The conflict between man and nature dates back to the beginning of time, when Satan in the form of a serpent tempted Adam and Eve in the garden of 'Eden. “The Rattler” tells the story of a man torn between his morals and his sense of duty. He ultimately decides to obey his sense of duty and kills during a fateful encounter with a rattlesnake. The author wrote in the first person, which allowed the reader to become actively involved as the story progressed. In the short story “The Rattler,” the author uses sensory details and expressive diction to describe an unfortunate encounter between man and nature, and this duty may come with the agonizing sacrifice of morality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The snake initially appears harmless, its head "not being pulled back to strike", prompting the narrator's first instinct to "let it have its way" and the narrator would follow his. By describing the snake in this way, the narrator believes that the snake may not have bad intentions and is simply intrigued by the narrator. As the narrator's first thought is to let go of the snake, this dispels the man's notion that he was looking for prey to kill, as a hunter would. As the passage progresses, the narrator's inner turmoil continues, and he thinks that "the sport of taking life is a satisfaction he cannot feel"; however, upon reflection, he believes that "his duty was clearly to kill the snake." The narrator expresses his conflicting feelings about killing the snake, because killing it would go against his personal moral values. A description of his internal conflict encourages the audience to feel sympathy for him and understand his regrets. The narrator views the snake in a respectable and noble manner and treats it as an equal since he calls it "him" when referring to the snake. He realizes that the snake is not a brainless animal, but an intelligent being with a noble appearance. The description of the snake serves to create the image of a calm, knight-like figure, confident in its place in nature. Respect for the snake arises from his righteous attitude, since he “sportingly” warns the narrator that the snake is capable of killing and would do so if threatened; however, the narrator understands that the snake is only doing this in self-defense because it launched an unprovoked attack, which is why he is unsure whether to kill the snake. The snake's intelligence is evident to the narrator when he notes the moment when the snake notices that he has brought a hoe, and once again reminds the audience that the narrator is torn in his decision to kill. Unlike the hunters who feel pride in their killing, the narrator The narrator feels no pride in killing the snake. Looking at the snake's corpse, he feels that "it was all an unpleasant, pitiful spectacle now." As the narrator thinks earlier in the passage, taking a life brings him neither pleasure nor satisfaction; he would rather have let the snake live happily. He sees the snake as a living being, and not just as a conquest to be killed, as evidenced by the fact that he "does not cut rattles for a trophy." If the narrator had been a hunter keen to show off his game, he would not have hesitated to kill. After killing the snake, the narrator feels sick for having committed a heinous act and is remorseful. The description of his feelings at the end evokes sympathy in the reader and makes him understand why the narrator felt he had to commit.