对最危险的游戏的主旨分析

1、Course:ShortstoryreadingZhu1Classnumber:16101501Name:朱思维Studentnumber:2015303436Instructor:ProfessorYangDate：4th,12,2016TheEvilinTheMostDangerousGame"TheMostDangerousGame"isashortstorythatwhichwaswrittenbyRichardConnell.IttellsreadersastoryaboutahorribleexperienceofamanwhoiscalledRainsford

2、.Heisahunterwhoisgoingtohuntjaguarwithhisfriends.However,hefallsintotheseaaccidentally.Thenheiswasheduptoalandontheshore.Heiswakedbytheshots.Hefollowsitandfindsacastle.Intherehemeetstwomen,oneiscalledZaroffandtheotheriscalledIvan.RainfordsoonfindsthatthehunteesofZaroffarehuman.Hewantstoleavewhilethe

3、onlywayhecanleavethisislandistoplaythegamewithZaroffandhemustwinhim,orhewillbekilled.Intheend,RainsfordwinsthegameandkillsZaroff.ItseemstobeanironicstorythatRainsfordisgoingtohuntwhileheishuntedbyZaroff.Butafterreadingtheendofthisshortstory,readercaneasilyseethatalmosteverypartofitindicatestheevilof

4、human.Theevilofthepeopleinthisshortstoryisthemaintoneofthestory.Iexplaintheevilofthehumaninplots,characters,specialthingsandlanguageofthisnovelbasedonXunzistheoryof"HumanDispositionsareDetestaB(Xunzi,Wikipedia).Thistheorybelievesthatthenatureofthehumanisbad.Byanalyzingtheseevilthings,Iwanttopas

5、sreadersawarning:Theevilofhumanishorrible,watchouttheanimalinourhearts.Zhu2Thefirstpartistheplots.Theauthorusessuspense,specialplotstopromotethedevelopmentsofstoryandinformreadersabouttheevilofthepeopleinthisshortstory.Atthebeginningtheauthorgivesreadersthreesuspense.Thefirstsuspenseisthatthemysteri

6、ousland,whichismentionedbyRainsford'sfriendWhitey,successfullyraisestheinterestsofreadersandtellsreaderswherethestoryhappens.Italsoexaggerateshorribleatmosphereatthemaintimeitalsosetsthetoneofthewholestory.ThesecondsuspenseisthatthehunteesofZaroffarehuman.ThehunteesofZaroffalsoaremysterious,butr

7、eaderscanguessvaguelywhatitis.Inordertoensuretheiranswerisright,theywillkeepreading.ItalsocreatestheconflictsbetweenZaroffandRainsford,pushingthestoryline.Inaddition,theansweralsoshowsthecrueltyofZaroff.Readerscanunderstandmorecompletelytheevilofthesepeoplefromthispart.Thethirdsuspenseisthatthechanc

8、eofRainsfordwinsthegame.TheauthordoesnottellreaderclearlyaboutRainford'sroute.Inthecontrast,heleavesthisquestiontoreaders.Inthiswayreaderwillreadtheentirestoryoutofcuriosity.Theendingisunexpectedbutreasonable,whichalsoprecedesthestorytotheclimax.Whatismore,thisendingalsoindicatesreadersthatRains

9、fordalsobecomesacruelpersonasZaroff.Atfirst,Rainsfordfirmlybelievesthathumancannotberegardedasanimals.However,finallyhealsotreatsZaroffasanimalandkillshim.ThischangeZhu3alsoshowstheevilofhumanvividly.Inaword,thewritermakesreadersgetinvolvedinthisstorythroughthissuspense.Especiallywhenallthesesuspens

10、eareexplained,peopleknowthisislandisactuallya"Ship-TrapIsland.Atthistimereaderwillfeelhowhorribletheevilofhumanisandhowimportanttobeawareofit.Inspiteofthesuspense,therearealsomanyspecialplotstohelppeopletofigureoutpuzzles.ThemostexcitingplotisthethreebattlesbetweenZaroffandRainsford.Accordingto

11、thesebattles,thereadercanactuallyseethechangeofRainsford.Atfirst,heisaproudmanwhothinksanimalsdonothaveemotions.ButwhenhebecomesthehunteeofZaroff,herealizesthatanimalsalsohaveemotionandbecomearealanimalwhowantstoattackZaroff.AlthoughthewriternevertellsreadersthatRainsfordbecomesascruelasZaroff,reade

12、rscanseebythemselves.AsforZaroff,hetotallyshowshiscrueltyinthisgame.InordertokillRainsfordhecansacrificeIvanandhisfavoritedog.Heevencandrinkwineafterkillingpeople.Theseplotsmakereadersbeabletoobservetherealmeaningofthisstory:theevilofhumancanbeextremelybadevenbeyondpeople'simagination.Afterthean

13、alysisofplots,somereadersmaydoubtwhethertheseplotsarereasonable.Doestheauthorwritethesejustinordertocatchpeopleattention?Aretheyreasonable?Theanswerisdefinitely"Yes"Firstistherealidentityofisland.TheauthordoesnotsuddenlytellreadersthatZhu4hisislandisaslaughterhouseforsailors.Literallyheuse

14、smanyfactorstoimplyreaders,suchastheCaptainNielsen'sreactiontothisisland,thedoubtfullightandthespeciallocationoftheisland.Thesethingsindirectlytellreadersthatthisislandisunusualandtheremusthavesomesecretsnotbereportedbyperson.Nextisthehunteesishuman.AlthoughConnelldoesnottellreaderdirectly,heuse

15、smanysymbols.Forexample,Rainsfordhasfoundanemptycartridgewhichcanbeputintwentytwobullets.Thisiskindofoddbecauseifahunterwantstohuntanormalanimal,hewillnotuseasmanyastwentytwobullets.Sothisanimaliseitherfairlylargeanimalorverysmartanimal.Rainsfordalsofindsapieceofblood-stainedclothinganditisimpossibl

16、ethatanimalswearclothesinthislandThemostobviousevidenceisZaroff'swords.Hesaysthisanimalcanthinkandonlypeopleareabletothink.Combingtheseclues,itiseasytoguessthehunteeishuman.ThelastthingiswhetherRainsfordsdiedornot.Intheend,RainsfordleapsfaroutintotheseasoalmosteveryoneincludingZaroffthinksthathe

17、died.ButaccordingtoRainsfordsrichhuntingexperiencesreaderscanguessthereisstillthechanceforRainsfordtosurvive.Besides,whenZaroffgoesuptohisbedroom,heseessomemoonlightthatindicatesthatthecurtainisnotbeingdrawnup.SoitprovidestheopportunityforRainsfordtohidebehindthecurtain.Anyway,accordingtotheseanalys

18、es,readerscanseeMr.Connellisaverylogicalwriter.Inotherwords,allthesesuspenseandspecialplotareusedtostresstheZhu5evilofhuman.Withthehelpoftheseplots,readerscanunderstanddeeplyabouttheevilofhuman.Inspiteoftheseplots,thedescriptionsofcharactersalsoplayanessentialroleinpromotingthedevelopmentofstoryandd

19、eepeningtheevilofthehuman.Therearethreemaincharactersinthearticle,Zaroff,RainsfordandIvan.Thesepeoplerepresenttwodifferentpowers.AccordingtothedescriptionofwriterreaderscaneasilyknowthatZaroffandIvanrepresenttheevilpartofhumannature.Zaroffisasymbolofevil.Asweallknow,thepersonalitiesofapersonareinvis

20、ible;however,thesecanalsobeexpressedinhisappearance,behaviors,actionsandlanguages.Asforhisappearance,thewritergivesthemabriefintroductionofhim.Anerect,slendermanineveningclotheswithacultivatedvoicemarkedbyasightaccentthatgaveitaddedprecisionanddeliberatenesS.Itpaintsapictureoapolitegentlemanfromfirs

21、tclassandnoonewillbelievethatheisabadperson.HetreatsRainsfordpolitelyandenjoyswinewhichshowsheisatrulygentlemen.Evenintheendhestillobeyshisdeal,inthisway,heisagood-behaviorperson.However,RainsfordgivesthemamorespecificpictureofZaroffandnoticessomethingwrong.The'manwassingularlyhandsome;hissecond

22、wasthattherewasanoriginal,almostbizarrequalityaboutthegeneral'sfacehisthickeyebrowsandpointedmustachewasasblackasthenightfromwhichRainsfordZhu6hadcome.Hiseyes,too,wereblackandverybright.Hehadhighcheekbones,asharpcutnose,asparedarkenfacethefaceofamanusedtogivingorders,thefaceofanaristocrat.Bycont

