The Most Dangerous Game: Literary Devices and Examples

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Foreshadowing

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Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story. Cited Example: Whitney tells Rainsford that animals feel fear.

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Irony

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A contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs. Cited Example: Rainsford, a hunter, becomes the hunted.

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Suspense

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A feeling of tension or excitement about what may happen next. Cited Example: Suspense builds as Rainsford is hunted through the jungle.

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Theme

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The central idea or message in a literary work. Cited Example: The hunter becomes the hunted, challenging ideas about moral.

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Conflict - External

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A struggle between a character and an outside force. Cited Example: Rainsford vs. Zaroff (man vs. man).

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Conflict - Internal

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A struggle within a character's mind. Cited Example: Rainsford grapples with the morality of killing when he becomes (man vs. self).

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Symbolism

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When an object, person, or situation has another meaning beyond its literal one. Cited Example: Zaroff's mansion symbolizes civilization masking savagery. It’s a big home filled with evil.

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Mood

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The atmosphere or emotional feeling of a piece. Cited Example: The mood is tense and foreboding, especially in the jungle scene.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Cited Example: ...the dank tropical night was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness.

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Allusion

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A reference to another work of literature, person, or event. Cited Example: Zaroff refers to Cossacks, referencing the historical Russian military.