The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber - 1508 Words

Analyzing Gender Norms in â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† In Hemingway’s short story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, we begin with the married couple, Franics and Margaret Macomber, on a safari in Africa with a man named Robert Wilson. Francis is shown to be a coward when he shoots his first lion twice, but is too afraid to finish it off even though it may be suffering. Margaret is very displeased with her husband’s cowardice and shows her contempt by berating him profusely. Francis is awoken from his sleep late at night after a bad dream to find his wife, Margaret, is gone. When she returns to the tent she claims she was out getting â€Å"a breath of air† but Francis knew she had just slept with Robert Wilson. Francis†¦show more content†¦Margot seemed distraught in the story and said â€Å"I wish it hadn’t happened. Oh, I wish it hadn’t happened† (2). She went to her tent and appeared to be crying because her shoulders were shaking. Francis’ cowardice makes him less of a man in Margaret’s eyes than he already was, putting an even bigger strain on their marriage and opening the door to infidelity with Wilson who is painted as a strong male character throughout the story. Wilson thinks to himself in the story â€Å"Well, why doesn’t he keep his wife where she belongs? What does he think I am, a bloody plaster saint? Let him keep her where she belongs. It’s his own fault† (12). Hemingway uses this line to display the idea that a man can’t control his own urges and he has to keep his wife in check with his own actions. Wilson takes no responsibility for the infidelity and blames it all on Francis’ cowardice. If Francis had shown courage in this moment it could have reignited the passion in Francis and Margaret’s marriage rather than put an unnecessary strain on it further complicating their dichotomy. He should have been the brave man his wife needed to see providing for her so she could feel some sense of passion with him. Hemingway also seems to want to show us that a man needs to have a sense of adventure. If Francis had more of a sense of adventure like Robert Wilson his wife would’ve been less likely to cheat on him. Throughout the story Wilson shows this adventurer’s spirit by not beingShow MoreRelatedThe Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1145 Words   |  5 PagesItaly. The Cat in the Rain, Indian Camp and especially The Short Happy Life Francis Macomber represent this shift in the political climate of Italy. In his short stories Hemingway portrays knowledge as the dispersion of absolute power. The holders of power withhold knowledge to assert their power, attempt to nullify knowledge once it has been gained, and Force their way long after the strategy was applicable. In many of Hemingway’s short stories the oppressors attempts to prevent the oppressed fromRead MoreThe Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1240 Words   |  5 Pages224 Cheryl Temple July 10, 2017 The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber: A Hemingway Hero In his novel â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber†, Ernest Hemingway portrays the conflict of how Americans consider normal aspects of admirable and heroic behavior. Francis Macomber, a wealthy American citizen goes on a visit the safari for an adventurous hunt. Francis wants to learn how to hunt and prove to himself that he can be a heroic male. Margot Macomber, his wife, accompanies him on his travelRead MoreThe Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1744 Words   |  7 PagesIn Ernest Hemingway’s short story â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,† Hemingway uses the author’s craft of perspective, along with dialogue and internal dialogue to create a multi-part claim that develops an overall negative characterization of the three main characters. Hemingway develops the characterization of Wilson, Margaret, and Francis by using multiple perspectives as he threads a negative tone throughout the story. All throughout the story, readers are given the chance to look insideRead MoreOf The Rain, And The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1229 Words   |  5 Pagesdominant attitude, and, as the old saying goes, fear created gods†. (John Dewey) Life often works like this. One person is dependant on the another. Ernest Hemingway wrote two very intriguing stories, Cat in the Rain, and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. Both stories have a lead female character who is very vulnerable and counts on the other men in the story. Hemingway portrays women as dependant on the men in his short stories. The women in his stories rely on their husbands, have affairs withRead MoreThe Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Essay801 Words   |  4 Pagesto fear, but fear itself.† Known by many, this common phrase has few words, but a intense meaning. In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,† the overcoming of fear is shown th roughout the story. Francis Macomber and his wife Margaret Macomber are on an African safari with a man name Robert Wilson. Hemingway portrays Francis Macomber as wealthy and beautiful, yet cowardly. Macombers wife Margaret also young and beautiful, but seemingly dissatisfied withRead MoreThe Killers And The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber1731 Words   |  7 Pages The Killers and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber By: Ernest Hemingway When analysing Ernest Hemingway s work in both â€Å"The Killers† and â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† you come across many forms of literary devices that hemingway used throughout both novelas and how his application of the elements used in both stories. In both stories we see him use the themes of violence and grace when faced with violence as well as demonstrating the power relations between the characters ofRead More Analysis of The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway909 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway is known for producing novels and short stories with ambiguous endings. In his short story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, he definitely leaves his readers guessing. The question is whether Margot kills her husband, Francis, intenionally, or if she accidentally shoots him in an effort to save his life. There are many points that could be argued for both conclusions, but my observationsRead MoreThe Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway Essay1040 Words   |  5 Pagesverisimilar appearance of truth and correctness (even when doing things incorrectly, because after all, people make mistakes.) And with this distinction, we can begin to assess the characters in the eponymously titled short story of discussion in this paper: â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,† by Ernest Hemingway. Starting from the character with the least impact—or to say, the character that does the least in terms of plot (and Im speaking relatively, of course), is Robert Wilson, the â€Å"white hunter†Read MoreThe Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber2435 Words   |  10 PagesErnest Hemingway was an intricate and dedicated writer who devoted a significant portion of his life to writing multiple genres of stories. Throughout his stories, the similarities in his style and technique are easily noted and identified. Two of the short stories he wrote contain themes and motifs that specifically explain the plotline. The first story, â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† sets its scene in the depths of a desolate area in Africa, where the main characters, Harry and his wife, decide toRead MoreThe Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber By Ernest Hemingway1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe darker parts of their nature and the insecurities they hide within. T he short story â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber† by Ernest Hemingway depicts the struggles between people caused by their weaknesses, yet are built upon the inner workings of gender roles, and how losing their fears could have let them break away from their cycle. The story starts with the wife, Margot Macomber, trying to join the men, Francis and Wilson, in conversation but they both quickly kick her from her wants in