The Opening Paragraph In 'The Most Dangerous Game'

554 Words3 Pages
The opening paragraphs to “The Most Dangerous Game” foreshadowed a lot of the plot’s climax and characters’ personalities. A simple statement can signify a deeper meaning or indicate an important event that will occur later on. An example of this is when Sanger Rainsford says to his partner, Whitney, “The world is made up of two lasses- the hunters and the huntees”. This fragment of a paragraph allows the reader to infer that an event will occur that will change the hunter’s position and perspective. The reader can also see Rainsford’s character and view of life. The statement makes it clear to the reader that Rainsford has vehement feelings towards hunting, and is inconsiderate towards other living things that aren’t human. Although the statement…show more content…
To Rainsford, the “hunters” are the human race, and the “huntees” are all other animals. Rainsford sees animals as prey, for “they’ve no understanding” of feelings, emotion, or logic. To him, animals aren’t able to reason, and are made for humans like him to hunt and kill. General Zaroff, who is also an experienced hunter and is perceived to be the antagonist in the story, takes a different view of “hunters and huntees”. The general, who makes a game of hunting people, sees weak individuals as “huntees”, and strong individuals, like himself, as “hunters”. His view of life is revealed in paragraph 121, where it reads “Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure. I am strong. Why should I not use my gift? If I wish to hunt, why should I not? I hunt the scum of the earth: sailors from tramp ships- lassars, blacks, Chinese, whites, mongrels--a thoroughbred horse or hound is worth more than a score of them.” This shows that General Zaroff considers himself strong enough to live life and take other’s away from their’s. He feels that weak people are brought to him to kill, and has
Show More
Related

  • The Witches In Canidia

    10475 Words  | 42 Pages

    Now that matters of love magic have been put to rest, it is time to shift our attention to the last remaining witches of the Metamorphoses. In terms of the story’s narrative, Pamphile is after Meroe and Panthia the second witch that the reader comes across in the novel. The end of Aristomenes’ tale finds Lucius already in Hypata, searching for the house of his host, the frugal Milo. A random stranger points Lucius in the right direction, albeit not without making what might later be regarded as an

    Read More

More about The Opening Paragraph In 'The Most Dangerous Game'

Open Document