"The Fly" Summary and Analysis

"The Fly" by Katherine Mansfield is a powerful and compact short story that explores themes of grief, the passage of time, emotional repression, and the futility of life through symbolic imagery and a deceptively simple plot. Summary of "The Fly" The story centers around an elderly businessman referred to as "the boss," who is visited in his office by an old friend, Mr. Woodifield. During the visit, they reminisce about their sons who died in World War I. After Woodifield leaves, the boss reflects on his son's death, but surprisingly realizes he no longer feels the strong grief he once did. While pondering these thoughts, he notices a fly struggling in a pot of ink on his desk. He watches it clean itself and then repeatedly drops more ink on it, fascinated by its resilience. Eventually, the fly dies. The boss then cannot remember what he was thinking about before the fly distracted him, illustrating the theme of emotional repression. Literary Elements Analysis 1. Theme Grief and Loss : The death of the boss’s son in WWI is central. The boss believes he has deeply grieved, but the story questions whether he ever truly has. Emotional Repression : The boss suppresses his grief to maintain a façade of control and strength. Mortality and Futility : The fly’s struggle and death serve as a metaphor for human struggle against inevitable death. Time and Forgetting : Time dulls the pain of grief, but Mansfield questions whether forgetting is a relief or a betrayal. 2. Characters The Boss : A symbol of post-war emotional numbness. He appears strong and successful but is hollowed out by the loss of his son. Mr. Woodifield : An old man who serves as a catalyst for the boss’s memories. His forgetfulness and weakness contrast with the boss’s supposed control. 3. Symbolism The Fly : Represents both the son and the boss himself. Its repeated suffering and eventual death reflect the futility of resilience in the face of fate. Ink : Symbolizes life’s uncontrollable forces—tragedy, war, time. The Office : A sterile, controlled environment where emotional messiness is not allowed—a contrast to the chaos of war and loss. 4. Setting Takes place almost entirely in the boss’s office, a controlled and impersonal space that contrasts with the chaotic emotional undercurrent. 5. Tone and Mood The tone is deceptively calm and detached, masking a deeper existential sadness. The mood shifts from nostalgic to unsettling as the boss’s cruelty to the fly reveals his inner turmoil. 6. Point of View Third-person limited (mostly from the boss’s perspective). This allows the reader to see the gap between the boss’s thoughts and his suppressed emotions. 7. Style Mansfield's prose is understated and symbolic. She uses subtle shifts in tone and detail to imply much more than is said outright. The story’s short length and simple language belie its psychological complexity. Conclusion In "The Fly," Katherine Mansfield masterfully uses minimalist narrative and symbolic imagery to portray the psychological scars left by war. The boss’s interaction with the fly becomes a metaphor for the futility of denying grief and the inevitability of death. Mansfield challenges the reader to consider the cost of emotional repression and the harsh reality of mortality, all within the confines of a seemingly mundane office scene.