The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 40 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber.

The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 40 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber.
This section contains 638 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber Study Guide

Courage and Cowardice

It is perhaps misleading to characterize two of the important themes of this work as "courage" and "cowardice." Certainly, these are both major themes of the story, but Hemingway invites the reader to consider whether courage is confused with bravado, and reasonable fear with cowardice. Depending upon one's point of view, Francis Macomber's fear of the lion makes him a coward or it makes him a reasonable man. The story inspires an examination of whether it takes more courage to face down the lion or to walk away.

Fate and Chance

If Margot Macomber's shooting of her husband is an accident, then a central theme of the work becomes fate or chance. The question becomes one of how accidental an accident of this kind can be. In other words, the story asks whether it is really fate or chance-considering that Margot Macomber is inexperienced with a...

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This section contains 638 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Short, Happy Life of Francis Macomber Study Guide
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