Sanger Rainsford is the main protagonist in Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game." He is a skilled, strong, and physically fit big-game hunter who initially sees hunting as a sport and divides the world into hunters and hunted. During the story, Rainsford undergoes a significant transformation: after falling overboard and landing on General Zaroff's island, he himself becomes the hunted in Zaroff's deadly human hunting game. Throughout the story, Rainsford uses both his physical and mental abilities to outwit Zaroff, maintaining his cool under pressure and displaying ingenuity in survival tactics. By the end, he defeats Zaroff, crossing moral lines he had not previously thought he would, underscoring his complex character who evolves from hunter to prey to victor.
Rainsford's character development shows him as dynamic, starting with his confident outlook on hunting, experiencing terror and survival instinct when hunted, and ultimately adopting the ruthlessness necessary to survive. He experiences firsthand the terror and desperation felt by the animals he once hunted and demonstrates resilience and cunning throughout the deadly game.
Overall, Rainsford's character embodies themes of hunter versus hunted, survival, morality, and the thin line between civility and savagery.
