These questions regard "The Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, which is available to read upon the internet.
1.
(a) Why happens at the end of the story? (b) In the last scene of the story, why does Rainsford say "I am still a beast at bay"?
2. How do you think the hunting experience with Zaroff changed Rainsford?
3. (a) What word would you use to describe Zaroff's character? (b) Do you think people like Zaroff exist in real life? Explain.
My answers:
1. (a) Zaroff presumes that Rainsford is dead after leaping off a cliff and surrenders the hunt, returning to his house. However, after "an exceedingly good dinner"(35) and reading of the works of Marcus Aurelius to soothe himself after the troublesome day, Zaroff discovers Rainsford in his bedroom. Rainsford then tells him to "get ready, General Zaroff" (36), as though challenging him to what seems like the finale of Zaroff's game. They fight, although the author does not describe what type of fight it is, and manages to kill, or defeat, the general. Rainsford then sleeps in Zaroff's bed. (b) Rainsford says this because he means that Zaroff has not yet caught his beast yet, referring to himself, which signals their final confrontation.
2. I think the hunting experience has changed Rainsford in many ways. Considering his anxiety over the course of the past three days after running throughout the jungle and being the game of a hunting expedition, I think he now understands the terror that animals experience when they are hunted and has possibly lost his desire to do so or at least may approach his prey with a new respect. I think he has also become mentally stronger. However, another possible notion of mine, considering the fact that Rainsford slept quite soundly after killing Zaroff, is that he has become even more ruthless or hasn’t undergone any significant transformation whatsoever.
3. The words that best describe Zaroff are: mad or insane, ruthless, cunning, clever, predatory, repulsive, refined, and devoid of all emotion and humanity. (b) Yes, I do think people like Zaroff exist in reality because there are many mentally-ill people who are also murders and enjoy the killing of innocent people, such as Hitler and many gunmen who are responsible for mass shootings in our past and present.
10 answers
2. I think the hunting experience has changed Rainsford in many ways. Considering his anxiety over the course of the past three days after running throughout the jungle and becoming the game of a hunting expedition, I think he now understands the terror that animals experience when they are hunted and has possibly lost his desire to do so. I think he has also become mentally stronger. However, another possible notion of mine, considering the fact that Rainsford slept quite soundly after killing Zaroff, is that he has become even more ruthless or hasn’t undergone any significant transformation whatsoever.
3. (a) The words that best describe Zaroff are: mad or insane, ruthless, passionate, cunning, clever, predatory, repulsive, refined, and devoid of all emotion and humanity. (b) Yes, I do think people like Zaroff exist in reality because there are many mentally-ill people who are also murders, such as Hitler and many gunmen who are responsible for mass shootings in our past and present.
Zaroff presumes that Rainsford is dead after leaping off a cliff and returns <~~who returns? to his<~~who is "his"? Rainsford or Zaroff? house.
Make absolutely sure that all references are clear and that whoever reads this aloud to you has no questions about who did what.
For example: Zaroff presumes that Rainsford is dead after leaping off a cliff and Zaroff returns to Zaroff's house.
How can you restate that sentence so there's no interruption of thoughts.
=)
2 answers