1. The Most Dangerous Game
Richard Connell

2. Important Facts Protagonist - Sanger Rainsford
Antagonist - General Zaroff
Conflicts - person v/s person; person v/s self
Point of View - third person limited
Setting - a yacht & an island in the Caribbean Sea

3. Theme
While nature is predictable and animals follow instincts only man has the superior power of reason.

4. Freytag’s Pyramid 1. Exposition 2. Narrative Hook 3. Rising Action
4. Climax
5. Falling Action
6. Resolution 4 3 5 2 1 6

5. Exposition
Part of the work which introduces the characters, the setting, and the basic situation.
Aboard the yacht, Rainsford discusses hunting plans with his companion, Whitney.

6. Narrative Hook (Conflict)
The point in a story, novel, or play at which the author catches the reader’s attention by presenting a problem or conflict
Rainsford enjoys Zaroff’s civility until he learns what Zaroff hunts.

7. Rising Action All of the events leading up to the climax
Rainsford falls overboard, finds island, meets Zaroff, learns of his “hobby”, and is told he is to be hunted next!

8. Climax Highest point of interest or suspense
Rainsford confronts Zaroff in the bedroom

9. Falling Action
Any events occurring after the climax but before the resolution
Not much else in this story. Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, all occur very close together

10. Resolution End of the central conflict - loose ends tied up
Rainsford realizes that it is sometimes necessary to abandon one’s principles to survive
“He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford thought.”

11. Denouement
French for “descending.” Any events that occur after the resolution.

12. Conflict
Exchange between Rainsford and Whitney about the feelings of the jaguar show two opposing views on hunting. Hunter v/s hunted
Man v/s Man - Rainsford v/s Whitney
Man v/s Nature - Rainsford v/s the island and the ocean
Man v/s Himself - Rainsford v/s feelings about hunting

13. Foreshadowing Island seems dangerous; sailors fear it
Hunting of large animal with a .22 caliber rifle

14. Verbal Irony Zaroff loves his dogs, but feels no love for humanity
Zaroff says he is civilized, but he is actually not because he hunts humans.