Most Dangerous Game

David Song
In his short story Most Dangerous Game, Richard Connell uses the
characterization of Rainsford to suggest that bullies will often see their victims as weak
and insignificant until they go through a harsh experience that helps them to empathize
with their foe. In the beginning of the story, Rainsford is talking to his partner Whitney
about the jaguars they are about to hunt. Whitney is questioning the feelings of the
jaguars. Rainsford replies to Whitney, Youre a big game hunter, not a philosopher.
Who cares how a jaguar feels? (Connell 2). Rainsfords reply to the feelings of animals
expresses his view that he sees his foe and their feelings as insignificant. In the middle
of the story when the General was hunting Rainford in the jungle, Rainford hides in a
tree and the General almost spots him. The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse.
Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.(Connell 14) After almost
being caught, Rainsford truly realizes the dread that the prey feels while they are being
harassed. In the final part of the story, the hounds are beginning to hunt down Rainsford
through the jungle and are about to catch him. Rainsford knew now how an animal at
bay feels (Connell 16) Rainsford is forced to understand and sympathize with the victim
because he is the victim in this situation. In conclusion, Rainsford has been the bully his
whole life to the animals he hunts and thinks of them as insignificant, but in a traumatic
turn of events, Rainsford suddenly becomes the victim which helps him to comprehend
and sympathize with the bullied.