The Most Dangerous Game

Humans place their intelligence and ability to reason above the instinct of wild animals who live to satisfy their own needs, the ability to reason is the factor that transforms mere animals into people living together in a working society. But the author, Richard Connell, flips the idea that reason remains separate from instinct by reducing the gentleman Rainsford down to a mere “animal” of prey in General Zaroff's ruthless game. Rainsford soon came to understand that all living things depend on their instinct to endure and to evade pain and death. However, during the entire game, Rainsford remains calm in spite of his fear and continues to work carefully to postpone and prevent death. Throughout the hunt, both Rainsford's and Zaroff's methodical response and crafty devious plans bolsters the case that each man acts according to instinct, one to survive and the other to kill. There were many cases where the reaction speed of their instincts kept them alive, but also when reason played its part, in deciding what the next move would be and what impact that would have on each person/subject. The deciding factor between life and death was instinct and reason working hand in hand.