Transcript The Short happy life of Francis macomber

THE SHORT HAPPY LIFE
OF FRANCIS MACOMBER
ERNEST HEMMINGWAY
ABOUT THE STORY
• Ernest Hemingway first published
the story in the September, 1936,
issue of Cosmopolitan
magazine.
• The story is based upon an
actual scandal that had taken
place in Kenya involving a wife,
a love affair, and something
that happened on their hunting
trip.
• Real events were suppressed in
the media and covered up by
the British government because
they were so scandalous.
ERNEST HEMMINGWAY
• Ernest Hemingway is one of the most famous
American writers of the twentieth century.
• His rugged lifestyle and penetrating prose have
inspired generations of imitators.
• As much as for his writing, he is known for his
adventurous personality and love of the outdoors.
• He was an avid fisherman and hunter, a firsthand witness
of many wars, and a bullfighting aficionado.
• Born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, where he was
raised.
• His childhood experiences in the woods of
Michigan, where his family owned a summer
home, contributed to several of his most famous
stories.
CONTINUED
• Hemingway was an ambulance driver in Italy during
World War I and received shrapnel wounds on his legs.
• He married for the first time in 1921— the first of four trips
to the altar—and returned to Europe to begin his career
as a writer of fiction.
• Hemingway and his cohorts, F. Scott and Zelda
Fitzgerald, James Joyce and Ford Madox are sometimes
called the “Lost Generation” because of their cynical
view of life forged in the modernist era between the
world wars.
CONTINUED
• Though primarily known as a
writer of fiction, he continued
throughout his life to function
as a journalist, covering several
wars.
• In 1953 he was awarded a
Pulitzer Prize for his novel The
Old Man and the Sea.
• In 1960, after suffering a mental
breakdown, he entered the
Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
Minnesota, to undergo electroshock therapy. He committed
suicide in 1961 in Ketchum,
Idaho.
DISTRUST OF WOMEN
• Held his mother responsible
for the suicide of this father
• Also held his mother
responsible for withholding
the inheritance he felt was
his
• Hadley, his first wife, lost a
suitcase containing all his
early short stories
SETTING UP FOR A
LITERARY TRIAL
YOUR GUIDE TO READING TSHLOFM
WHAT IS A LITERARY TRIAL?
• A literary trial is a mock trial with a twist.
• We will be investigating a criminal case, but to add
depth and evidence to the cases, you will use the
literary techniques and character development in the
story to argue Hemingway’s purpose in depicting these
characters as either innocent or guilty.
• Therefore, your evidence in the case will be the events that
take place, characterization (building a criminal profile) and
the literary devices Hemingway uses to depict their innocence
or guilt.
• Through this activity, you will be discovering Hemingway’s
attitude towards his characters, and in turn, men and women.
• Ex: In “who is to blame” for William’s death, Mary Shelley
characterizes the monster in a certain way so the readers
sympathize with him. Could you prosecute and defend the monster
for this act? What would you say on each side?
COLLECTING EVIDENCE…
WHILE READING
• You need to track evidence while reading. Read between the
lines!
• Look for:
• Direct evidence implicating the accused
• STEAL acronym
•
•
•
•
•
What your accused says
What your accused thinks (through monologues)
The effect your accused has on others
The actions your accused makes
How your accused looks (if applicable)
• The Motive of Your Accused
• What causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing, etc. Why did it
happen?
• Hint: Think about each character’s motive from both sides
• Literary Techniques
• How Hemingway uses techniques to paint a picture of each character for the
readers.
COMPLETE THESE QUESTIONS
• After reading, complete the following questions on a separate sheet
of paper:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What tools do the individual characters use to maintain control throughout
the story? Who is in control a majority of the time? Why? How?
What is Hemingway’s purpose in including Robert Wilson in the story? What is
his role? What does he add to the plot?
Identify the stereotypes of men and women that are defined and how
Hemingway works to challenge those stereotypes throughout the story.
Discuss how the author uses literary techniques (like dialogue, symbolism,
flashbacks, parallelism, implicit writing, and in medias res) to reveal the
stereotypes present.
How does the story stand up to gender rules today? Do you believe
Hemingway is commenting on gender roles? If so, what is Hemingway trying
to say about masculine and feminine power? Discuss the intent of the author
in exploring these ideas.
What keeps the Macombers together?
Who is to blame for the affair? In terms of what we have read, discuss why
this is important?
Who is to blame for the final event? Look at both characters and all
possibilities as you may not know who you will represent in your literary trial.
PLOT
• Begins in medias res
• Opens with Francis Macomber, his wife, Margaret
(known as Margot), and Robert Wilson preparing for
lunch at their camp in Africa.
• The Macombers are a wealthy and socially prominent
American couple during the 1930s in Africa on a safari.
• Wilson is a professional hunter, paid to guide their
adventures.
• The three begin discussing the morning’s hunt. This topic
appears to cause them some discomfort, and soon the
source of their discomfort is revealed…
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
• In the midst of the Great Depression, the fact that the
Macombers can afford to take a luxury vacation takes
on great significance.
• It hints that they are far removed from the realities of their day,
which include poverty, economic instability, and general
misery.
• In a time in which one quarter of all men were
unemployed, gender roles took on great significance.
• A man without a job often questioned his masculinity,
particularly if he was not able to care for his wife and children.
• Though the Macombers are childless and need not
worry about where their next meal is coming from, this
fixation on masculinity is still evident in Macomber's
character.
PREPARING FOR THE TRIAL
• Steps While Reading:
• Hunt for evidence while reading
• Note: You will not know who you are representing or what side
you will be representing (prosecution or defense), so you must
find evidence for everything!
• After Reading:
• Form legal teams
• Get your assigned case
• Get the side you will be representing (prosecution or
defense)
• Map out your evidence
• Take on legal roles
• Prepare for trial
Good Luck Lawyers!