Question

Do you think, "The Most Dangerous Game," by Richard Connell is reality, or escapist literature?

Answer 1

That's a close one, but the existence of a "personally owned island" and the nature of the story makes it more "escapist" than "reality".

Explanation:

That has long been one off my favorite stories (and copied in one of the episodes of the original Star Trek series encounter with "Q" as an infant). While the story does not invoke any exceptional devices, the circumstances of the arrangement and location do not encourage a belief in a possible reality.

It is primarily a set-piece to explore ideas of humanity, nature and a particular adventure, including puzzles. It is an exciting "make believe" adventure with good characters, intricate plot motivations and an interesting and satisfying conclusion.