Could someone please look over my essay for errors?

Hi, I was wondering if a few people or just anyone could look over this essay I wrote and let me know if it is OK. If not, please let me know what I have done wrong or need to correct. I also need to know if I should cite the line, page, or paragraph numbers after my quotes. The one story, "The Most Dangerous Game," does not have these. It was a printout and was not in our English books. Thank you all so much!

Anticipation and Acceptance of Death in “The Most Dangerous Game” and “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”



Porter’s “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” and Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” share the common bond of a person facing impending death. The authors of each story convey to the reader the anticipation of death felt by the main characters. In each work, we are shown how each character acknowledges the fact that death is staring them in the face. In the stories by Katherine Anne Porter and Richard Connell, the expectancy and acceptance of mortality is demonstrated in both corresponding and adverse ways that speak to the reader, as we will all someday face death in some fashion.

The most obvious variance between the two works is that, in “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford has the option to not die by fighting to live, but in “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” Granny does not. Connell’s story tells us that Rainsford is advised by General Zaroff that if he can flee without being caught within three days, then he wins the game and will not die. Zaroff tells him about the men he hunts, “I give him three hours’ start. I am to follow, armed only with a pistol of the smallest caliber and range. If my quarry eludes me for three whole days, he wins the game.” This gives Rainsford the opportunity to live if he proves to be a worthy competitor. On the other hand, Granny Weatherall is an old woman on her deathbed that is ready to die and has no choice but to lie there and wait for it to come. Unfortunately, there are no options at times.

Another distinction among the stories is the strength within each of the main characters when faced with death. In “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford fights for his life by setting up traps, such as the “Malay mancatcher” and the “Burmese tiger pit.” He also climbed up trees and pulled himself out of ’s quicksand. He did all of these things to avoid being captured. He knew that if he got caught, he would not live to see another day. The prospect of staying alive kept him fighting. In “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” Ellen Weatherall does not have the option to fight to stay alive. She had lived a long life, and it was her time to go. I’m sure that if Granny Weatherall could have done something to save herself, she would have done so. She was not strong enough to fight, and there was nothing that she could do to prevent her imminent death.

Coincidentally, both Porter’s and Connell’s main characters share the same sense of anticipation of their approaching deaths. “The Most Dangerous Game” portrays Rainsford’s apprehension of dying by showing his fear. Connell says, “Now he had got a grip on himself, had stopped, and was taking stock of himself and the situation. He saw that straight flight was futile.” Rainsford was realizing how hard he had to fight to stay alive, and this thought scared him. “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” depicts Mrs. Weatherall’s expectancy of death by comparing death to nature. Granny says, “A fog rose over the valley, she saw it marching across the creek swallowing the trees and moving up the hill like an army of ghosts.” This comparison tells us that Mrs. Weatherall knows that death is soon approaching. They both knew that the time of death was upon them, and they anticipated it comparably.

Although the physical strengths of Rainsford and Granny Weatherall seem contrasting, their mental strengths are similar. These similarities show the reader the main characters’ acceptance of death. In “The Most Dangerous Game,” Rainsford shows his strength by saying when Zaroff is hunting him, “I will not lose my nerve. I will not.” This displays Rainsford’s might and will to live, as he is refusing to give up and possibly lose the game. In “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” Ellen shows her strength when she says while in her bed, “John, get the doctor now. Hapsy’s time has come.” Hapsy is her deceased friend, and by saying this, it tells us that Granny Weatherall has come to terms with the fact that she is dying, and she is ready to go.

All in all, Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” and Katherine Anne Porter’s “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” possess qualities that equally separate the stories yet tie them together. Each story gives you an insight on how it feels to know that death is looming. They also help us to understand strength in a person’s character, and they show us how people in different situations face fatality. This is important because we will all come face to face with death someday, and both of these short stories teach us about similarities and differences in the anticipation and acceptance of one’s mortality.