“‘I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,’ explained the general. ‘So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?' And the a
nswer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason.’ ‘But no animal can reason,’ objected Rainsford. ‘My dear fellow,’ said the general, ‘there is one that can’” (Connell).
what's the topic of this whole thing and the theme of it
The topic of the paragraph is wartime and the theme is that those who choose to participate in war are selfish people who show very little compassion for human life.
Explanation:
The general starts the paragraph by saying he wanted an ideal animal to hunt, and upon further questioning by the speaker, reveals that the parameters he believes are ideal are that it is an animal that has courage, is cunning, and must be able to reason. As humans are the only animal that can reason, the general is basically stating that he treats human life just as a hunter treats its prey, to be killed for no reason other than sport. The author wants the reader to understand that those who make a conscious decision to become involved in wartime affairs functionally do so simply to kill others for enjoyment, as is shown by the general's reasoning for becoming a general.
