Who is the Protagonist in ‘The most Dangerous Game’

Shipwrecked in Suspense: Connell's Craftsmanship

Shipwrecked on an island in the middle of the ocean, a man sprints through the forest, pursued by an expert hunter. In his short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” Richard Connell uses suspense to instill a sense of dread in the reader. After falling overboard, the main character, Rainsford, finds himself marooned on an island called “Ship-Trap Island,” which natives believe to be extremely dangerous and deserted. Rainsford quickly discovers General Zaroff living on the island in a palatial house.

After being fooled into believing his host has kind intentions, Rainsford quickly realizes he is about to be hunted by his host. Ultimately, the hunting of the protagonist builds a resounding sense of suspense, terrifying the reader. Connell builds suspense by using imagery and foreshadowing. For example, he writes, “the cry was pinched off short as the blood-warm waters of the Caribbean sea dosed over his head” (2). The term “blood-warm water” creates a powerful suspense-building image in the reader's mind and also follows the story's overall motif of blood. This use of imagery also helps the reader imagine the hardship that Rainsford is going through when he is dunked into the water.

Imagery in "The Most Dangerous Game"

Connell also writes, “Some wounded thing -- by evidence, a large animal -- had thrashed about in the underbrush; the jungle weeds were crushed down, and the moss was lacerated; one patch of weeds was stained crimson” (3). The phrase “a large animal” illustrates that it was not just an ordinary animal but something much more threatening. Also, he creates an image in the reader's mind of a blood-covered weed, which alludes to the reader that the beast is dangerous. The author again incorporates the concept of blood by using the image of red lips. He writes, “He is a Cossack, said the general, and his smile showed red lips and pointed teeth” (4). He also talks about how the antagonist has pointed teeth. The combination of blood-red lips and sharp teeth creates an image of a threatening and dangerous character, contributing to the scary, suspenseful image. Connell craftily utilizes imagery to build suspense in “The Most Dangerous Game.”

Foreshadowing and the Unknown

Similarly, Connell uses foreshadowing to create suspense in the story. For example, Whitney, one of the sailors, tells Rainsford, “The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island.’ A suggestive name, isn't it?” (1). The name “Ship-Trap Island” indicates to the reader that the island the antagonist resides on is notorious for trapping sailors. What makes this suspenseful is that the name of the island foreshadows the doom of the protagonist. Furthermore, when Whitney talks about how animals feel pain and do not like being hunted, Rainsford says, “Don’t talk rot, Whitney. You’re a big game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels” (1). The General's lack of compassion toward the pain and death of animals leads the reader to question the character of this man and wonder about his intentions. This builds suspense by making the reader wonder about what future events might take place. Lastly, when Rainsford questions what animal the general hunts at the dining table, the general says, “It must have courage, cunning, and above all, it must be able to reason” (7). Since few animals possess all of the characteristics mentioned above, this pushes the reader to question what animals the general hunts. Combining that with the knowledge that the general lacks empathy, suspense is built as to what the true prey is. The reader soon realizes that the general might not hunt animals but actually hunts humans and that Rainsford might be hunted by the general. Connell effectively uses foreshadowing to build suspense by using examples of the island’s name, contradicting Rainsford's previous preconceptions, and alluding to Rainsford being hunted.

Who is the Protagonist in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

If one considers the foreshadowing and imagery in this short story, it is clear that Connell is a master at building suspense. The suspense scares the reader and entices him or her to keep reading to figure out what happens next. Always on the edge of his or her seat, the reader is captivated throughout the entire short story. Connell shows his talent as an author by masterfully incorporating suspense through the use of multiple literary devices. As the amazing suspense writer Alfred Hitchcock says, “There is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it.” The key to any suspense story is not the climax but actually the suspense that leads up to it.

References:

1. Connell, Richard. "The Most Dangerous Game." Colliers, 19 Jan. 1924, pp. 7-11.
2. Hitchcock, Alfred. "There is no terror in the bang only the anticipation of it." BrainyQuote, Xplore.

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