"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard O'Connell

"'Here in my preserve on this island,' he said in the same slow tone, 'I hunt more dangerous game.'"

 I was not expecting this story to be about people-hunting. I had heard the title "The Most Dangerous Game" before, and had seen the movie poster, but I assumed it was about some sort of game set up by an old billionaire -- something along the lines of a book I read in middle school, "The Westing Game." Upon reading that by "game," the author means "animals to be hunted," I have to appreciate the wit. That's an interesting play on words, whether or not it was intentional. 

As I read, General Zaroff's little hints as to what he does became clearer and clearer. He refers to the people he hunts as a type of animal, which makes his motives unclear for a while. The quote above is an example of that -- he's enjoying himself, making these jokes that are going over Rainsford's head. This is the first step to understanding Zaroff. He is an old man who lives alone, save his dogs and Ivan, and spends his time entertaining himself. His own wit is all he has to live with, and he is getting bored with it. He wants a challenge, such that none of his "animals" have yet provided him. And if they have, he's still managed to best them. 

Zaroff appears at first to be a predator, living for and loving the kill. However, he is a little more complex than that. He likes the challenge that hunting people gives him, but there is a part of him that wants to lose his game. The game isn't a one-time thing for him; when he wins, he simply moves on to the next one, hoping for a challenge. But he knows that the only thing that would provide him a challenge is the kind of person who would elude him and kill him. So, it becomes clear that General Zaroff has a bit of a death wish. It makes you wonder about his character, really -- he's so detestable, kidnapping and hunting humans for sport. But you have to wonder what pushed him to this point. He must have such a sad existence if he is so bored with the world as to need this strange, twisted activity just to feel something. It seems as though his hunting is also an elaborate and kamikaze-esque death wish. 

At the end, when Rainsford surprises Zaroff in his home, O'Connell writes, "The general sucked in his breath and smiled. 'I congratulate you,' he said. 'You have won the game.'" Zaroff smiled. He was prepared for this moment; he knew it could come at any time and was ready to accept it.

A question to end on -- did Zaroff plan for Rainsford, an apparently well-known hunter, to wash up on his shore? Or did he just get lucky?