1. The Most Dangerous Game
Introduction Notes

2. Background Information
Published: January 19, 1924
Author: Richard Connell
Story is influenced by big-game hunting in Africa and South America, which was popular at the time.
It has also been published under the title “The Hounds of Zaroff”

3. About the Author Author and journalist
Most of his short stories were published in The Saturday Evening Post
Many of his short stories have been turned into film and screenplays
October, 1893 – November, 1949

4. Characters Sanger Rainsford Protagonist of the story A big-game hunter
Fought during WWI
Must sacrifice comfort and luxury to survive in the story

5. Characters cont. General Zaroff The antagonist of the story
A Russian expatriate who lives on Ship-Trap Island
He is bored with hunting animals and instead wants to hunt men

6. Literary Terms / Devices

7. Motif
A design or patter in a story; a distinctive feature or idea that is present throughout a story

8. Symbolism
The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities; symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects