Montresor and Rainsford are each protagonists to their respective stories.  Montresor is featured in “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe.  Rainsford appeared in “The Most Dangerous Game,” written by Richard Connell.  In their respective stories, one is the hunter and one is the prey.  They also both come out alive and victorious in each story.  Montresor and Rainsford are similar and different in these ways and others.

            In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor holds all the cards.  He alone knows of his plan to dispatch Fortunato, putting him in total control of the situation.  Making things worse for himself, Fortunato is drunk throughout the story. Montresor’s situation is summarized in the quote, “It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now  was at the thought of his immolation.” The murder of Fortunato was more or less a breeze for Montresor.  On the other hand, Rainsford experience in his story is quite the opposite.

            The deck is stacked against Rainsford in “The Most Dangerous Game,” across the board.  He is alone on Ship-Trap Island with no chance of being rescued.  General Zaroff is well aware of Rainsford’s presence, and won’t easily forget him. Rainsford’s position in the story is typified by the quote, “The Cossack was the cat; he was the mouse. Then it was that Rainsford knew the true meaning of terror.”  The only option for Rainsford to live is to play the game.  Although this is his best option, it puts him in a terrible situation.  He can either be tracked down like a wild animal with little hope of making it out alive, or defy Zaroff and be killed on the spot.

            These protagonists’ situations are different simply because they are on opposite sides of the conflict.  Montresor is the predator and Rainsford the prey.  This is true so much so that the characters could be interchanged as each others’ antagonists.  Rainsford is in the tightest of all pickles: cornered on an island with a cold-blooded murderer and little resources to get out.  Montresor, conversely, is in the driver’s seat in the conflict of “The Cask of Amontillado”.  He corners Fortunato with little hope of escape, much like Zaroff does to Rainsford.

            Nevertheless, Montresor and Rainsford have one stark and inexcusable similarity.  This similarity is the simple fact that at the end of each story, these characters are the ones alive, thus making them the victor in each conflict.  “The Cask of Amontillado,” ends with Montresor finishing off Fortunato in the catacombs rather tediously.  ”The Most Dangerous Game,” culminates with Rainsford reverting back to the hunter role.  He escapes the terrible island by hiding in Zaroff’s bedroom and killing him.

            Rainsford and Montresor are two very unique characters.  This allows for them to have many differences, but also remain similar in some ways.  Despite their reversed roles in their respective conflicts, the two both remain calm and keep their nerve to overcome each of their own problems.  Because of this coolness under pressure, they are each victorious in their conflicts. In contrast, however, their victories are in different ways.  Montresor closes out a sure thing while Rainsford squeaks out a surprise survival story.