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The Intentional Death Of Francis Macomber Essay

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The Intentional Death of Francis Macomber


Ernest Hemingway has created a masterpiece of mystery in his story


“The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”. The mystery does not


reveal itself to the reader until the end of the story, yet it


leaves a lot to the imagination. At the end of the story


Margaret Macomber kills her husband by accident, in order to save


him from being mauled by a large Buffalo while on a safari in


Africa. The mystery is whether or not this killing was truly


accidental, or intentional. If it was to be considered


intentional, there would certainly have to be evidence in the


story suggesting such, with a clear motive as well. What makes


this mystery unique is that Hemingway gives the reader numerous


instances that would lead the reader to devise an acceptable


motive, yet human nature tells the reader that this killing could


not have been intentional. From a purely objective analysis of the


story, the reader would see far more evidence supporting the


theory of an intentional killing rather than an accidental one.


The clues supporting the idea that Margaret killed Francis


intentionally can best be seen when observing and studying the


background information on both Francis Macomber, and Margaret


herself. (Hemingway 1402). What is also important is that Margot


and Francis have very different personalities. This is clearly


seen when the narrator states, (Hemingway 1402).


With this small amount of background information, the true motive


for an intentional killing can be found. This can clearly be seen


in the conversation of Francis Macomber after killing the buffalo


when he states, (Hemingway 1408. “(Hemingway 1409). Robert Wilson,


the guide on the hunt, gives the reader an outside perspective


into this complex and troubled relationship. In response to the


quote above Hemingway 1409).


Robert Wilson seems to be right in his descriptions of the couple,


and their relationship throughout the story. If this is true, and


none of his presumptions about the couple are false, then he gains


more credibility towards the end of the story. It is at this point


that he becomes the advocate of Margot actions, despite the fact


that they were intentional. It is Wilson that gives the reader the


best description of the relationship between Francis and his wife.


It is his insight into Margot, however, that is the most detailed,


and which seems to suggest that she might be capable of such an


act.


*From this astute analysis of the two, Wilson shows the reader


several very important things. One is the fact, although somewhat


machiavellian, that over her husband. Another observation that I


somewhat important is the This is the cruelty that Wilson observes


in the passage above.This, as she would soon see, was not the


case.


One of the most important passages in the story occurs in the


moments just before Francis and Robert Wilson go into the bush


after the buffalo. After Margot fires the fatal shot, further


evidence is given by Robert Wilson that supports the assertion


that the killing was intentional Hemingway 1411). Wilson, who


seems to be accurate in his assessment of the relationship, seems


a credible witness to the killing and due to these facts, his


opinion as to the motive of the killing is credible to the reader


as well.. story.


*From all of the evidence given in the story, and from an objective


analysis of the conversation and narration, it is safe to makethe


assumption that the killings were indeed intentional. There is


simply not enough tangible evidence given in the conversation or


narration that would suggest otherwise assertion. A Character


Analysis of Francis Macomber From Hemingway’s “The Short Happy


Life of Francis Macomber”


In Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, the


author demonstrates his undeniable ability to bring characters to


life by introducing the reader in great detail to the main


character, Francis Macomber, through varying literary mechanisms.


The reader learns immense detail about Francis, as well as the


other two primary characters, Margaret and Mr.Wilson, through


creative description that includes each character’s thoughts,


their actions, and their reactions towards the events of the


story. Francis Macomber’s interior characteristics and impressions


are revealed through such omniscient statements as:


In addition, more details are revealed about the character of


Francis through the other principal characters and even through


the characters who play a very small role in the story (e.g., the


gun-bearers). For example, (p 250). By means of a combination of


this type of information, Francis Macomber’s character is changed


due to constant abuse from other characters, an inner struggle


with fear and embarrassment, and, eventually, by hatred- a deep


hatred for Mr. Wilson and a somewhat quieter hatred for Margaret


Macomber.


An initial cause in the final changes of Francis’ personality can


be attributed to the constant abuse suffered at the hands of his


wife, and, briefly, by Mr. WilsonFor example, in p 259. Francis


and Margaret have obviously reached a point of stagnation-


stagnation in their feelings for each other and stagnation in


their desire for the relationship. The attention from society


press (and society people), discussed in p 237-p 238, is more than


likely an additional driving force for Margaret as well. The


reader gets the impression that she craves the attention, good,


bad, or indifferent. Howeverhe demonstrates cowardice without fear


of remorse from his wife. However, it is the remorse that he


himself, deep inside, feels, that begins to turn Mr. Macomber


around. Additionally, Mr. Wilson also co

ntributes to this


compounding abuse.


