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Quick Death in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Essay

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Quick Death in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber

Ernest Hemingway 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 …show more content…

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

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