Literary Devices in The Most Dangerous Game

The ellipses before the passage and the change in verb tense in the passage indicate that some time has passed since Rainsford and Zaroff prepared to do battle in Zaroff’s bedroom. Rainsford’s sleeping in Zaroff’s bed shows that he had killed Zaroff and won Zaroff’s deadly game.

The quicksand that Rainsford steps into is described here with a simile, comparing it to a giant leech, a bloodsucking parasite. The description emphasizes the grave danger in which Rainsford finds himself.

Rainsford’s mental state as he hides in the tree during the night is described here with a simile and personification. Time passes slowly, crawling by “like a wounded snake,” and sleep is personified as a visitor who does not come to see him. The connotations of “wounded” and “snake” are negative, suggesting violence and danger. Night is also personified as being “apprehensive,” which means to feel anxious or fearful about something that might happen. The figures of speech suggest that Rainsford is acutely aware of the great dangers he will face at dawn.

Employing a metaphor, Zaroff calls his hunting Rainsford and Rainsford’s trying to elude him “outdoor chess.” Discounting the deadly nature of Zaroff’s game, it is similar to chess in that a player must think carefully, plan a strategy, and anticipate an opponent’s moves in order to counter them.

With a simile, Zaroff describes the trap he has set for ships that near the island, comparing the giant rocks on the coast to a sea monster, its jaws open, waiting to crush them. Zaroff’s statement is full of malicious intent, which is a further indication of his evil nature.

Zaroff’s strange statement foreshadows how the plot develops.

Described with a metaphor, the light inside the chateau is a river that flows into the night when the chateau’s door is opened. The image emphasizes the darkness of the night in contrast to the sudden “glaring” brightness of the “gold” light. “Gold” is associated with the color yellow, but it also has connotations of great wealth, suggesting that the interior of the chateau is richly furnished.

The sea is again personified to emphasize the danger that Rainsford is in. The description of the sea licking its “greedy lips” suggests that the sea feels malice and that is eager to claim human lives, including Rainsford’s.

The vegetation on the island is described with an implied metaphor, indirectly saying that the weeds and trees are a “closely knit web.” The description indicates that the island is covered with a dense tropical jungle; also, “web” can have negative connotations, summoning thoughts of a spider’s web, in which the spider’s prey is caught.

Once again, the sea is personified. It is not just a body of water; it is Rainsford’s enemy. Continuing to emphasize the danger Rainsford faces creates suspense and reveals his determination to survive, which becomes increasingly important as the story’s plot develops.

The sea is personified here, since “muttering” and “growling” are human traits. Both words have negative connotations suggesting irritation, anger, and aggression. The description underscores the peril in Rainsford’s circumstances.

The lights of the yacht as it moves away from Rainsford in the darkness are described with a metaphor, calling them “ever-vanishing fireflies.” The metaphor emphasizes the growing distance between Rainsford and the yacht and the danger in which he now finds himself, alone in the sea.

Once again, the night is described with a simile. Looking through the darkness of the night is compared to “trying to see through a blanket.” The simile stresses the inability to see anything beyond the ship, adding further to the story’s mood of suspense and imminent danger.

The description of Ship-Trap island stresses how forbidding it is and adds to the island’s aura of mystery and danger. Drawing the reader’s attention to the island several times at the beginning of the story suggests that the island itself plays an important role in the plot.

The night is described once again, this time with a simile that uses “like” in comparing the night to “moist black velvet.” The simile emphasizes the story’s warm, humid tropical setting.

As “palpable” is used here, it means that the dark tropical night is so enveloping that it seems possible to physically touch it. The night is also described through personification; it “pressed its … blackness” over the yacht, as if the night acted with deliberation. The passage contributes to the forbidding atmosphere of the story’s setting.

The name of the island has connotations of mystery and danger. It suggests the mood or atmosphere that will be developed in the story.