THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME STUDY QUESTIONS 1. How does Rainsford feel about the animals he hunts? 2.

How does Whitney explain the troubled mood of the sailors as they near Ship-Trap Island? 3. Why is the island called Ship Trap Island? 4. What is the abrupt sound that startles Rainsford as he reclines in a steamer chair? 5. How does Rainsford arrive at the mysterious island? 6. Describe the building that Rainsford approaches. 7. Describe General Zaroff's physical appearance. 8. Describe General Zaroff's personality. 9. How does the reader know Zaroff is an intelligent and sophisticated man? 10. Who is Ivan? 11. How does General Zaroff justify hunting and killing humans? 12. How does Zaroff stock his island with 'game'? 13. Explain the rules of the hunt. 14. According to General Zaroff, why is Rainsford the ideal prey? 15. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt? 16. Inspite of being hurt, Zaroff congratulates Rainsford on his cleverness? 17. What happened to Lazarus? 18. How can the reader tell who won the final encounter between Rainsford and Zaroff? 19. Do you think Rainsford's attitude towards hunting changes through the story? 20. How does the author create suspense and inspire fear in the reader? Do you agree with Whitney or Rainsford concerning animals? What conflict do you see coming on page 15? What conflict is being described on page 15? Would you swim toward such a horrible sound, especially if you didnt recognize it? Does this personification work? Who is the man on page 16? How would you describe the Giants behavior? Describe Zaroff. Do you find this story believable? To what game might the general be referring? Is Zaroff boring? Do you agree with Zaroffs opinion that instinct is no match for reason? What is the difference between hunting and murder? Describe the game. Describe the heads in the library. What is the Generals first hunting proposal? What is Rainsford being forced to play? How did he loose Lazarus, and how did he feel about Lazarus? How do you feel Rainsford is feeling in this passage? Why does Zaroff smile and blow a smoke ring? Now, do you think Rainsford has changed his opinion of how animals feel? (Refer to the beginning of the story.)

Who seems to have won this skirmish in the conflict, Rainsford or Zaroff? What do you think it means to live a year in a minute? Rainsford knew now how an animal at bay feels. What has he learned? What happened to Ivan? How did the story end? Where is there foreshadowing at the beginning of the story? What is suggested about Rainsford at the end, especially how he is looking forward to enjoying Zaroffs bed? What does the story say about people who hunt animals? As a result of what happens to Rainsford, will he change his attitude about hunting? When Zaroff talks of the hunt of the sailor, how is he justifying the hunting of men? Would the story have been different if Zaroff had been poor? Zaroff has red lips and pointed teeth. Why are these characteristics important to the description of Zaroff? Give your opinion of the story. Do you believe the author of "The Most Dangerous Game" intended the story partly as an indictment of hunting or cruelty to animals? 2. Write an essay comparing and contrasting Rainsford and Zaroff. 3. What purpose does Whitney serve in the story? 4. Why did Zaroff leave Russia? 5. Write a short psychological profile of Rainsford or Zaroff. 6. Islands are often presented in world literature as mysterious or foreboding places. Write an essay discussing how other authors use island settings to develop their themes. Examples of stories in which action takes place on islands are Homer's Odyssey, William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, and William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Projects: The story mentions many animals that are hunted. You are to complete a two-page summary of information you discovered about one or more of these animals: jaguars, crocodiles, grizzly bears, or cape buffaloes. Draw each man using no less than 15 adjectives found in the story. You must list all 15 adjectives on the back of each picture. After researching the Russian Revolution of 1917, you are to report your findings in a two-page report. You are to compose a reading journal that is to be completed as we read in class. you are to complete the following questions after you have completed your research of Charles Darwin (1809-1882). What is natural selection, and what are some common examples? What kind of research did Darwin conduct before reaching his conclusions? What evidence is there that Darwin was painstaking in his observations? In the story, how has General Zaroff simplified and distorted Darwins natural selection?