Hemingway, in the story "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", concentrates on the role reversal of the sexes. Macomber is attacked by a lion and looses all his self esteem and courage by running away from the lion. Margot is quite disgusted by his attitude by her constant mocking of Francis, she once states in the story and unmistakably her infidelity with Wilson. This is an example of Hemingway's role reversal of the sexes. As soon as Francis runs in fear he assumes the role of the weaker one of the married couple and Margot assumes the role of the predator. For most of the story, and probably their life, Margot preys on Francis constantly. She orders him around in the story by telling him to "behave himself" or to "not talk about the lion" that Wilson shot the day before, she basically acts like the head of the family. We can see that Margot is disgusted by Francis and his cowardice acts, in regards to the lion, from the very beginning when she "[leans] forward over the low seat and" kisses Wilson on the mouth and ignores Francis when she looks at where the lion is being skinned by the gun bearers. Francis is however, determined to make up his acts of cowardice the next day when they are supposedly going to hunt buff, or buffalo. That night Francis is hunting impala with Wilson, Francis says "I'd like to clear away that lion business"; Francis is clearly determined to make up for the lion. .
The next day it is like Francis is reborn hunting the buffalo, he gets off the car and shoots like and expert and experiences no fear. This is truly the only time in the story, and possibly his life, where he is truly at peace with himself. Everyone seems happy with him, Wilson complements him on his shooting, everyone is happy for him except Margot who is petrified of his newfound attitude and is beginning to realize that he will leave her after this safari is over. When he tells Margot that he loved the chase and that he's "never felt any such feeling" before.
