“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell (or “The Hounds of Zaroff” if you want to be different) is one of the most popular and famous short stories written in English. Teachers love it because it has a classic short story structure and lots of great irony. And the students love it too because it's super creepy and weird. “The Most Dangerous Game” first appeared in Collier's magazine on January 19, 1924. It is worth reading even today and people love it. This story also won the O. Henry Prize, a short story prize that is still awarded today. In the short story "The Most Dangerous Game", a man whose name is Sanger Rainsford faces a disagreement based on what he thinks of a desert island. This island was completely uninhabited, except for the one man living there, General Zaroff. General Zaroff loves to hunt but he not only hunts animals but also humans. In reality, General Zaroff got tired of only hunting animals because he claims it was too easy for him since he was an excellent hunter. He wanted more and wanted to make the hunt a challenge. Rainsford learns that General Zaroff has been hunting humans before, so he is a killer. One critic commented, "Ironically, General Zaroff's belief in his invincibility weakens him and causes his defeat." I agree with this criticism for several reasons. Well, it's good to be smart and fearless when someone is stuck in a bad situation. It can help that person to get out of it as soon as possible. However, I believe that having too much courage in these situations is not at all positive and is not even useful. When you think you are invulnerable in scary situations, this can weaken you and cause you to lose the battle. This is why I agree......middle of paper......Great! One of us will have to provide a meal for the dogs. The other will sleep in this excellent bed. On your guard, Rainsford." He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided. This last sentence, coming after the sword fight that elevated Rainsford from "beast at bay," Rainsford finds himself the victor, and now one who obviously tolerated cold-blooded murder" which he despises at dinner with Zaroff on the first night. So, in the end, Sanger Rainsford changes his opinion on hunting. He adapts to the prey's feelings and later sympathizes, knowing how it feels to be a "beast at bay" while he himself is being hunted. Furthermore, he abandons his rejection of Zaroff's "cold-blooded murder" of men and commits an act of cold-blooded murder himself. Rainsford knew the pain of the animals he hunted and finally changed.