The Most Dangerous Game

Connell includes several instances of foreshadowing in the story. Such hints of future events contribute to the sense of foreboding that builds and, in some cases, increase the story’s ironies. One example of foreshadowing is the superstition surrounding Ship-Trap Island, which foreshadows the horrors Rainsford later finds present on the island. As Whitney and Rainsford stand on the ship deck and sail past the island, they discuss the fear sailors feel about the island, and Whitney admits he felt a sense of dread as they drew near the island. Even the island’s name, “Ship-Trap,” contributes to the foreshadowing. The reader later learns that Zaroff uses a light to trick ships into crashing against the sharp rocks on the island, trapping the crew for his use as prey. In this case, Connell’s use of foreshadowing contributes to the story’s mood, creating a sense of trepidation that is later fulfilled when the reader learns of Zaroff’s cruelty to humans.

Another instance of foreshadowing is the high-pitched screaming sound Rainsford hears from the ocean before coming ashore, which foreshadows Zaroff’s hunting practices. The sound strikes Rainsford as curious because it’s unlike any animal he’s heard before. Ironically, the reader later learns that an animal did not make the sound; a human did. Further examples of foreshadowing in the story function in similar ways, contributing to the suspenseful mood and highlighting irony.