The Fly Themes

The main theme in “The Fly” is death.

  • Death: The boss and Woodifield have both lost their sons in the war, and the boss feels that he himself died along with his son. At the end of the story, the boss tortures a fly to death in order to forget his loss.

The Complex Journey of Grief

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

Grief is a universal experience, but each person copes with it differently. In "The Fly," Katherine Mansfield explores the grief of losing a loved one in war, showing how two characters, Mr. Woodifield and the boss, process their losses in contrasting ways.

The boss initially responds to the news of his son's death with overwhelming sorrow. He feels his life is in ruins, and his hopes and dreams for his son are shattered. Six years later, he appears to have rebuilt his life as a successful, outwardly strong, and vigorous businessman. Yet, despite these outward signs of recovery, the boss's grief lingers beneath the surface. He keeps a photograph of his son in his office but never speaks of him. This silence reflects the depth of his unresolved sorrow—grief that he keeps locked away, even from close friends like Woodifield.

However, when Woodifield mentions his daughters' visit to the grave of the boss's son, something shifts in the boss. He prepares to weep, as he has done many times, but now the tears won't come. This inability to cry disturbs him, signaling that his grief has entered a new stage—one marked not by release through weeping but by emotional numbness or detachment. He is no longer able to connect with the pain that once felt overwhelming, and this change in his grief unsettles him deeply. The boss's reaction suggests that over time, grief can mutate into a strange, disorienting state where even mourning feels inaccessible.

In contrast, Woodifield handles his grief quite differently. He speaks openly about his son's grave and takes comfort in its beauty. His tone is casual, and he seems at peace with his loss. This doesn't mean Woodifield hasn't suffered, but rather that he has found a way to process his grief over time. Unlike the boss, who hides his sorrow, Woodifield can talk about his son without emotional turmoil, reflecting his acceptance of the past. The juxtaposition of the two men's responses shows that grief is a deeply personal journey, one that can lead to peace or a strange emotional paralysis.

The story suggests that grief, much like the passage of time, changes and evolves. Some, like Woodifield, may find closure, while others, like the boss, may become trapped in a cycle of suppressed emotions, unable to move forward.

Weakness and Strength

Download PDF PDF Page Citation Cite Share Link Share

"The Fly" also explores the themes of weakness and strength in its characters and through the symbolic fly that struggles in the inkpot. The balance between these two forces becomes crucial to the story's meaning.

The boss appears outwardly strong. He has a successful business, a luxurious office, and a commanding presence. He offers Woodifield whiskey, a symbol of vitality and male camaraderie, and pities his friend for his frailty. However, the boss's strength is largely a façade.

His emotional state, especially regarding his son's death, reveals his hidden vulnerability. While he presents himself as a strong, capable man, his refusal to talk about his son and his inability to visit the grave suggest that his grief has weakened him internally. He hides his sorrow from the world and, in doing so, denies himself the chance to truly heal. The boss's strength is superficial, masking an inner fragility.

Woodifield, on the other hand, is physically weak. After suffering a stroke, he is mainly dependent on his family, and he visits the city only once a week. He appears almost childlike, frail and diminished, especially compared to the robust boss. However, Woodifield possesses a different kind of strength—an emotional resilience that the boss lacks. He has accepted his son's death and can speak of him...

(This entire section contains 485 words.)

Unlock this Study Guide Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

openly, even finding humor in small things, like the cost of jam at the hotel his daughters visited. This acceptance gives Woodifield a quiet strength rooted not in physical vigor but in emotional maturity and peace.

The fly in the inkpot is a powerful symbol of the delicate balance between weakness and strength. Initially, the fly is weak, struggling to survive after being plunged into the ink. Yet, it shows remarkable resilience, cleaning itself off and preparing to move forward. The fly's strength, however, is not limitless. As the boss repeatedly drops ink onto the insect, it becomes weaker with each attempt to recover. Eventually, the fly succumbs and dies. This can be seen as a metaphor for the boss's inner struggle—he may be resilient, but the repeated burdens of grief and life have worn him down.

Unlike Woodifield, who seems to have found a way to balance his grief with peace, the boss is like the fly—strong in bursts but ultimately unable to withstand the continual pressure of his sorrow. The boss's torment of the fly may also reflect his internal frustration with his emotional weakness as if testing the limits of how much one can endure before breaking. In the end, the fly's death is a somber reminder that strength, if overextended, can lead to collapse.

In "The Fly," strength and weakness are not absolutes but exist in a fragile balance. The story suggests that true strength lies not in the ability to hide one's emotions or power through life's challenges but in the capacity to face grief, accept it, and find peace within it.

Previous

Summary

Next

Characters

Loading...