Name______________________________ Period______
Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game”
Mr. King
English 9
Study Guide Questions
1. Who is the protagonist in the story? What are his beliefs about the animals he
hunts? What is one specific thing he says that convinces you he believes this?
2. Before Rainsford falls off the ship, the author has set the mood of the story for his
reader. The reader knows that the plot will include frightening and suspenseful
events. Provide two examples of suspense, using specific text-based support.
3. When Rainsford is talking with Whitney aboard the ship, he tells Whitney that the
world is divided into two classes. What are these two classes?
4.
Later in the story, Zaroff divides the world into two classes. What are the two
classes into which Zaroff divides the world? What does this say about the
General’s character?
5. Why is the island called Ship-Trap Island?
6. Why did General Zaroff stop hunting animals?
7. The General names three reasons why a human is the “ideal animal to hunt.”
Name these three reasons.
8. There is an obvious conflict between Rainsford and Zaroff. Discuss the reasons
this conflict exists. What kind of conflict is this? What happens as a result of it,
and how does Rainsford ultimately resolve it?
9. Explain the double meaning of the story’s title, “The Most Dangerous Game.”
Look closely at the multiple meanings of the word “game.”
10. Rainsford is what is known as a dynamic character, a character who changes his
beliefs and ideas throughout the story. What does Rainsford learn from his
experience at Ship-Trap Island, and how does this change him?
11. Foreshadowing is when an author hints about what is to come later in the plot.
While a reader may get a feeling something is being foreshadowed,
foreshadowing is often easiest to recognize by looking back after you’ve finished
the story. Looking back at the beginning of “The Most Dangerous Game,” what
do Whitney’s tales of Ship-Trap Island foreshadow in this story? What other
examples are there?