23、rastinghesetwotypesofdescriptionsofZaroff,itisnothardtoseethatZaroffisnotaneasygoingperson.Hisimpressivefaceshowsthatheisaggressiveandlovescontrollingothers.Butpeoplecannotjudgesomeonejustaccordingtheirappearance.SothenationandtheactionoftheZaroffalsoneedtopayattention.ZaroffisaCossackandthemostfamo

24、uscharacteristicofCossackisaggressive.What'smore,heisproudofhisnation"straditionverymuchbecauseheissmilingwhenhesaysthatheisalsoaCossack.Thisdetailshowsthatheadmireshisnationwhichindicatesheiscruel,Besides,hisactioninformspeoplethatheisevil.Forexample,thereisadescriptioninthearticle.Hemadeh

25、iswayalongwithhiseyesfixedinutmostconcentrationonthegroundbeforehim.Hepaused,almostbeneaththetree,droppedtohiskneesandstudiedthegro.undThisdescriptionshowsthatZaroffhasrichexperienceinhuntingandhejusttreatsRainsfordasanormalhuntee.ThewayhetreatsRainsfordshowshiscrueltyandhisindifferencetohumanslife.

26、WhatisworitalsoinformsthereaderthatZaroffgetsusedtokillhuman.Thisaction川ustratestheevilofpeople.Whatismore,Heneverrespectsanycreatureinthisworldbecausehethinkstheseheadsmeanglory.EvenwhenhisloyalservantIvandied,hejustthinksthatitisdifficulttofindsomeonetoreplacehim.Thereisstillonethingtopayattention

27、s:TheZhu7languageofZaroff.ConnelldescribesZaroff'slanguageindetail.Forinstance,Zaroffalwaysstressesthatheisthekingofhuntingandthereisnoanimalhasachancewithhim.Whatworse,hethinksthepeoplewhoarekilledbyhimarethescumofthe"earth”.Hehasanextremersenseofsuperior,heevensaThereisnogreaterborethanpe

28、rfection.ThewriterillustratestheoveronfidenceofZaroffinordertoimplythatintheendhewillbedefeatedbyRainsford.Insum,althoughZaroffhashandsomeappearanceandgoodbehavioroutside,hisinsideisextremelybrutalandbloody.Hisbehaviorsandvalueshaveshapedsharpcomparecontrast.Healwayssaysthatheiscivilizedandwantstobu

29、ildcivilizationhere,butinfactthisso-calledcivilizationisextremelyasavagecivilization.Accordingtotheanalysisreaderscanseethatalmosteverypartofhimisevil.However,thisevilpersonalsohasaloyalservantIvan,whoisascruelasZaroff.AccordingtoRainsford,Ivanis"thelargestmanhehadeverseen-agiganticcreature,sol

30、idlymadeandblackbeardedtotheWaiReaderscansoonknowthatIvanisatoughman.ByCombininghisaction,readerscanobservetheevilnessofhimcompletelyWhenZaroffforceRainsfordtomakeachoicebetweenheandIvan,Ivanjuststandsthere,scowling,histhickarmscrossedonhishogsheadofchThisactionalsostressesthatheisacruelman.Besides,

31、hisevilisalsoconfinedtoheknowsthatZaroffiskillingpeoplebuthestillhelpshim,inotherwords,heisZaroffsaccomplice.Zhu8AlthoughIvanisevil,heisatleastloyaltoZaroff.Nomatterwhathappens,hestillprotectsZaroffandtrieshisbesttoservehim.Unfortunately,ZaroffnevertreatsIvanasanimportantpersontohim.Hejusttreatshima

32、sausefultool.Inthisway,IvanisbetterthanZaroff.However,thelastcharacterRainsfordshaspolarpersonalities.Herepresentsbothjusticeandevil.UnlikeZaroff,thewriterdoesnotdescribeRainsford'sappearanceindetailbutheusesmanysentencestopicturethechangesinRainsford'sheart.Readerscanfindthatinthebeginning,

33、heusedtobeamanwhofirmlybelieveshumanisdifferentfromanimalandrefusestokillpeopleashuntee.Atthisstage,itseemsthatRainsfordstillrepresentsthepowerofjustice.AlthoughatfirstreadersmightthinkRainsfordisagoodman,actuallyheisaseviladZaroff.WhenhisrolechangesandbecomesthehuntneeofZaroff.Atthistime,itisundoub

34、tedthathebecomesascruelasZaroff.Forexample,heuseshIMalayMantcatcher"killsIvan.HisevilalsoreflectsinthathekillsZaroffindirectlyandshowsnomercy.Infact,hecanjustleavewithoutkillingZaroff.Intheendhesays"Iamstillabeastatbayatthistime,hehasbecomeatotalanimal.TheevilofRainsfordisnotonlyreflectedi

