Margot was too beautiful for Macomber to divorce her and Macomber had too much money for Margot ever to leave him" (Hemingway 93). This statement explains why Macomber puts up with Margot in first place. He seems to be a man very much about appearances. He likes the image that he has created for himself and does not want to part with that. In this sense Margot is what many would call a "trophy wife". Having a beautiful woman on his arm makes him feel more confident about himself. Margot, however, seems to want to strip every thread of confidence that Francis has. Throughout the story she continues to needle him about how much he drinks to how big of a coward he is for running from the lion. She does not consider Francis's feelings at all. When the incident with the lion occurred Francis was extremely embarrassed by the whole affair. Seeking comfort he reaches out to his wife by taking her hand. Instead of giving comfort she removed her hand without even looking at him. Then to add insult to injury she kisses Mr. Wilson with her husband sitting beside her (Hemingway 92). Her intentions are very clear. She wants to show Francis that he's the lesser man by running from the lion and that Mr. Wilson personifies the word "man" in every sense. With her sharp tongue she does her best to strip Francis's manhood and make him feel inadequate. She goes even further by having an affair with Mr. Wilson. When she is caught she turns the tables on Francis by blaming his cowardice for her actions (Hemingway 94). This enforces the notion that Margot will stop at nothing until she snuffs out even the smallest glimmer of worth that Francis possesses. The years of constant abuse from Francis's wife has added to Francis's feelings of low self-esteem, however, ultimately, it awakens a quiet hatred for his wife that fuels the self-confidence that is needed for the transformation that he undergoes.