Bravery versus Cowardice: Character Contrasts in "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" Anonymous 9th Grade

They slowly approached the area where the injured lion laid. The lion gathered up its remaining strength to prepare to rush the approaching hunters. They crept closer and closer in the grass searching for the lion, then out of nowhere it charged at them. Instantly one of the hunters, Francis Macomber, flees from the lion, while one of the other hunters, Robert Wilson, courageously kills the large beast. Francis Macomber’s fear of the lion evidently reveals that he is cowardly compared to Wilson. In “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” by Ernest Hemingway, Robert Wilson is a character foil to Francis Macomber because they differ in their masculinity, bravery, and background, which exemplifies the flaws of Macomber’s character - mainly being his lack of manliness and cowardice.

Robert Wilson is shown to be more brave than Macomber due to their actions, which exposes that Macomber is actually a coward. When on a hunt for big game, Wilson and Macomber track down a lion. When they approach the lion, the large beast attacks, and in response, Macomber cowardly runs away. It is revealed that Macomber is truly a coward when he runs away from the lion instead of being brave like Wilson and shooting the lion. “The next thing he knew...