The Most Dangerous Game Literary Analysis

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In the “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Connell we find a study of violence and death; caused by the savagery of humanity when reason and compassion give way to selfishness and unquestionable feudalism. Both authors use prose, tone and setting to articulate the darkest regions of humanity. Even though the settings differ greatly; one is post war era rural America and the other a deserted island. Both authors use setting and tone to effectively mislead the reader from a sense of safety to the surprise conclusion of each story. What could be more familiar than the beauty of a summer afternoon? Such is the introduction of “The Lottery”. “The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny , with the fresh warmth…show more content…
They appear to go through the traditional murder of one of their own; for the mere preservation of tradition. Jackson highlights this in the following passage, “no one like to upset even as much tradition as was represented the black box.” (Jackson 251) Whereas in “The Most Dangerous Game” the antagonist character of General Zaroff decides that the natural progression of sportsman hunting inevitable means the hunt of human prey. He literally states in order to satisfy his need to hunt he “invented a new animal to hunt.” (Connell ) In both stories the narrator limits what the characters are actually thinking and their true motives. In “The Lottery” having this information would prematurely divulge the context of the actual “Lottery” and in “The Most Dangerous Game” having knowledge of General Zaroff true intentions and the truth about his new animal; would reveal of the conflict and content of the story. One would venture to say that most of town ship in The Lottery was anxiously anticipating the “lottery”. Well Mrs Hutchinson late arrival then suggests” you wouldn’t want me to leave me dishes in the sink , now would you Joe?” That statement at first read seemed of no consequence but after a 2nd and 3rd read. We realize she meant to state something along the lines of “ If I win the lottery today; you would let me leave any unfinished business would you Joe?”The moment at which General Zaroff reveals his true intentions,

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