Long before modern times, humans act selfishly, putting their short-term gain before their long-term interests. In “A Sound of Thunder” (Bradbury), “The Most Dangerous Game” (Connell), and “Marionettes Inc.” (Bradbury), the characters plot to maximize their pleasure in self-centered ways. These stories illustrate the concept that being selfish is self-defeating and often harms others in the process because the characters are narcissistic and then harm themselves and others. First, Eckles from “A Sound of Thunder '' seeks thrill in harmful ways. Eckles wants to hunt a dinosaur but ignores warnings about stepping off of the path and even threats of getting shot as a consequence. Travis explains how killing one animal can have a large impact, …show more content…
Zaroff introduces Rainsford to the most exhilarating sport of hunting humans by saying, “It supplies me with the most exciting [hunt] in the world… Every day I hunt, and I never grow bored. . .” (Connell 7). Zaroff’s actions are selfish because he only cares for his thrill and never cares how that impacts his victims. To Zaroff, Rainsford is the ultimate prey. But Zaroff gets cocky while hunting Rainsford when he “[v]ery deliberately [blows] a smoke ring into the air…” (Connell 12). Zaroff wants the hunt to continue because the excitement of torturing Rainsford is filling him with joy. Later in the story, Rainsford wins and Zaroff is killed. In the end, Zaroff wants to hunt humans, and Rainsford will supply the perfect thrill for him, but he gets cocky and Rainsford kills him, illustrating how the benefits one finds from selfishness can be quickly …show more content…
Braling owns a Marionette version of himself to spend time with his wife when he wants to go out. Braling does this so often, Braling Two says, “Your wife is rather nice…I’ve grown rather fond of her” (Bradbury 2). Braling Two later shoves Braling into a box, but if Braling was not so selfish, his plan would have never backfired. Smith is intrigued by Bralings Marionette and thinks about getting one for himself. After thinking about the Marionettes, Smith feels guilty and tries to talk to his wife, but “he bent forward and yet forward again until his fevered ear was resting firmly and irrevocably upon the round pink bosom… Tick-tick-tick-tick…” (Bradbury 3). Smith’s wife got her own Marionette and Smith is deeply hurt, showing how self-centered acts psychologically impact others. So, Braling and Smith selfishly lie to their wives, but they find the tables turn against them as they are betrayed, emphasizing the physical and emotional consequences of being
At the end of “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford warns Zaroff, “I am still a beast at bay… Get ready” (17). By declaring this, Rainsford threatens to kill Zaroff. Previously in the story, when the two men were chatting over dinner, Zaroff reveals to Rainsford that he hunts humans. Astounded, Rainsford accuses Zaroff of being a murderer.
Rainsford had been a trophy hunter too. He hunted for the excitement, when he knew Zaroff hunted animals that can think he was shocked up, he said that’s wrong hunting of your own kind that’s bad. But
I am speaking of hunting.” “Hunting? General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder.”” (Connell, 8) Going back to the beginning of the story, Rainsford had opined on animals not having any feels and hunting just was a sport; Rainsford noticing Zaroff was killing people for the enjoyment of his will.
When it is revealed that what Zarroff hunts is humans, Rainsford reacts shockingly, assuming the general is joking. After doubling down and confirming that he is not joking, Rainsford says, “Hunting? General Zaroff, what you speak of is murder” (35). Zaroff, however, does not see it this way, believing that hunting humans is a natural progression for someone who has become bored with hunting animals. He tells Rainsford, “I had to invent a new animal to hunt...
In “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, the narrator describes his past experiences with his younger brother Doodle, whom he prevents from being left behind in society. Initially, the narrator does not accept Doodle, who was born physically disabled, as his brother, but gradually, love and pride led him to teach Doodle how to stand, walk, and perform feats that normal people could do; however, it was this same love and pride that eventually twisted into a “knot of cruelty” and killed his brother. When the narrator coaches Doodle to walk, he demonstrates cruelty in his love and pride for his brother. The narrator disregards Doodle’s physical limits in an attempt to prevent his brother from being left behind in society. If this was not because of the narrator’s love for Doodle, he would have accepted his brother’s physical state and would not have bothered to teach Doodle to walk like the other kids.
This idea of hunting sets the tone for the rest of the story and emphasizes the main conflict between Rainsford and Zaroff as well as creating fear through Rainsford realizing what is to come. Additionally, Zaroff hunts animals,
Zaroff went on about how much he hunts, but he got bored with regular hunting, so he created a new game with a animal with more reason--humans. Zaroff challenges him, a 3 day game where Rainsford has to get hunted by him, or torchered by Zaroff's servant, Ivan. In the end, Rainsford wins the game, then
Zarroff likes to hunt so much he stops hunting animals and started hunting for people. Zarroff prefers to hunt people rather than animals, because he believes that animals lack reasoning, making the hunt easy for him, and he like a challenge. People provide that challenge he so desires, because humans can reason. Sanger Rainsford and his friend Whitney were traveling to Rio de Janeiro to hunt a jaguar. Whitney decides to head in for some rest, while Rainsford decides to go on the deck for a smoke.
First, he welcomes Rainsford into his home by connecting with him on a personal level by stating that “I [am reading] [Rainsford’s] book about hunting snow leopards in Tibet…” (66). This connection Zaroff is able to make with Rainsford in one of their first encounters that starts their deadly game. Often people see this same game in life, gaining a sense of trust with each other which will ultimately lead to heartbreak. Zaroff invites Rainsford to stay in his home, just to try and kill him later. Zaroff does all of these fatal games just to never take credit for them.
Meaning Zaroff got fed to the hounds and Rainsford got to sleep in the bed. The fight and Rainsford winning, indicates that Rainsford is going to think and act similarly to Zaroff because he might have gotten the thrill of killing humans. This shows a lack of humanity because Rainsford may become like Zaroff and start killing humans for entertainment. Rainsford might lose empathy for humans and start to devalue human life which leads to abandoning his moral compass. At the beginning of the book, Rainsford said that he thinks what Zaroff is doing is murder.
Also, General Zaroff is an extreme hunter and doesn’t find pleasure in hunting regular animals. Zaroff says the most dangerous game is humans because they have the ability to reason. Rainsford is going to be hunted and is given a certain amount of time to survive. Moreover, while Rainsford is being hunted Zaroff
“I am strong, I hunt the scum of the earth”(17). He only kills them because he wants to hunt something that can reason, something that can change its mind when faced with a life or death situation. “But they are men,” said Rainsford hotly. “Precisely,” said the general”(17). Zaroff is an apex hunter, and he demands the ultimate prey.
In Richard Connell's short story"The Most Dangerous Game," the protagonist Sanger Rainsford is selfish, unsympathetic, and cruel. In the beginning, Rainsford talks to Whitney about the prey’s, in this case, the animal's perspective while being hunted, like how they feel. Rainsford and Whitney butt heads. Rainsford’s philosophy is much like Zaroff's. Rainsford disagrees with Whitney, who believes that animals can comprehend the fear of pain and death.
In the short fiction story, “Marionettes Inc.” by Ray Bradbury, the complication of betrayal is shown when people control others and their emotions. The effects of betrayal can affect one both emotionally and psychologically, causing one to feel unwanted. While discussing his marriage with Smith, Braling confessed his marriage was “unfair. [I] didn’t love her. [I] told her as much.
This essay will critically evaluate the fictional character named Sykes. It will analyze Sykes Jones individual qualities with a focus on at least more than three traits. The traits I will speak on is, abuse, laziness, and disrespect. Sykes Jones is a protagonist’s husband, and abusive man who psychologically and physically tortures his wife. He gains pleasure by