General Zaroff Character Analysis in The Most Dangerous Game

In the story The Most Dangerous Game, written by Richard Connell, the main antagonist General Zaroff is a fair sport, while including the use of suspenseful scenes creating an internal conflict for Rainsford. Zaroff provided Rainsford with the tools to make the game fair, but thinking of what to do with the tools created suspense and anxiety within him. Then the General’s next fair play was that he gave Rainsford a second chance, which led to further suspense since Rainsford now has to get up to Zaroff’s level fast. Although it may have seemed like Zaroff had much more useful tools, it was justified since it would be impossible to hunt Rainsford without him. To start off with Zaroff's fair sportsmanship, Rainsford receives his tools from Ivan to survive for the next three days, leading to suspense being built with the internal conflict of what Rainsford will do with the tools.

Zaroff’s first act of fine sportsmanship was by providing Rainsford with useful tools, which created a suspenseful internal conflict of what Rainsford will do with the tools he has been given. Before the hunt started Rainsford was not in a particularly positive mood since chances are he was going to die in the next three or fewer days. Then, Ivan approaches him and creepily hands a bag to Rainsford who begins to look inside and see “A haversack of food, a leather sheath containing a long-bladed hunting knife” (Connell 37). Zaroff handed Rainsford these useful tools to show his fair sportsmanship, which built suspense by creating an internal conflict within him since Rainsford had to decide what to do with the tools. Next, Zaroff shows further sportsmanship by giving Rainsford a second chance to survive while creating the suspense using an internal conflict which is Rainsford not knowing what to do next. and  Rainsford is now on a tree that he believes will keep him safe from Zaroff. MISSING A SETUP SENTENCE. Later he spots Zaroff walking and the “sharp eyes of the hunter stopped before they reached the limb where Rainsford lay; a smile spread over his brown face” (Connell 38). Here Zaroff gives Rainsford a second chance by not shooting him on sight and instead of letting Rainsford realize that he was playing pathetically compared to Zaroff’s standards, which instantly leads to the suspense of Rainsford having an internal conflict, which is that he needs to figure out what he needs to do. Zaroff seems like he has much better tools than his opponent, creating a suspenseful scene for Rainsford internally since it seems like he is at a disadvantage.

Although it seems like Zaroff had much better tools, it is justified since Zaroff needs these tools in order for the hunt to be fair, and suspense is built during this through the internal conflict of Rainsford’s fear of Zaroff’s tools. Zaroff was now closing in on Rainsford and had caught on to his complicated trail. Rainsford investigates what supplies Zaroff has and does want to admit that “He saw the general’s right hand held something metallic—a small automatic pistol” (Connell 38). It may seem like Zaroff has more useful tools, but Zaroff is actually being fair since he needed the tools to hunt Rainsford. Without the more powerful tools, this hunt would not have been fair, and within this, Rainsford had a build-up in anxiety when he had the internal conflict of desperation to find ways around Zaroff’s tools as soon as possible. This leads back again to why Zaroff is a great sportsman since he provided tools, and gave Rainsford a second chance, although it may have seemed like he had better tools, it was justified and all of this had the use of suspense through internal conflict.

Zaroff’s sportsmanship within the suspense of the story using internal conflict. Zaroff provided Rainsford with the tools to make the game fair, but thinking of what to do with the tools created suspense and anxiety within him. Then Zaroff made another fair play which was that he gave Rainsford a second chance, which led to further suspense since Rainsford now has to keep up with Zaroff’s pace. Although it may have seemed like Zaroff had much more useful tools, it was justified since it would be impossible to hunt Rainsford without them. This is important because people need to assess the problem at hand, visualize their options, and pull through in order to come out successful.