In 300 words or less, explaio how the external conflicts in The Most Dangerous Game create an internal conflict within Sanger Rainsford.

The external conflict of having to save himself from being killed by Colonel Zaroff led to his internal conflict of whether to hunt back or just try to save his skin.

Explanation:

Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" revolves around the theme of hunter-hunted relationship. The major internal conflict of Sanger Rainsford is created by the dominating external conflict - that is, being chased by the General Zaroff as a game. Though Sanger had been a reputed hunter himself, his current position as the hunted creates a conflict in his self.

In the beginning of the story, he had told his friend Whitney that the hunted "have no understanding". For him, "The world is made up of two classes--the hunters and the huntees". But all this changed when he himself became the hunted. Colonel Zaroff's sick game of hunting men for sport, the decision whether to be hunted by him or be tortured by Ivan provided the first internal conflict in Rainsford. This internal conflict is based off a person's dilemma in making a decision between things, the conflict of having to make a decision.

The next conflict in him arises when he must decide whether he will just try to stay safe from the colonel or he will also hunt the hunter in return. This decision must also pose a serious concern for it all involves his safety, and if he was to hunt the colonel, then how will that ensure his safety if he also needs to play at being the hunter? Added to the fact that he has to kill him to be safe, which is killing a human being, unlike his usual act of killing animals. This provides a deeper conflict in him, whether be like the colonel in being a monster or be something else even when he had to kill him. The conflict of interests in between these choices makes the internal s well as external conflict.