Francis Macomber Comparison

Yoel Bastian

392013024

Comparative Literature

A protagonist is the main character which the readers follow in a story. It is always interesting in how the protagonist face the problem. After the problem resolved, it makes differences to the protagonist in the end. The most evident is the change of characteristic or trait of the protagonist. Mostly the protagonist changed in positive way. Here I will compare two protagonists of two different stories, Francis Macomber from “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” and Carl Fredricksen from film “Up” (2009). The two characters have dealt with their problem and transformed in the end of the story. The comparison will be disscussed not only how they dealt with their problem but also other aspects

Francis Macomber was definitely had the transformation from a coward to a brave man. More than that, in the beggining of the story, he felt guilty, worthless, and grudge after he run away in panic and transformed become happy, empowered, enthusiastic person when his bullets hit the buffalos. “It had started the night before when he had wakened and heard the lion roaring somewhere up along the river... and when Francis Macomber woke in the night to hear it he was afraid” (pg 5, par 14). Francis let the fear dominate himself for a long time. He did not try to overcome it and the fear growing more and more. After failed with the lion, he himself admitted “I bolted like a rabbit” (pg 3, par 11). Robert did not know how to response because a real man never admit that. For me, it is fine, he was not humiliate himself. It is self-acceptance, you admit what you lack and of course you improve it. For Macomber, impressing other people, especially his wife, is materred a lot. He even risking his own life to prove his masculinity when he hunt those wild animals, lion and buffallo. The humiliation that he felt force him to have another way to fix his mistake. A cheating wife and disrespectful hunter who guide him and the most importantly self-proving that he is a brave man are things that motivated him. Finally, he gain back his dignity by shoots the buffalo. However I

Although they are contrast each other, they becomes a better person in the end. Francis is tall, young, and wealthy man against Carl who is old short and rather poor man. Their marriage life also be in opposite each other. Carl clearly has better marriage life than Francis does because Ellie is not cheating and unsupportive wife like Margot. Although they come from same culture, American culture, but the differences of their social class, age, role in society, makes the different cultural expectation. Francis expected to be a leader of his family by providing necessity and protection. Carl as an old man is expected to not live in big cities but a retirement communities or nursing house. The transformation of both character is, Francis who is a coward at the beginning becomes a real brave man and Carl who is an old obstinate lonely man becomes a cheerful satisfied lively