Miss Ting
Examples of conflict in “The Most Dangerous
Game”
Internal Conflict
Rainsford vs. himself
When Rainsford fell into the ocean and when he was hunted by Zaroff, he
had to overcome his fear so that he could calm down and think rationally. Both
times he started panicking, but ended up being able to settle down and survive
the situations he was in.
Zaroff vs. himself
When Zaroff first “finds” Rainsford, he debates with himself whether or
not he wants to kill him now or draw the game out longer. Eventually, he
decides to give Rainsford a second chance and he walks away from Rainsford’s
location.
External Conflict
Rainsford vs. Zaroff
Zaroff wants to hunt Rainsford and Rainsford doesn’t want to die so his
actions are mostly to prevent Zaroff from killing him. Zaroff lets Rainsford go
once and then Zaroff continues to hunt Rainsford while Rainsford sets up traps
around the island to fend him off. The conflict is resolved when Rainsford
confronts Zaroff in his room at the end of the story and they fight. Rainsford
wins.
Zaroff vs. the traps
Rainsford sets up three traps to try to hinder or stop Zaroff. The first
trap, the Malay man-catcher, injures Zaroff, the second trap, the Burmese Tiger
pit kills ones of Zaroff’s dogs, and the final trap, where Rainsford ties his
hunting knife to a sapling, kills Ivan instead of Zaroff.
Rainsford vs. the ocean
When Rainsford falls off the yacht, he struggles to swim safely to
shore before he is too exhausted and drowns. He manages to conserve his energy
enough for him to swim toward the gunshots and eventually make it to land.
