Internal and External Conflicts in The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

Imagine being hunted by your own kind for fun.  In “The Most Dangerous Game”, written by Richard Connell, shows internal and external conflict. Cornnell displays internal conflict to show us Rainsford fighting his own nerves, the external conflict is presented to us to show the hateful relationship between General Zaroff and Rainsford.  

Internal conflict was introduced to the readers when Rainsford was fighting his own nerves and feelings. For example, when Rainsford was sitting up in a tree hiding for his life, he said to himself, “ ‘ I will not lose my nerve. I will not’ ” (Cornnell 12). Internal conflict is conflicted into this part of the short story because Rainsford is fighting against himself to stay quiet and calm. In the quotation he clearly states how he is fighting a mental battle with himself. This will contribute to the plot due to it preparing the story for its climax. In the quotation when it states I will not lose my nerve this creates not only suspense for the reader but also the characters in the story as well.

External conflict was shown when the character, when General Zaroff starts to compare Rainsford to himself to show to Rainsford that they are evenly matched. For instance when General Zaroff first tells Rainsford he is going to hunt him, Zaroff states, “ ‘ Your brain against mine. Your woodcraft against mine. Your strength against mine and your standma against mine ‘ “ ( Cornnell 11). This quotation briefly describes external conflict because Zaroff is preparing to hunt Rainsford, and comparing himself to Rainsford as well. It furthermore gives hidden hints to what may or may not happen throughout the short story. In addition it also prepares the story for its rising action and for its falling action as well. In the quotation when Zaroff said your woodcraft against mine, this also introduced Irony because Rainsfords wood craft kills Ivan, kills one of the dogs, and hurts General Zaroff.

Nobody in this modern day would think hunting their own kind would be fun right? Unlike in this short story when General Zaroff starts to hunt humans for a sport. In the story internal conflict is displayed when Rainsford is fighting his own nevres to hold himself back. External conflict is presented when Zaroff starts to compare himself to Rainsford before he hunts. This internal conflict helps create suspense to prepare for the climax or the falling action. External conflict creates the climax and the rising action just by itself.