The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

The essay will be focusing on the following question : What are the
symbolic images and why so numerous? "The Short Happy Life of
Francis Macomber" by Ernest Hemingway is a short tale that depicts a
third-person omniscient story with glimpses of an untrustworthy internal
monologue told mostly through the eyes of the protagonists. Francis
Macomber, the protagonist of the narrative, is in need of bravery in order
to live a manly life. Margot, Francis's wife, is a money-hungry woman.
Wilson, who is a hunter and can lead and hunt, is also present. Francis
lost his bravery due to his wife's demotivation by accusing him of being a
coward. The story's real topic is courage masculinity, a failing marriage,
and dominance, which Hemingway weaves into the tale. The effects of
this are reflected in this narrative through psychoanalytical critique.
Symbols, in addition to the characters, play an important part in the plot,
enhancing the themes of masculinity, daring, danger, and dominance. The
author has mostly utilized two symbols to convey the idea. The lion and
the vehicle are their names. The lion is a symbol of masculine strength
and courage. This is the first animal Francis sees while hunting. He is
terrified of the lion. In his tent, the sound of a lion's roar wakes him up
with terror and helplessness. The terrifying roar of the colossal, life-
threatening monster paralyzed him, preventing him from killing the lion.
He was embarrassed in front of Margot and Wilson as a result of this
incident. "It had begun the process," Hemingway writes. . "It had started
the night before when Francis had awoken and heard the lion screaming
someplace up along the river," Hemingway writes. It was a deep sound,
and towards the conclusion, there were coughing noises that made him
appear to be just outside the tent, and he was terrified when he awoke in
the middle of the night to hear it" (). Francis is terrified of the lion from
the start, even when it is screaming, portraying a fearful individual who
need fortitude and strength to face the lion. The locations of the tale "The
Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" have reinforced the topic of the
entire novel by shadowing the beliefs of the period and the region where
the events were caught, in addition to the people and symbols. This
narrative takes place in the 1930s, and it depicts the prejudices of the
period. During the Great Depression, Francis' ability to tolerate an
extravagant vacation takes on a whole new meaning. It means they are far
removed from the substances of their day, such as poverty, financial
insecurity, and overall pessimism. Before modern feminisms, the ideas of
what defined a true man or a genuine woman were frequently those based
on custom. Women were feminine, sophisticated, and polite to males,
while men were daring, courageous, and chivalric. This feminine
generalization was also employed by Hemingway, particularly in the
figure of Margot Macomber. ".....she would want to leave Macomber, but
she is scared she wouldn't be able to attach herself to someone else with
as much money," Oliver says. She despises her spouse and has been
unfaithful to him. He is, however, immensely wealthy, which is why she
refuses to leave him. The readers can deduce her plot to kill him while
simultaneously becoming a wealthy widow as femme fatale behavior at
that time. Hemingway, whose writings frequently comment on the
concept of masculinity, saw himself as a model of manhood. The
narrative takes place entirely in Africa, on a safari. Although Margot's
mention of Nairobi suggests that the safari is taking place in Kenya, no
specific information about the safari region is provided. Francis and
Margot Macomber, the protagonists of the narrative, are well-off
Americans who enjoy shooting animals on safari. For some wealthy
outsiders, hunting for wild animals on safaris is only a pastime; they are
unconcerned about the species' well-being or the way they ruin vital
natural areas. Francis undoubtedly opted to go hunting on an African
safari since it was a fun trip for him and he was not a true hunter. Using
people, symbols, and the environment of the novel, Hemingway's story
"The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" has shown many tensions
and scenes of escalating activity, leading to an astonishing finale. Francis'
conflicts with himself, nature, and man result in a displayed dread of the
outdoors, as well as his flaws. These events lead to the story's unexpected
denouement, in which both Francis and his wife's misdeeds are addressed.
It's also ironic that his wife, the one who should be protecting him, is the
one who kills him. Furthermore, the possibility that Francis' devastation is
caused by Margot's desire to secure him adds to the intrigue of the story's
climax. Hemingway makes advantage of logical discrepancies to provide
necessary information. Despite the fact that Francis' life was short in
years, he had the opportunity to confront his fears and overcome his
greatest obstacles. Finally, he passes away in his prime.