The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Group at eNotes

Ernest Hemingway's novelette, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber,...

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:46:24 PST

Ernest Hemingway's novelette, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, was first published in the combined issue of Hearst's International and Cosmopolitan (later Cosmopolitan Magazine) in September 1936. The original issue included the mastheads of both magazines at the top of the cover. The Hemingway story was later published in the compilation The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories later that same year. Hearst's International -...

Although the google search returns 'homo' most often, this definition...

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:11:53 PST

Although the google search returns 'homo' most often, this definition does not seem to fit the context of Hemingway's story. Perhpas the definition "a contemptible man" provides a better rendering of Hemingway's intent. (From probertencyclopaedia.com.) 11/27/2009

The protagonist is the husband, the title character of the story. The...

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:55:55 PST

The protagonist is the husband, the title character of the story. The main antagonist is the wife in the story. The story is built around the conflict between those two characters. You might see the lion as a minor antagonist, I suppose. The enotes study guide (see the links below) certainly identifies the two main characters in this way. This study guide contains the statement: " His [Francis Macomber's] humiliation at being cuckolded...

WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST IN THIS PIECE?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:58:11 PST

WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST IN THIS PIECE?

Francis Macomber and his wife, Margaret (Margot), are in Africa on...

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:40:29 PST

Francis Macomber and his wife, Margaret (Margot), are in Africa on safari. Their hunting guide is Robert Wilson. The story opens shortly after Francis had been exposed as a coward while hunting a lion. Wilson tries to put his mind at ease, but Francis’ wife won’t let it drop. Wilson, being a professional hunter/safari guide, is used to situations like these: rich, weak-willed aristocrat types searching for some adventure. Francis is such a...

How would you describe the story shortly?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:48:25 PST

How would you describe the story shortly?

There are several significant plot moments in the story. One is Macomber...

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:26:27 PST

There are several significant plot moments in the story. One is Macomber fleeing from the wounded lion. This creates the conflicts of Macomber vs. his wife and Macomber vs. his own cowardice. His wife despises how weak he is, and he becomes ashamed of his own inaction. Macombers successful buffalo hunt is another significant moment. At this moment he is able to overcome his cowardice, resolving the major internal conflict of the story. He is...

What are the most significant moments in "The Short Happy Life of...

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:54:09 PST

What are the most significant moments in "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber"?

In what city was The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber published and...

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 13:12:30 PST

In what city was The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber published and when?

The answer above is incorrect. The POV is 3rd person, limited...

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:45:38 PST

The answer above is incorrect. The POV is 3rd person, limited omniscient. 3rd person means the narrator is not IN the story. Omniscient means all-knowing. In this story, we actually do know the thoughts and feelings of 2 of the 3 main characters. We know how Robert Wilson thinks (there are numerous lines that say "Wilson thought..." that take us right into his mind. We also know Francis's fear of the lion, though we are less close...

Tthe Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber" is the best...

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:09:10 PST

Tthe Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber" is the best illustration of "grace under pressure." At the beginning of the story Macomber is somewhat of a whimp. He freezes when confronted with a lion and his guide, Robert Wilson, must step in to kill the lion. Then Macomber's wife moves to Wilson's tent and MacComber does nothing. When he finally is able to confront a buffalo and kills it. Thus, he has just experienced his...

In "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and "Hills...

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:00:02 PST

In "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and "Hills Like White Elephants", how is "grace under pressure" shown?

The point of view in this story is third-person. The narrator is a...

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:38:18 PST

The point of view in this story is third-person. The narrator is a third-person one who is objective. The narrator does not see into the minds of the characters, and only Margot knows the truth! The narrator simply relays the events of the story and what the characters do and say to each other. This allows the ambiguity in the story to exist. eNotes states:It is the author's third-person narrative point of view, where the narrator does...

What is the point of view in "The Short Happy Life of Francis...

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:16:36 PST

What is the point of view in "The Short Happy Life of Francis McComber"?

Wilson is, of course, referring to the protagonist, Francis Macomber. ...

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:13:45 PST

Wilson is, of course, referring to the protagonist, Francis Macomber. Wilson is observing how Francis is being bullied and manipulated by his wife, Margot. Francis, a rich American traveling abroad, is weak and fearful. This is why he refers to Francis as a child.The story really is Francis' coming of age. He has never really lived like a man before. For a brief time, at least, in the story, Macomber is able to conquer his fear and...

Wilson says that some people are little boys forever and they never...

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:06:35 PST

Wilson says that some people are little boys forever and they never become men. What descriptions of these men does he give?

It relates most directly to Francis. He has lived most of his life as...

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:55:52 PST

It relates most directly to Francis. He has lived most of his life as a coward. He might be rich, but he never knew bravado and fearlessness like Wilson. This is one reason it is revealed that Margot had cheated on him in the past. After fleeing from the lion and Margot's subsequent affair with Wilson, he begins to hate Wilson so much that he conquers his fear. When they are hunting the buffalo the following day, Francis is totally...

how does the title relate to each of the characters?

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:16:31 PST

how does the title relate to each of the characters?

Robert Wilson appears to be the ideal Hemingway male - masculine,...

Wed, 3 Oct 2007 08:50:01 PST

Robert Wilson appears to be the ideal Hemingway male - masculine, strong, unemotional, coveted by women, and, above all, fearless. Yet notice as the story progresses that he is not really all we are led to believe. Remember, he is hired by Francis and his wife, so he is really at their service. Plus, there is that quote about him traveling with the rich and fast type of high society people, whose wives don\'t feel like they have gotten...

Well, no character has just a single characteristic, but if I had to...

Wed, 3 Oct 2007 06:53:15 PST

Well, no character has just a single characteristic, but if I had to name just one, in Hemingway's world, Wilson is masculine. He is a hunter, he's confident, he's calm, he's assertive, and all of those describe him (though technically "hunter" is not an adjective).If you'd accepted other terms based on his emotional tone, he is cool, judgmental, and opportunistic. Finally, he is flexible/adaptable: he can change to meet the needs of...