Francis Macomber Character Analysis
Francis Macomber Character Analysis
Francis Macomber was a very handsome thirty-five year old man. He was well built and very good at court games. In addition Francis held many big game fishing records. Throughout the story Francis goes through many stages and changes very much from the beginning to the end. However, throughout the entire story Francis shows that he has three very important traits, he is adaptable, bold, and is also very direct.
First, Francis Macomber was very adaptable throughout the story. As Francis spent more and more time with Wilson he changed from having contempt for Wilson, to enjoying being with him. In the beginning, Wilson attempts to make a joke about Francis’s face being red. At that point, since Francis was not getting along with Wilson, he did not laugh at the joke. Later on however Wilson was talking about how he whipped his workers when they didn’t do what he asked rather than fine them. After this statement by Wilson Francis offered his support by saying, “Yes, we take a beating everyday.” This was just one of the signs that Wilson was coming to enjoy being with Wilson.
Francis also adapts to his wife being with Wilson. One night Francis was awake for over two hours while his wife was out of the tent. After she returned Francis found that she had been with Wilson and was immediately angry with both Wilson and his wife. Later in the story Wilson has adapted to the fact that Wilson and his wife will be together and accepts it. At one point Wilson is trying to get Margot to stay in camp and Francis asks, “You’re sure you wouldn’t like to stay in camp with her yourself and let me go hunt the buffalo?” Francis is in this question allowing his wife and Wilson to be together.
The greatest adaptation Francis makes through out the story is in his ability to become a successful hunter. In the beginning of the story Francis is afraid of going into the woods after the injured lion. “I don’t want to go in there.” After expressing his fear, Francis continued to take a couple of steps into the woods until he saw the lion and bolted out of the woods scared. The final...