Even though, for the most part, Mr. Wilson’s feelings are


perceivably kept within the confines of his own mind, the effects


of these thoughts still exists. To illustrate, in p 54, Mr. Wilson


is thinking to himself, “So he’s a bloody four-letter man as well


as a bloody coward. I rather liked him too until today.” As the


reader progresses through the story, it is obvious that the


abusive remarks, thoughts, and actions of Mr. Wilson, and


especially those of Margaret, are central factors in contributing


to the changes that take place in the personality of Francis


Macomber.


Francis finds himself struggling with fear and embarrassment from


the onset of the story, although the details of the initial fear


are revealed to the reader somewhat later. This internal struggle


with fear and embarrassment is a paramount factor in his


subsequent transformation. Hemingway puts the reader in a position


to make decisions about the effects of the previously discussed


abuse as it relates to Francis’ internal battle with fear and


embarrassment. Clearly these feelings play a key role in the


development of the character, but this abuse also raises a few


questions. Is Macomber affected enough by the embarrassment and


the fear caused by the scene with the lion (p 168-p 229) to make


this final transformation? Is the incident with the lion in the


bush the contributing factor to Francis’ deep-rooted changes? No,


if it were that simple, Hemingway would have succeeded in creating


a rather listless story. To cite an instance, in p 89. Also, later


in the story, Mr. Wilson contributes outwardly to Francis’


feelings of embarrassment by bedding Margaret. In this capacity,


Mr. Wilson causes Francis to suffer the greatest embarrassment


that a man can endure. And then Mr. Wilson rubbed salt into the


wound by answering “Topping” to Francis’ inquiry into the state of


his previous night’s sleep (p 269). Plainly, the incident with the


lion caused an incredible fear within Francis. This feeling was


combined with multiple situations of inconceivable embarrassment,


which resulted in the transformation of Francis Macomber into a


new man.


A final and essential contributing factor to Francis Macomber’s


ultimate transformation is the hatred that forms within him.


Initially, the reader is given the impression that this hatred is


solely intended for Mr. Wilson, the man who saved his life and


then had the boldness to bed his wife in the bastion of night.


This hatred, however, is only aimed at the Mr. Wilson because he


is the most likely, the most obvious, target. It is Francis’ own


powerlessness in respect to his wife that stops him from


recognizing that this hatred is actually targeted towards her more


than towards Mr. Wilson. It is obvious that had the other man not


been Mr. Wilson, it would have been someone else. Indeed, it had


been someone else, many times. The reasons for the development of


this hatred toward his wife becomes more evident in p 261-p 264:


“You don’t wait long when you have an advantage, do you?”


“Please, let’s not talk. I’m so sleepy, darling.”


“I’m going to talk.”


“Don’t mind me then, because I’m going to sleep.”


Not only did she leave the tent, their tent, but she sneaked into


the night to bed a man she barely knew, and she also had the nerve


to come back into the tent and call Francis “darling!” To top off


the whole guilt-ridden, embarrassing and downright miserable day,


she additionally refused to speak to him about what had obviously


taken place. Not only did she refuse to speak with him, but she


chose to outright ignore him. Frankly, it is surprising that the


hatred for this woman that was developing within him did not cause


him to choke the soul out of her then and there! Hence, the events


of the story cause an intense hatred for both Mr. Wilson and


Margaret. This hatred is a chief element in reconstructing Francis


Macomber, in forming a man without fear of repercussion and giving


him the manhood he has needed for many years.


When faced with a combination of events and personalities, a man


must decide immediately which way he will go. Francis Macomber had


to make a decision that would stay with him for the rest of his


life. Would he continue to suffer at the hands of this abhorrent


woman? Would he continue to tolerate such behavior from his wife?


Would he continue to react to her behavior in the same manner, a


manner that causes men to gaze upon him with despite and


repugnation? Francis, in a sense, was given a second chance with


the lion, and it was again a life or death decision. Once again,


he had to decide- would he face the lion or would he turn and run?


This factor of the story is confirmed in p 237 when Francis


states, “about sex in books, many books, too many books…” Here


the reader can feel Francis’ near disgust with himself.


Furthermore, this also demonstrates that. The blending of mental


abuse, embarrassment and fear, and deep hatred were responsible


for changing the character of a boring, somewhat anesthetized


Francis Macomber into that of a man, a man with values and


feelings and morals; a man capable of living happily ever after,


regardless of the span of his life. The character Francis


Macomber, a wealthy American, and his wife, Margot, are on safari


with their English guide, Robert Wilson. Macomber wounds a lion


and runs away in fear. The guide is horrified at his bad


sportsmanship Macomber redeems himself by killing a buffalo


cleanly and bravely. he faces another buffalo, a charging, badly


wounded bull. From the car where she has been watching, Margot


takes aim and shoots at the charging buffalo, apparently to save


her husband’s life

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