The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest...

The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive. Yet death is something that is inevitable, and for some shortcoming. In Ernest Hemingways The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, Francis Macomber deals with the humiliation of being a coward and the constant battle for a little boy to come of age. Hemingway explores the theme of death through metaphors and influential symbols, ironically portraying the struggle to live with fear and the hunt for a happy life. Francis Macomber has to deal with fear of death through his experiences on an African safari with the white hunter, Robert Wilson. Margot, Macombers sneering but†¦show more content†¦In order to overcome something as substantial as the fear of death, Macomber needs to confront it and conquer it. In Ernest Hemingway, Edmund Wilson perfectly realizes, . . . the male must save his soul even at the last possible moment. Even in death, there is an opportunity to live and to salvage something that nobody can take from you. Even after the miserable start to the trip, Macomber still is dealing with the restlessness and the shame from the lion. Hemingway describes but more than shame he felt cold, hollow fear in him (11). Hemingway uses metaphor to compare fear to the coldness of a hollow. Ironically the name Francis is known to be a weak and cowardly name, which seems to be a perfect fit for Macomber. In Short Story Criticism, they comment sarcastically about the manner Margot is perceiving her husband: As we all know, good wives admire nothing in a husband except his capacity to deal with lions, so we can sympathize with the poor women in her trouble. Francis knows with certainty that as long as he possesses this fear his wife possesses a controlling power over him. Immediately upon returning to the vehicle Margot kisses the beautiful red faced Mr. Wilson on the mouth in front of her husband. This is a way of displaying her disappointment in her husbands cowardice and her approval and respect for Mr. Wilsons bravery. Hemingway uses prominent images to describe theShow MoreRelatedThe Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber By Ernest Hemingway1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe darker parts of their nature and the insecurities they hide within. The 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 inRead 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 Pagesappearance 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†. In theRead MoreAn Analysis Of Ernest Hemingway s The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber 1434 Words   |  6 PagesErnest Hemingway has long been known for his two â€Å"heroes† in his writing. The hero who is a weak, pathetic individual who is often lost physically and mentally, and the code hero who usually shows â€Å"grace under pressure† and helps the Hemingway hero find his place. These two heroes often come together in a relationship where the code hero is the teacher who initiates the Hemingway hero into the code. Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,† is the quintessentialRead MoreErnest Hemingway: A Brief Biography 1210 Words   |  5 PagesErnest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois in 18 99. He was a writer who started his career with a newspaper office in Kansas City when he was seventeen. When the United States got involved in the First World War, Hemingway joined with a volunteer ambulance unit in the Italian army. During his service, he was wounded, and was decorated by the Italian Government. Upon his return to the United States, he was employed by Canadian and American newspapers as a reporter, and sent back to EuropeRead MoreAnalysis Of Ernest Hemingways Portrayal Of Margot Macomber1112 Words   |  5 PagesErnest Hemingway’s Portrayal of Margot Macomber In the short story â€Å"The Short Life of Francis Macomber, Hemingway portrays many emotions and motivating forces behind his characters’ intentions. Ernest Hemingway experienced many historical events in his lifetime, in which, he endured humiliation and disappointment such as wanting to join the military, but being unable to due to a health condition (Young). Hemingway also underwent a divorce four times (Young). These experiences help influence Hemingway’sRead MoreThe Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Essay801 Words   |  4 Pageshave nothing to 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 throughout 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 beautif ul, yet cowardly. Macombers wife Margaret also young and beautiful, but seemingly dissatisfiedRead MoreErnest Hemingway Superficial Superiority Essay755 Words   |  4 PagesHemingway: Superficial Superiority -----------------------------------------------------------------. Throughout the short stories of Ernest Hemingway people of color and other ethnicities are deemed inferior by the caucasian- americans in the story despite being portrayed by Hemingway in a bad light. In Hemingway’s short stories he explores ideas of racism through the portrayal of white americans having a false sense of superiority over other races. One instance where Hemingway explores racismRead 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 Margots Intentional Killing in Hemingways The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber511 Words   |  3 PagesErnest Hemingway is known for writing novels and short stories with unresolved 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, intentionally, or if she accidentally shoots him, because she tries to save his life. There are many points that could be argued for both conclusions, but my observations have led me to believe that Margot did indeed shoot her husband intentionally