The name of this short story is “The Most Dangerous Game,” it is written by Richard Connell. The antagonist in this story is General Zaroff. Zaroff is of Cossack desent, and he is one of the most skilled hunters in the world. Zaroff was an officer in the Rusian army, but fled to an island in the Caribbean after the Russian debacle. On this island Zaroff hunts a new kind animal, a human. Zaroff displays that he is skill-ful, intelligent, and cold-hearted numerous times throughout the events of this short story.
The first characteristic that Zaroff displays is skill-fulness. Zaroff demonstrates his skill-fulness when Rainsford trys to trick him with a series of trails leading in oppisite directions into the jungle, but Zaroff outwits Rainsford and discovers what he did. (53,54) Also, Zaroff displays skill-fulness when Rainsford makes a Malayan man-catcher, Zaroff senses its danger and jumps back before the log crushes him. (55,56) Zaroff is a both worthy and deadly opponent for Rainsford throughout this story.
A second characteristic that Zaroff possesses is intelligence. He proves this every time he knows he comes close to catching Raisnford, Zaroff says, “I’m going home for rest now. Thank-you for a most amusing evening.” Zaroff says this to try to make Rainsford panic and lose his nerve. (57) Once again Zaroff prove his intelligence when Rainsford asks him where he gets the men for his hunting game. General Zaroff telles him that he places lights out to sea that signal a channel where there is none, therefore causing ships to be torn apart by surrounding rocks. (49) General Zaroff’s actions cause us to believe that he is a very intelligent being, protecting nothing and knowone but himself.
Lastly, Zaroff is a very cold-hearted man. When Zaroff choses his next victim, he gives him a choice of whether he wants to hunt or be given to Ivan for his own amusement. If you translate this he is giving the prisoners a choice of which way they would like to die. (50) The second reason is when Zaroff says, “I want to show you my new collection of heads. Will you come with me to the library?” Zaroff is indicating that he cuts off his opponents head after he’s killed him. General Zaroffs words present him as a ghoul that cares little about human life and all the lives that hes taken.
