General Zaroff Character Analysis

Hunter vs. the hunted is one of the main points in Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.” Sanger Rainsford swims to Ship-Trap Island after falling off the ship on which he was traveling. On the island, Rainsford finds food and lodging with its sole human inhabitants, General Zaroff and Ivan. Zaroff reveals that he intends to hunt Rainsford, since he finds hunting humans most exciting. Rainsford manages to out-smart Zaroff and is waiting in the General’s bedroom when he returns. The authors’ use of characters: Sanger Rainsford, General Zaroff, Whitney, and Ivan, setting: ship, jungle, and island, and symbolism: the island and jungle, help to develop the theme, one who hunts will someday become the hunted.

Hook: Do you like books about the hunter becoming the hunted? Well you’re in luck, The most Dangerous Game is a short story that has the hunter becomes the hunted.

The men both have several similarities. Rainsford and Zaroff both are hunters that have savage personalities, which causes them to have no affinity for the animals they hunt. Both men are massively intelligent. Rainsford and Zaroff both have very arrogant attitudes, which had them concluding that they're better than all other hunters in the world.

Zaroff is purely unconscious, and has no compassion or remorse for his actions. His demented mind forces him to believe that it is moral to hunt all living creatures, when in reality he is actually murdering a human soul. The general is sadistic as well as arrogant. He is mentally unstable, insane, and he denies the fact that he is committing something as bad as what he is doing. According to General Zaroff, hunting for him has been consumed by boredom and he no longer sees hunting as a challenge. Consequently, he chooses to hunt a certain “creature” with a higher mental stability of the creatures he has hunted before.(Connell 21) As Zaroff became comfortable with Rainsford, he

This quote shows that Rainsford is insane because during this part, he is saying that he wants to hunt something that can reason with him, and only one animal can do that. That animal is a human. During the story, General Zaroff is also competitive. He shows that he is competitive when he fights to win the game over the humans. He always believes he will win. “If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game. If I find him”... “he loses.” (Connell

Throughout this journal, Zaroff can be characterized as mysterious and evil. First off, Zaroff is mysterious. One way he is mysterious is that he knows Rainsford’s name and he read Rainsford’s hunting book. In the book it says, “I’ve read your book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet…” (Connell 3). This quote shows that Zaroff is interested in hunting dangerous animals and knows that Rainsford is good at hunting

General Zaroff is clearly not under control with his hunting habits. General Zaroff creates for himself, a dangerous hunting game. More dangerous than all the rest, an animal can reason and feel.This animal is a human. The general has gone over the edge. By following his instincts and making his desires reality, general Zaroff now has access to this dangerous game. He hunts and kills them with a pistol, disregards their feelings, and treats them like animals. Some people, such as Rainsford, have decided that obeying the law and sticking to the principles is better than following nature. Rainsford says,“Thank you, I'm a hunter not a murderer.” Rainsford chooses to be civil and lawful. Rainsford quite obviously has more control over his actions than the general. The general gives into his dark side and gives into his guilty desire to hunt animal that has reason, courage, and cunningness. Rainsford chooses not to because he knows wrong from right. But perhaps, when dealing with your human nature you must succumb to your darkest

Have you ever been hunted in your lifetime before ? In “the most dangerous Game “ by Richard connell two men were hunting each other. Rainsford demonstrates that he is adventurous,smart, and sneaky.

General Zaroff’s cool headedness adds to the various textual evidence that he is not, in fact, insane. When he is introduced to the story, he praises Rainsford's hunting ability with a seemed preparedness. Rainsford observes that the General seems to read his mind at times. He is prepared for every question that Rainsford has, and even answers some that were never asked. His actions seem calculated to make Rainsford more comfortable with him, however, as a fellow hunter, Rainsford observes, “whenever he looked up from his plate he found the general studying him, appraising him narrowly.” This makes Rainsford uncomfortable, sets him on edge for the information that Zaroff is about to reveal. During the hunt, Zaroff

Both protagonists, have similar conflicts which contain having them killed. In the story General Zaroff says, "Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength and stamina against mine. Outdoor chess! And the stake is not without value, eh?" (Connell 16). General Zaroff has the intention of killing Rainsford to cure his own boredom. This is the similar to when Frank Miller is coming in town to kill Kane. They also

What does it take to survive when you are the hunted? In Richard Conell’s “The Most Dangerous Game”, an expert hunter does not think that his prey have feelings. This changes when the hunter, Rainsford, becomes the hunted. In order to beat the opponent he never thought he would meet, Rainsford resorts to his experience, quick-thinking, and perseverance to survive Zaroff’s dangerous game.

With regard to Rainsford in "The Most Dangerous Game", he shows intelligence. For example, on page 19, line 537, "Even so zealous a hunter as General Zaroff could not trace him there, he told himself; only the devil himself could follow that complicated trail through the jungle after dark." This displays Rainsford's intelligence, because of his plan to throw off Zaroff. Rainsford took the time to create a complicated trail, and not just run for his life. He knows that he must slow down and think about how to defeat Zaroff,

General Zaroff definitely has a charm for manipulating people to stay with him, on his island. For example, when Rainsford first arrived on the island the general was very welcoming to him as he said, “It is a very great pleasure and honor to welcome Mr. Sanger Rainsford, the celebrated hunter to my home.” Meaning he already knew of Rainsford and his hunting skills. He made sure Rainsford had only the finest items, and everything he wanted. On page 60 Zaroff says “Now you want clothes, food, rest. You shall have them.” If Rainsford needed anything Zaroff was right there to give it to him, and make sure he felt right at home. Every night they had a nice dinner and expensive wine, and Zaroff always made conversation about Rainsford, so he could

General Zaroff is an intelligent as well as insensitive hunter, who has no real ambition in life except to hunt. Yet, he has defeated all prey and now he doesn't know what to do next. He changes into a two-faced savage once he finds the “the ideal quarry ... It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason”, keeping him occupied for as long as he wishes. You would think he is a “cold-blooded murderer, considering his life's purpose was to pursue humans, yet some points go against that. In mid-conversation with Rainsford after his arrival, Zaroff stresses, “I always got my quarry. Always. There is no greater bore than perfection.” Zaroff's realization on this fact caused him to seek quarry that could keep him occupied.

Hunting can be a very dangerous game. “The Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell shows you how dangerous hunting can be. Zaroff demonstrates that he is intelligent, rich, and confident.