Analysis of Literary Devices in The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

In “The Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell, the literary devices used significantly affect both the story and its events. This short story focuses on the protagonist, a hunter named Rainsford, who falls off of a ship and swims to a nearby island. He is relieved to find land, until he realizes the owner of the island is General Zaroff who finds pleasure in hunting humans. In order to be set free from the island, Rainsford is forced to play General Zaroff's torturous game for three days. Setting, conflict and irony are literary devices that are used to make a prominent impact on the relationship between the hunter and the hunted. 

Setting plays an impactful role in the story, as it emphasizes the thought of man vs. man and man vs. self. Setting is the time and place in a work of literature, which in this case would be a ship-trap island located somewhere in the tropics. If the story had not begun on a boat, Rainsford would not have fallen off the ship in the middle of the ocean. Also, since Zaroff was murdering many innocent people on an isolated island he was able to get away with it for many years. Then, Rainsford reaches the island and climbs out of the water, he is relieved, “Gasping, his hands raw, he reached a flat place at the top. Dense jungle came down to the very edge of the cliffs. What perils that tangle of trees and underbrush might hold for him did not concern Rainsford just then. All he knew was that he was safe from his enemy, the sea, and that utter weariness was on him” (Connell 10). The author could not have shown Rainsfords character and his perseverance without the detailed description of the setting.  The setting is described as a very dangerous place which includes a cliff, but it was better than the swim to get there. Rainsford was unaware of the evil that would come to him; this place of relief would soon become a danger to his life. The island is a large isolated jungle which is a great place for his fight to survive against Zaroff. While struggling to survive, he is in conflict with himself and his own beliefs. At the beginning of the story he says that animals have no feelings and that hunting is a good sport, but as he soon becomes the one being hunted he realizes that it is a life or death situation. When Rainsford finds Zaroff’s house and is welcomed in, he is amazed by the grandness: “It was huge, beam-ceilinged bedroom with a canopied bed big enough for six men that Rainsford followed the silent giant. Ivan laid out an evening suit, and Rainsford, as he put it on, noticed that it came from a London tailor” (12). The luxuries inside of his house show how Zaroff was a rich and proper man. He owns an island and a beautifully decorated home. This life of luxury comes for the hunters, but not the hunted. Rainsford soon develops empathy while being hunted and realizes the hardships that prey endures. Similar to humans, prey in the wild have hard lives and killing for fun is not helpful. The setting of Zaroff’s house also returns in the end, where Zaroff dies after being killed in his own home. After Rainsford wins the battle, “He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided” (23). Rainsford had returned back to Zaroff’s home and became the hunter again, allowing him to sleep in luxury, without worry. 

Furthermore, conflict supported the relationship between the hunter and the hunted and helped make the story more impactful. Conflict is the clash between the protagonist and antagonist- in a work of literature. The protagonist in “The Most Dangerous Game” is Rainsford while the antagonist is Zaroff. Although there is an external problem between them, Rainsford is also at conflict with his own internal beliefs. He thought that animals have no feeling and hunting is just a fun game. Throughout the story he is developing and changes his beliefs about hunting since he becomes the prey. Towards the end of the story, Rainsford snuck into Zaroff's bedroom and confronted him; “‘You have won the game.’ Rainsford did not smile. ‘I am still a beast at bay,’ he said, in a low, hoarse voice. ‘Get ready, General Zaroff.’ The general made one of his deepest bows. ‘I see,’ he said. ‘Splendid! One of us is to furnish a repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed. On guard, Rainsford…’” (23). Rainsford was hunted for most of the story until they reached the third day he became the hunter. Rainsford spent time hiding in a tree.  Rainsford could have accepted his win but he instead got pay back on Zaroff. Rainsford did not feel as though he won until his prey, Zaroff, was dead. They fought fairly with swords and Rainsford had overcome the conflict. He could now get off the island safely. Rainsford sat down with Zaroff and Zaroff explained how he hunts humans for sport: “‘Hunting? Good God, General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder’...‘Civilized? And you shoot down men?’” (15-16). Rainsford is shocked by the fact that Zaroff is hunting humans. He calls it murder, which it is but, at the begining of the story he had said hunting is for sport. Rainsford inferred that hunting is not civilized when he has hunted all his life. What difference is killing animals to killing humans? That is the thought that Rainsford realized throughout this story since his point of view is now as the prey. 

Lastly, irony plays a large part in the story and helps show character development of Rainsford. Irony is the difference between what we expect and what actually happens. The irony in this story is that Rainsford had been a ruthless hunter but then became the hunted. This was not an expected outcome in the story since reaching the island was a relief for not being stranded in the ocean. The island had also turned out to be a dangerous place and was a life or death situation in the hunt to survive. When Rainsford had set a trap for Zaroff he had felt the fear of being prey, “Then he ran for his life. The hounds raised their voices as they hit the fresh scent. Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay feels” (22). At the beginning of the story Rainsford had a conversation with Whitney about hunting. Rainsford had the strong belief that animals did not have feelings. He also stated that they had no understanding of the sport. Rainsford had then become the prey and did feel fear and understood the game. He now understood that it is not a “game” but a fight for life. Rainsford hid inside a tree as Zaroff approached with a gun, “Then he straightened up and took from his case one of his black cigarets; its pungent incense-like smoke floated up to Rainsford’s nostrils...But the sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face” (20). Zaroff knows that Rainsford is in the tree but chose not to kill him. He was hunting Rainsford for a challenge and he did not kill him at that time because he wanted to keep hunting. This was too easy of an opportunity for Zaroff. He thought that without a doubt, he was going to win and find Rainsford again. The irony in this was that he actually did not win, instead Zaroff was the one to die. If Zaroff had not let Rainsford go, he would still be alive. This literary device allowed us to see more of Zaroff's personality. He is egotistical and boastful. 

Setting, conflict and irony are literary devices that are used to make an eminent impact on the connection between the hunter and the hunted. Setting contributes to the effect of the story, as it highlights the idea of man vs. man and man vs. self. Conflict reinforces the association between the hunter and the hunted and helps to create a more impactful story. Irony plays a vast part in the short story and helps reveal the character development of Rainsford. Richard Connell incorporated so many literary elements to make “The Most Dangerous Game” an exciting and suspenseful story.