Question

Compare and contrast Sanger Rainsford and General Zaroff when it comes to bravery

Answer 1

Both are pretty flat characters. They are both unbelievable in the context of real life. They were both smart, intelligent hunters. Strategy was a part of their everyday lives, but Zaroff took strategy just a bit further when he decided to make it about a game..... placing Rainsford as the most important piece on the board.

Zaroff is cruel and unfeeling; Rainsford has a sense of humor and he's witty. We like Rainsford, and yet in the end he is just as cold and cruel as the man who dragged him into the game.

Similarities: both are hunters and very much enjoy the sport; both are cunning and keep their wits about them; both are civilized to a certain extent (Zaroff may kill men, but he follows his rules and treats his guests with respect).

Differences: Zaroff is much more committed to hunting than Rainsford (Zaroff explains that hunting is his life, but Rainsford says that he enjoys hunting as the best sport in the world); Rainsford believes that the idea of hunting men is considered murder while Zaroff believes that he is morally allowed to do it; in the end, Rainsford wins the game while Zaroff loses.