The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber in hours, and indeed even in minutes. Hemingway biographer Carlos Baker claims that Macomber loses his fear as the buffalo charges, and the loss of fear ushers Macomber into manhood, which Margot instantly kills. Baker believes Wilson symbolizes the man free of woman (because he refuses to allow Margot to dominate him) or of fear; the man Macomber wishes to be. Wilson understands, as he blasts the lion dead, that Margot is a woman who needs to be dominated. Jeffrey Meyers considers Margot Macomber to be the villain of the story. She characterises "a predatory (rather than a passive) female
John R. Macomber as chairman of the New England Liberty Loan committee and of Metropotian Boston trade in the United War Work campaign. From 1919 to 1920, Macomber served as President of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. On September 3, 1920, Massachusetts State Treasurer Fred J. Burrell resigned following an investigation by a special legislative committee and Governor Calvin Coolidge appointed Macomber, Albert P. Langtry, and Henry A. Wyman to administer the office until a successor could be confirmed. In 1922, Macomber was elected a life member of the board of trustees at Tufts College. In 1926 he was named chairman of Massachusetts