Quote 16
“They were no match at all for a hunter with his wits about him, and a high-powered rifle.” (1.90)
Let’s slow down here for a sec. How many animals could be a match for a hunter with a high-powered rifle—wits or no? We’d like to see a little discussion of technology and weaponry here.
Quote 17
"Ivan is an incredibly strong fellow," remarked the general, "but he has the misfortune to be deaf and dumb. A simple fellow, but, I'm afraid, like all his race, a bit of a savage." (1.58)
Well Zaroff just picks and chooses his savages. What’s a little confusing here is that they are both Cossacks, so if Ivan is a savage doesn’t that make Zaroff one, too? Or is that the whole point of the remark?
Quote 18
“And hunting, remember, had been my life. I have heard that in America businessmen often go to pieces when they give up the business that has been their life." (1.90)
Forget for a minute that Americans can’t retire in this economy—why is Zaroff so preoccupied with Americans? It seems a strange analogy for a Crimean aristocrat.