The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game

Analyzing Conflict

I find that the most important part of this story is how the plot moves along so quickly. It also manages to describe successfully each conflict or major part of the story. The key element of the plot is when Zaroff and Rainsford play the game. The main conflict would be external which is man verses man, or Zaroff verses Rainsford. There are three major conflicts of man that can be found in Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game." In the rest of this short essay I will utilize the elements of compositions and also identify and explain the three conflicts of man found in this story.

The first conflict of man found in "The Most Dangerous Game" is when man verses nature. An example provided from the story would be when Rainsford falls off the boat and then swims to the Island. When he falls into the water the speeding yacht slaps water on to his face and he gags and struggles to get to the surface. When he does reach the surface the boat is long gone and left him behind, he then starts swimming to the nearby island. Rainsford heard pistol shots but couldn't figure which animal it was, so he went into the dense forest. This example fits the stories criteria because it is the first chain of events that sparks the rising action.

The second conflict of man found in the story is when man verses man. An example supplied by the story would be when Rainsford meets Zaroff and plays his game. Rainsford is searching through the jungle for the shot he heard. He then comes across a mansion, when he goes in, there is a man standing pointing a large revolver dead at his heart. Rainsford then speaks up and says, "I'm no robber. I fell off a yacht. My name is Sanger Rainsford of New York City." The persons name is General Zaroff and then introduces himself to Rainsford. When they are done, Zaroff challenges Rainsford to a game of hunting and if Rainsford wins Zaroff would cheerfully acknowledge himself defeated. If Rainsford loses he would be enslaved in his castle; Rainsford accepts his challenge and Zaroff will start hunting at night.

The third conflict of man found in the short story is when man verses man/nature.