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Most Dangerous Game BY: ABBIE BOLTZ
“…one enormous building—a lofty structure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom.” (pg. 22)“But it was no mirage, he found, when he opened the tall spiked iron gate. The stone steps were real enough; the massive door with a leering gargoyle for a knocker was real enough; yet about it all hung an air of unreality.” (pg. 22) In the mansion, Rainsford is welcomed by Ivan at gunpoint. Zaroff and Rainsford have a conversation about hunting. Just the fact that Rainsford went up to that creepy mansion shows that he sometimes acts inexperienced because why would someone go up to a spooky mansion like that? Zaroff is malicious since he wants to hunt a creature that can reason and the only choice is a human.
“…vegetation grew ranker, denser; insects bit him savagely. Then, as he stepped forward, his foot sank into the ooze. He tried to wrench it back, but the muck sucked viciously at his foot as if it were a giant leech. With a violent effort, he tore loose. He knew where he was now. Death Swamp and its quicksand.” (pg. 34) In Death Swamp, Rainsford makes a Burmese Tiger pit and kills Zaroff’s best dog. This shows that Rainsford does well under stress and is very cunning and resourceful. He knew his life depended on digging and he succeeded. Zaroff is probably regretting not killing Rainsford on the spot because he hasn’t seen Rainsford since he was in the tree and now Rainsford is outsmarting him. The game just got more intense.
“A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he could see the gloomy gray stone of the château. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled and hissed.” (pg.36) At the cliff’s edge, Rainsford is cornered by Zaroff’s dogs. He is not pursued by Ivan thanks to his trap but Zaroff's is still on his way. Later in that scene, Rainsford throws himself over the edge of the cliff. This shows that Rainsford has the drive to stay alive. He knew the dogs were coming and set the trap. On his run to the cliff’s edge, Rainsford didn’t seem to be thinking negative thoughts. He had a plan, like he always does, and diving off of a cliff was part of that. One of the last things he took notice of before he jumped was that he could see the mansion in the distance across the water so that had to be part of his plan.
