What is some figurative language in The Most Dangerous Game?

In "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford falls overboard on a dark night and swims to supposed safety on Ship-Trap Island. What he doesn't understand is that he will spend the next week fighting for his life against Zaroff and his giant butler Ivan. Zaroff, an avid hunter, explains that Rainsford is the prey in the hunt, and Zaroff explains that indeed it is man who is the most "dangerous game." In order to tell the story well, Richard Connell employs many examples of figurative language.

Imagery

Imagery is the tool writers use to paint a picture with their writing. Imagery refers to anything that is received through the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. Connell creates imagery in many places. He describes the hot night when Rainsford falls off the boat by writing: "... the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht." This helps the reader feel as if he is there. Another example of imagery is the following: "The sensuous drowsiness of the night was on him. 'It's so dark,' he thought, 'that I could sleep without closing my eyes ...' " Imagery brings the reader closer to the story.

A comparison of two unlike things is known as a metaphor. Connell uses metaphors to create a comparison that says so much in just a few words. In the dark of night, when Rainsford was talking about falling asleep, he says,

"... the night would be my eyelids." He was saying that the night was so dark, it was as if his eyes were closed. He also describes falling in the water and watching the boat continue by saying, "The lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing fireflies." This comparison shows how the lights were twinkling as he was bobbing in the water.

Personification

When an author gives human qualities and characteristics to inanimate objects, this is personification. Connell writes that "... a sharp hunger was picking at him." Picking at someone is a human quality, and therefore this is personification. Another great example is: "... the sea licked greedy lips in the shadows." The sea cannot lick its lips, as this is a human quality.

Symbols

A symbol is an object that represents something both literally and figuratively. In other words, it has come to mean something beyond itself. In this story, the bed is the most important symbol. At the end of the story, there is a standoff between Zaroff and Rainsford in Zaroff's bedroom. They were to fight to the death, and the very last line says, "He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided." The bed symbolizes Rainsford's victory in the game, and his defeat of Zaroff.

Metaphor occurs frequently in Richard Connell’s gripping short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” creating vivid characters as well as scenery. For instance, when Rainsford realizes that General Zaroff knows where he is but has decided not to pursue him for that day, the narrative illustrates their dynamic by comparing both men to animals: “The general was playing with him! The general was saving him for another day's sport! The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse.”

Setting the Scene

From the beginning of the story, Connell liberally uses metaphor to describe the scenery. For instance, when Rainsford falls off the boat and surfaces, he watches as the boat recedes into the night: “The lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing fireflies.” And as he swims to shore, Rainsford hears “the muttering and growling of the sea” crashing on land. Here the tenor of the metaphor is “the sea,” and the vehicle is expressed by its actions: something that mutters and growls, giving an image of a living creature with an anger that’s subdued -- for now.

Writer Bio

Elissa Hansen has more than nine years of editorial experience, and she specializes in academic editing across disciplines. She teaches university English and professional writing courses, holding a Bachelor of Arts in English and a certificate in technical communication from Cal Poly, a Master of Arts in English from the University of Wyoming, and a doctorate in English from the University of Minnesota.

Despite being written in 1924, Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" remains a tight, relevant adventure enjoyed by modern readers. One core aspect of the story responsible for its longevity is Connell's masterful use of figurative language to convey the most information and detail with the fewest words possible through techniques such as foreshadowing, characterization, tone and evocative imagery.

Foreshadowing for Effect

Connell uses figurative language to foreshadow future events throughout the story. When the protagonist, Rainsford, is lost after falling overboard at the beginning, he looks back toward the boat to see "the lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing fireflies." The vanishing of the fireflies foreshadows the fact that the boat will not reappear in the story. Rainsford must then swim through "blood warm waters" to reach shore. Connell's choice of adjective "blood warm" foreshadows the contest to come.

Setting Tone

Connell's careful choice of words sets appropriate tones during different stages of the story. While Rainsford is still on board his ship, the tone is comfortable. Rainsford comments that he "could sleep without closing eyes; the night would be eyelids." The language becomes more tense during Zaroff's hunt for Rainsford. While hiding out, Rainsford feels a "sharp hunger was picking at him" during a hunt that Connell describes as follows: "The cat was coming again to play with the mouse." Much like the shift from black-and-white to color in "The Wizard of Oz," this sharp contrast in language creates different tones and moods.

Characterization

In a novel, writers can spend entire pages describing a character and his motivations. They have no such luxury in a short story. Much of what the reader finds out about characters in "The Most Dangerous Game" is conveyed through figurative language. Rather than describing Captain Nielsen's courage at length, Connell has another character, Whitney, say the captain would "go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light." Similarly, General Zaroff describes hunting other humans for sport as "outdoor chess." In two words, Connell demonstrates the general's detached attitude toward human life.

Evocative Imagery

Much like characterization, a short story must convey a scene with as few words as possible. This is especially true of an adventure short story, in which lengthy descriptions would ruin the pace. Connell employs figurative language as a way of meeting these demands. The general mentions a rocky shoal that can "crush a ship as easily as I crush this nut," and Connell writes of a night fog as "like moist black velvet." This kind of imagery helps the reader picture a scene without taking up too much space in the story.

Resources

Writer Bio

Beverlee Brick began writing professionally in 2009, contributing to various websites. Prior to this, she wrote curriculum and business papers in four different languages. As a martial arts and group fitness instructor, she has taught exercise classes in North America, Europe and Asia. She holds master's degrees in French literature and education.

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