Name: Last Name: 1 Teacher Name: Class, Period: Date: Short Story Packet / Think-As-You-Read: The Most Dangerous Game A. Review conflict, setting, and suspense in your Glossary of Literary Terms. You will need to respond to each of these questions in complete sentences, and you must write small. I will collect this packet on the day of the test. Use this to help you study for the test. 1. Some of the most exciting narratives pit villain (antagonist) against hero (protagonist) in a life-or-death struggle. The tension in such stories often depends as much on the character of the bad guy or gal as on that of the hero. Write a few sentences describing a villain from a novel, story, or movie. Why does that kind of a character fascinate people? (Done as warm-up on August 27 th /28 th ) 2. Making predictions: Turn to p17. Note the title The Most Dangerous Game and the quotation Sailors have a curious dread of the place. Why might sailors dread this island? Make a prediction in the space below. Sailors might dread Read up until the third paragraph and respond. 3. pal pa ble a. palpable = b. What is described as palpable in the story? The is 4. What do you know about the two men, Whitney and Rainsford, so far? Give personality traits along with their reason for traveling. (Complete sentences here and following) 5. What do we know so far about the setting of The Most Dangerous Game? Read halfway through the second column on p. 17, near the bottom to the words I can t tell in the dark and respond: 6. What is each man s view of hunting?
WHITNEY Last Name: 2 RAINSFORD 7. Considering their philosophies of hunting, which man do you agree with, Rainsford or Whitney? Why? Read until pure imagination on p. 18, then respond. 8. What phrases hint at the coming conflict in the story? 9. tan gi ble a. tangible = (adj) capable of being perceived especially by the sense of touch; palpable; substantially real. b. Write the sentence where tangible is used in the story. c. How can evil be a tangible thing? Give some examples. 10. What phrase is used to describe the sea (which is a way to foreshadow violence to come)? What type of violence do you predict might come? Read through the end of the first paragraph on p. 19 11. re ced ing a. receding= b. Receding is located near the bottom of the second column on p. 18. Why might it be symbolic that lights are receding? 12. He struggled up to the surface and tried to cry out What is the conflict described here, and is it external or internal?
Read to the middle of the second column on p. 21. Last Name: 3 13. Based on the description of General Zaroff, draw a picture of him. Use effort when drawing this picture, so that I can see that you took note of the description. Continue reading, answering questions as you go: 15. According to the bottom of p. 21, General Zaroff and Ivan are Cossacks. What do Zaroff s remarks about Cossacks suggest about how he will behave later in the story? Make predictions. 16. By the end of page 22, I hope you noticed the phrase the most dangerous game, a reference to the title. If the Cape buffalo isn t the most dangerous game, to what game do you think Zaroff might be referring? Write down your prediction. 17. According to what Zaroff says in pages 22-23, how has the lack of an external conflict led to an internal conflict for General Zaroff? 18. Read through the first column on p. 24. Why might a level of perfection be boring? 19. As you read the rest of the page, how does the author create suspense, or anticipation, here? What kinds of words and descriptions does he specifically use? 20. Read to the I in your textbook on p. 25. According to Zaroff, what are the three qualities of an ideal quarry?
Last Name: 4 21. The English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882) formulated the theory of evolution, an important part of which is the principle of natural selection. Basically, animals with certain advantages (stronger, smarter, quicker) are more likely to live longer and to pass on their genetic advantages to their offspring. On the other hand, natural selection helps to eliminate weaker animals because they are likely to die before passing on the weak traits to their offspring. a. In what way is Zaroff s interpretation of Darwin s theory of survival of the fittest flawed? For instance, what would happen if everyone adhered to this philosophy? b. What is a famous historical example of someone who also twisted the principle of natural selection in order to justify committing heinous acts upon his fellow man? THEME = a message about life that the author presents through characters and action. The insight may be about problems, conditions, or situations in human life. 22. A theme is expressed in complete sentences. The following is one theme of The Most Dangerous Game : Only point of view distinguishes hunting from murder. Compare/contrast hunting and murder in a Venn diagram, as modeled below: Read to the end of the first paragraph, second column, on p. 26. 23. What are the terms of the game (in detail)? Read to nearly the end of p. 27 and respond: 24. How has the conflict changed between Rainsford and Zaroff?
Last Name: 5 25. According to the second column on p. 30, what feelings or forces within himself must Rainsford control in order to survive? Read until the bottom of p. 31, to the P. 26. Why does Zaroff smile and blow the smoke ring? Who seems to have the upper hand in the conflict as this point? Explain. 27. What is Rainsford s mental or emotional reaction to Zaroff? What does Rainsford plan to do next? (Note: Oftentimes, fiction writers follow scenes with sequels, moments of mental or emotional reactions to what has just happened.) Read until the bold, large A on p. 33. 28. Zaroff said earlier that the difference between humans and animals is that humans rely on reason and animals rely on instinct. Which does Zaroff rely on to escape the Malay mancatcher? Explain. 29. Finish page 33, considering this question as you read: How has the game affected Rainsford mentally at this point? Finish the story, answering these questions as you go: 31. How has Rainsford s view of hunting changed over the course of the story? 32. What happens to Ivan? 33. General Zaroff regards himself as a civilized man and refers to luxuries such as champagne and fine tableware a amenities of civilization. a. In our culture, what material possessions, actions, or inner qualities suggest that someone is civilized b. Which do you think are better indicators that someone is civilized: material possessions or inner qualities?
c. Is Zaroff a civilized man? Explain. Last Name: 6 34. How is the conflict resolved at the end of the story? In other words, who wins the game, and how do you know? 35. Considering his Zaroff-like appreciation of the fine bed, what is suggested about Rainsford s mental state by the last line of the story? 36. Here s another theme of the story. Finish this thought: People who kill other beings. 37. USING YOUR IMAGINATION: In the morning, Rainsford awakes in Zaroff s comfortable bed. What happens next? Does he stay on Ship-Trap Island and turn it into a theme park? Does he go home with a new taste for danger? Does General Zaroff manage to come up with yet another surprise? In a paragraph, let Rainsford tell his own story of what happens next. Use the pronoun I since this comes from the perspective of Rainsford.