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Situational Irony
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
The style of "The Most Dangerous Game" is typical of modernist literature from the period between World War I and World War II. The narrative's darkness and pervasive unease establishes pessimism about human nature, and this reflects the larger modernist trend of trying to reckon with humanity's potential for destruction in the aftermath of World War I.
Humanity's potential for unthinkable violence is on full display as the story uses stylistic choices to interrogate the difference between humanity and animals. As one example, juxtaposition is used frequently to highlight the multiplicity of the human experience: extravagant castles appear in the middle of the jungle, and fine wine and food are served while discussing the hunting of human beings.
The story also makes frequent use of dialogue and overlapping conversation to maintain both realism and momentum throughout the story, drive the narrative forward, convey expository information. Em dash dialogue breaks are frequent: Rainsford interrupts Whitney's explanation of Ship's Trap Island on the very first page, while his own internal monologue is later interrupted by the gun shots that will eventually lead to his tumble overboard. Later in the story, during the disturbing conversation with General Zaroff about his hunting practices, Rainsford and the General interrupt each other repeatedly. These interruptions maintain the dialogue's realism while also accelerating the pace at which the reader discovers the true nature of Zaroff's character.