35、nthewayhekillspeoplebutalsoisreflectedinthewayhetreatsanimals.Healwaysthinksthatthisworldismadeupoftwoclasses,thehuntersandhuntees.Healsothinksanimalshavenofearsopeoplecankillthemfreely.ItiskindofironicthatheknowsthatanimalcanfeelfearuntilhebecomesthehunteeofZaroff.Everycreature'slifeinthisworld

36、shouldberespected.Zhu9Accordingtothispart,Rainsfordiskindofhypocriticalandevil.Generallyspeaking,Zaroff,IvanandRainsfordareevil.ButZaroffisdifferentfromthesetwopeople;atthebeginninghehasalreadyacceptedtokillpeople.AtleastwhatRainsforddoesistokeephimselfalive,andwhatIvandoesjustisdevotedtoZaroff.Zaro

37、ffdoesallthethingsjustbecausehefeelsthatitisfuntodothat.Fromthispoint,Zaroffisatotallyevilpersonfromthebeginningtotheend.ButitdoesnotmeanthatallthethingsthataredonebyRainsfordandIvanarereasonable.Theyarealltheevilpeoplewhoalwayscareabouttheirbenefits.Readerscanseetheevilofhumancompletelythroughthese

38、threepersons.Inadditiontothecharacters,specialthingsalsoinfluencethestorydeeply.Fortheinterestsofhighlightingtheevilofthehuman,thewriterusesmanyspecialthings.Thefirstthingisthedarkandscaringenvironmentincludingdarksea,oddcastleandfurryforest.Thesethingsstrengthenthethrillingatmosphereforthehorriblep

39、lotsandprovideagoodplaceforcharacterstoshowtheirevil.Inaddition,thereisalsoaspecialdiningroomofZaroff.Therearemanyheadsofmanyanimalsintheroom,whichshowsthecrueltyofZaroff.Heisnotsatisfiedaboutjustkillinganimalsbuthealsowantstocuttheirheads.ThisdiningroomindicatesthatZaroffiscrazyabouthunting,soitisr

40、easonablethathechooseshumanashisnewhuntee.Accordingtothis,readerscanseehisevilnessobviously.Therestillonethingtobepaidattention,thelifestyleofZaroff.Byobservinghistablemanner,itisevidentthatheloveswines,delicateappointmentsanddeliciousZhu10food.Furthermore,thesethingsrepresentthelifestyleofupperclas

41、s.Zaroffalsosaysthathedoeshisbesttopreservecivilizationinthisplace.Butasweallknow,whathedoesisfarawayfromcivilization.Whathesaysissharplycontrastedtowhatheactuallydose.Inthisway,thesethingsstrengthentheeffectsofirony,andtellreadersZaroffisatotallyevilman.Aftertheanalysesofspecialthings,readerscannot

42、icethelanguageofthisshortstoryisalsoveryspecial.Sometimesthewordhasthefetaldisadvantage,itcaneasilybecomepaleandweak.Furthermoreitisverydifficulttobringreadersintotherealsituations,especiallythesekindofthrillingsettings.However,authordoesn'tletthemdown.Thisstoryonlyhas8000wordsbutitgivesthemthes

43、amefeelingasamovie.Themostremarkablefeatureofthisstoryisthebrevityofthelanguage.Thewriterseldomtellsallthethingsdirectly.Forexample,whentheytalkaboutthehunteesofZaroff,noneofthempointsoutthehumteeishumanbutreadercaneasyknowitishuman.What'smore,unlikeotherwritersuseplentyofwordstostressthethrilli

44、ngscenesoffighting;Mr.Connellleavesmorethingsforreaderstoguess.Thisstyleofwrithingisaneffectivewaytostrengthentheatmosphere.Readerscanimaginethesehorribleandevilthingsbytheirownimagination.Withthehelpofimagination,theevilofhumancanbeexpandedandenriched.Brevityisnotalwaysthestyleofthelanguage.AsIhave

45、mentionedbefore,thisauthorisfocusedonthevividdescriptionoftheenvironment,suchasl"wassetonahighbluffandonthethreesidesofitcliffsdiveddowntowherethesealickedZhu11greedylipsintheshadowstcanbesaidwithoutexaggerationthatthedescriptionsoftheenvironmentcontributetodeepeningthethrillingatmosphere.Thereadercanfeelandeven