In the story, General Zaroff and Rainsford make several references to military service and hunting of the enemy in warfare. What moral or ethical dilemma is the author highlighting through their dialogue? How would your group address this dilemma?
The theme of war as a hunt resonates through the back story of "The Most Dangerous Game." Zaroff explicitly compares his game to warfare, as a form of justification. He also mentions the plight of the Cossacks, an ethnic group pushed out of Russia after the fall of the Czar. The manner in which they were hunted is similar to the way Zaroff hunts his current prey as the Cossacks were known as fierce warriors.
This theme questions the socially sanctioned activities men have participated in for thousands of years...... such as wars that that consistently result in the death of the opposing party. Zaroff's comparisons and the subsequent hunt constantly raise the question of the validity of any type of hunting or war.
http://www.gradesaver.com/the-most-dangerous-game/study-guide/themes
