Hunt For The Injured Lion Macomber example essay topic

For most people it takes a life changing experience to come full circle and realize their full potential. That's what happened to Francis Macomber in the short story "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", written by Earnest Hemingway. The story takes place in Africa where Macomber and his wife are on a Safari. At the beginning of the story he shows his timidity by running from the wounded lion, but at the end he shows his potential to be bold by going on the buffalo hunt, successfully making a kill on his own and by standing up to his controlling wife. In the story Francis Macomber starts out a coward that shows the talent to be very courageous. The fact that Francis Macomber is a coward comes out before it is actually ever told.

When Wilson says", 'You know in Africa no woman ever misses her lion and no white man ever bolts' " (81), then Macomber replies", 'I bolted like a rabbit' " (81). It is evident from the start that he is not a man with much backbone. As the story continues the reader learns more about how timid Macomber actually is. While they are on the hunt for the injured lion Macomber found out they were going to have to look for him on foot he said and", 'I don't want to go in there' " (89). It became apparent to Wilson just how nervous Macomber is when he looked at him and "he was trembling and had a pitiful look on his face" (89). When it is time for them to go into the grass and look for the lion he finally admits how frightened he is when he said to Wilson", ' I'm just scared, you know' " (90).

Macomber goes in the grass on foot although he is extremely scared, but as soon as the lion made his charge Macomber started "running wildly, in panic in the open, running toward the stream" (91). Not only does Macomber display his cowardice in hunting, but he also shows it through his relationship with his wife by letting her call him a coward after she came back from Mr. Wilson's tent the night after the lion hunt. When he says", 'You think I'll take anything ' " (94) and she replies", 'I know you will, sweet ' " (94), you can tell he is a pushover in his marriage too. Francis Macomber displays being a coward in many of his actions throughout the story. Francis is also a very talented man. He has many talents, which remain unseen until the end of the story.

Even though the lion hunt made him appear to have no shooting talent, he later proved that not to be true when he and Wilson found a herd of Impala. Macomber killed one of the bucks with a very creditable shot from around two hundred yards away. The reader knows Wilson is impressed with his shooting ability when he said", 'That was a good shot. They " re a small target' " (83).

Wilson also said", 'You shoot like that you " ll have no problem' " (84). He is very talented in other things too not just hunting. Just a few things that he has skills in are motorcycles, motorcars, fishing for various kinds of fish, and most important about hanging on to his money. He revealed even more of his shooting ability during the buffalo hunt by shooting successfully from a moving vehicle. Once the hunt is over Wilson tells him", 'You shot damn well' " (98). Macomber proved he had many talents during the progression of the story.

Even though Macomber is a coward, it is also evident by the end of the story that he is courageous. Macomber makes a permanent change in his character even though it is short lived. Macomber shows his potential for being brave in the beginning of the story when he says", 'Maybe I can fix it up on the buffalo' " (81), referring to the fear he shows in the lion hunt. Wilson also realized this hidden courage when he thought, "Perhaps he had been wrong. This was certainly the way to look at it" (81).

After the exciting hunt of the buffalo Macomber is feeling very good about himself. Then, he got the dreadful news that one of the buffalo is still alive and they had to go after him on foot. Macomber "expected the feeling he had had about the lion to come back but it didn't. For the first time in his life he really felt wholly without fear" (100)". 'Can we go after him now?' " (100), asked Macomber eagerly.

It is also evident that Macomber discovers his courage when he says to Wilson", 'You know I don't think I'd ever be afraid of anything again' " (101). Macomber feels so brave he said", 'You know, I'd like to try another lion' " (101). This dramatic change became apparent to his wife when Macomber finally stood up to her and asked her", 'If you don't know what we " re talking about why not keep out of it?' " (102). His wife replied to him", 'You " ve gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly' " (101). His courage becomes even more noticeable to his wife when he laughs a very natural hearty laugh and replies", 'You know I have' " (103).

Even though Macomber's life didn't last long after he realizes that he is brave, he died a complete man, even though it is at the hands of his wife. Not only is Macomber the protagonist, but he is also the developing character, making a short-lived change from a coward to someone with much courage. Although most people don't need something as exciting as an African Safari to help them come full circle, some people need a more dramatic experience to make them realize their full capability. Francis Macomber had to almost come face to face with death to realize his full potential as a man.

He is a man with a lot of fear at the beginning, then shows his talents, and in the end became a very courageous man.