's calm demeanor juxtapose the excitement of the hunt with the horror of what it truly entails, thereby deepening the reader's engagement with the narrative.