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On board a yacht bound for South America, Rainsford and Whitney talk about hunting jaguars, they have the ff conversation: "The best sport in the world," agreed Rainsford. "For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Not for the jaguar." "Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "You're a biggame hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?" ChaCha all the way!
Connell includes the philosophical discussion between Whitney and Rainsford at the beginning of the story to set the tone and introduce the themes of morality and humanity that will be explored throughout the rest of the narrative. It also serves to establish the characters' differing viewpoints on the value of life, which foreshadows the challenges Rainsford will face later in the story.
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell features minor characters such as Whitney, who serves as Rainsford's companion at the beginning of the story, Ivan, the silent and menacing servant of General Zaroff, and the sailors from the ship that Rainsford falls off of at the start of the story.
Rainsford's friend Whitney believes that (A. animals feel fear, B. animals don't feel fear) . His views are (A, the opposite of, B. in agreement with) Rainsford's. However, Rainsford eventually changes his views about the hunted when he himself is hunted.
Whitney says that he's seen Rainsford pick off a moose moving through the brown bush 400 yards away.
He was with Whitney on the boat
Calm
Ivan greets Rainsford by showing him to his room at the beginning of the story. Ivan does not verbally greet Rainsford, but instead silently leads him to his quarters.
The author foreshadows Rainsford's experience on the island through the conversation about hunting at the beginning of the story, where Rainsford expresses his lack of empathy for the prey. The mention of Ship-Trap island being a mysterious and dangerous place also sets the tone for what is to come in Rainsford's hunting ordeal. Additionally, the eerie description of General Zaroff and his passion for hunting humans hints at the dangers Rainsford will face on the island.
In "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, Whitney is a character who represents the more civilized and empathetic side of humanity. He is Rainsford's friend and companion at the beginning of the story, and his concern for the lives of animals demonstrates his compassion and morality. Whitney's contrast with the story's antagonist, General Zaroff, highlights the theme of the story regarding the thin line between civilization and savagery.
Yes, at the beginning of the story "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford believes that animals lack the capacity for feelings and emotions, and therefore he sees nothing wrong with hunting them for sport. He only begins to empathize with their experience once he becomes the prey himself.
In "The Most Dangerous Game," foreshadowing can be seen in the conversation between Whitney and Rainsford about Ship-Trap Island being a mysterious and ominous place. Additionally, General Zaroff's admiration for hunting, particularly big game, hints at the sinister turn the story will take when Rainsford becomes his prey. These early clues build tension and foretell the dangerous game that will unfold.