What theme of Richard Connell’s story “The Most Dangerous Game” comes through in this excerpt?

“…We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting."

"The best sport in the world."

"For the hunter," amended Whitney. "Not for the jaguar."

"Don't talk rot, Whitney," said Rainsford. "You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?"

"Perhaps the jaguar does," observed Whitney.

"Bah! They've no understanding."

"Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death."

A. reason versus instinct
B. violence and bloodshed
C. helplessness of animals
D. survival of the fittest

After reading the excerpt represented above It is not absolutely clear for me, I have stuck with two answers. It is getting really difficult to decide because you didn’t share the options to the excerpt. So I bet that theme of Richard Connell’s story “The Most Dangerous Game” that comes through in the text above is survival of the fittest. I also thought about reason versus instinct theme, but the first one looks more suitable according to the excerpt. Hope it will help you.