The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber - Ernest Hemingway
Francis Macomber notes on analysis
The narrative voice
The story is told through an omniscient narrator in third person, who is passively observing. Nothing is hidden to the reader, revealing this unpleasant atmosphere.
Ex. from p. 9:
Macomber stepped out of the curved opening at the side of the front seat, onto the step and down onto the ground. The lion still stood looking majestically and coolly toward this object that his eyes only showed in silhouette, bulking like some super-rhino. There was no man smell carried toward him and he watched the object, moving his great head a little from side to side. Then watching the object, not afraid, but hesitating before going down the bank to drink with such a thing opposite him, he saw a man figure detach itself from it and he turned his heavy head and swung away toward the cover of the trees as he heard a cracking crash and felt the slam of a. 30-06 220-grain solid bullet that bit his flank and ripped in sudden hot scalding nausea through his stomach. He trotted, heavy, big-footed, swinging wounded full-bellied, through the trees toward the tall grass and cover, and the crash came again to go past him ripping the air apart. Then it crashed again and he felt the blow as it hit his lower ribs and ripped on through, blood sudden hot and frothy in his mouth, and he galloped toward the high grass where he could crouch and not be seen and make them bring the crashing thing close enough so he could make a rush and get the man that held it.
This example from the text shows how much you should the omniscient teller extends – this is the lion's point of view; the part where it gets shot. By going into the minds of the animals he creates a parallel between the people and animals.
Characters
Robert Wilson
Quote, p. 20:
”By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death and let it go which way it will, he that dies this year is quit for the next [..]”
”You grow up when you kill an animal, not
The narrative voice
The story is told through an omniscient narrator in third person, who is passively observing. Nothing is hidden to the reader, revealing this unpleasant atmosphere.
Ex. from p. 9:
Macomber stepped out of the curved opening at the side of the front seat, onto the step and down onto the ground. The lion still stood looking majestically and coolly toward this object that his eyes only showed in silhouette, bulking like some super-rhino. There was no man smell carried toward him and he watched the object, moving his great head a little from side to side. Then watching the object, not afraid, but hesitating before going down the bank to drink with such a thing opposite him, he saw a man figure detach itself from it and he turned his heavy head and swung away toward the cover of the trees as he heard a cracking crash and felt the slam of a. 30-06 220-grain solid bullet that bit his flank and ripped in sudden hot scalding nausea through his stomach. He trotted, heavy, big-footed, swinging wounded full-bellied, through the trees toward the tall grass and cover, and the crash came again to go past him ripping the air apart. Then it crashed again and he felt the blow as it hit his lower ribs and ripped on through, blood sudden hot and frothy in his mouth, and he galloped toward the high grass where he could crouch and not be seen and make them bring the crashing thing close enough so he could make a rush and get the man that held it.
This example from the text shows how much you should the omniscient teller extends – this is the lion's point of view; the part where it gets shot. By going into the minds of the animals he creates a parallel between the people and animals.
Characters
Robert Wilson
Quote, p. 20:
”By my troth, I care not; a man can die but once; we owe God a death and let it go which way it will, he that dies this year is quit for the next [..]”
”You grow up when you kill an animal, not