General Zaroff's The Most Dangerous Game

Words: 520
Pages: 3

Humans are all born good, but what makes a person good or bad, are the choices he or she makes in life. When a baby is born, he is not born with the intent to do evil. The baby is born with the intent to learn and gain knowledge to make decisions about their role in their life. It's in the early stages of life that a person finds themselves. In the story “The Most Dangerous Game”, we ask ourselves the question, are people born evil, or is the way they act because of the way they grew up and the environment around them?

Furthermore, Rainsford’s journey from being disgusted by Zaroff’s hunting methods to ultimately engaging in the activity himself highlights how much the environment influences how people behave. At first, Rainsford thinks Zaroff is acting in a brutal and immoral way. But as he makes his way through the island's hazardous terrain and enjoys the excitement of the hunt, Rainsford grows insensitive to the suffering of other people. This change in Rainsford personality shows how being in a harsh environment may weaken morality and send someone down a bad path.
…show more content…
He contends that because of his wealthy background and exposure to a luxurious lifestyle, he has become indifferent to the worth of human life. This justification shows how one’s surroundings—in this example, riches and power—can cause people to act cruelly without feeling guilty. Zaroff’s conviction that his social standing makes him better than other people is a perfect example of how the environment can corrupt people and encourage the evil