Richard Connell and Ray Bradbury introduce the reader to expert hunters who share three common character traits in their tales. After comparing and contrasting the character traits of Rainsford and Zaroff from Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" and Eckels from Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder", it is seen that the best hunter of the group is Rainsford. While each character possesses patience, observation, and the ability to handle pressure, Rainsford uses these traits in the wisest and most competent manner. Hunters need many different resources, but patience is one of the most important. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The key to being a successful hunter is to be patient. Rainsford shows his patience in many ways during the three days of the most dangerous match. Unlike Rainsford, Eckels shows no patience during his hunt millions of years earlier: “Out of the fog a hundred yards away, came the Tyrannosaurus rex” (Bradbury 84). Rainsford's patience is the key factor separating him from Eckels, who becomes frantic during the hunt. Through Ship Trap Island, Zaroff is also able to portray his patience. Eckels, in contrast, cannot achieve the same sense of imperturbability, because he constantly asks questions: “Eckels blushed. Where is our Tyrannosaurus?" (Bradbury 84). Zaroff has the ability to slowly steer a ship to provide more participants in the most dangerous game, unlike Eckels, whose prey runs towards him. Eckels simply has no patience, in stark contrast to both Zaroff and Rainsford, Zaroff says, “So I bought this island, I built this house, and I do my hunting here 21) Eckels' lack of patience is not suited to a task like the most dangerous game. Rainsford's patience is greater than that of both Zaroff and Eckels. Being patient is a useful trait, but without careful observation, all of them chances of success are dashed. During the hunt, being attentive to your surroundings and enemies can mean the difference between life and death. Rainsford uses his senses to observe the environment of Ship Trap Island and use it to his advantage. Eckels, however, fails to exploit the natural environment of 60,002,055 years ago: “A sound on the floor of the time machine made them freeze. Eckels sat there shaking. (Bradbury 86). While Eckels can barely walk through the forest without getting killed, Rainsford has the ability to use his surroundings to harm and kill his enemies. Zaroff may also be an observer, but his skills are not honed as precisely as Rainsford's. While not a match for Rainsford, Zaroff is still more careful than Eckels, who is constantly corrected by the hunt leaders: “Stay on the road. Stay on the road!” (Bradbury 84). Zaroff searches the route for information, while Eckels barely manages to continue. Eckels has no powers of observation, and has nearly met his death on several occasions. Rainsford is just the opposite, using many parts of nature to his advantage, "...the dead tree, delicately adapted to rest on the cut living one, crashed down and struck the general with a glancing blow..." ( Connell 27). Eckel's lack of observation is the exact opposite of Rainsford, and this puts his life at risk. While Rainsford uses many aspects of the jungle to get ahead, Zaroff and Eckels fall behind. Despite one's ability to create traps and observe nature, pressure can create or.