The Fly (short story)
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The Fly, a short story witten by Katherine Mansfield in February 1922, was later included in The Garden Party and Other Stories. It has often been called an 'open ended story' but notwithstanding the various points of view regarding its interpretation, critics are unanimous about the fact that as a short story it is outstanding.
[edit] Plot
Woodifield, an old and infirm gentleman is shown talking to the boss, his friend, who is five years older than he is and 'still going strong'. It is obvious that the boss enjoys showing off his redecorated office to Woodifield and feels a certain satisfaction to be 'planted' there in full view of the frail old figure in a muffler. Woodifield wants to tell the boss something, but cannot remember what it was, when the boss offers him some whisky. After drinking, his memory is refreshed and Woodifield talks about a recent visit that "the girls" (probably his wife and daughters) made to their sons' graves. We now come to know that both their sons had died in the war. After Woodifield leaves, the boss sits down at his table, calls the office boy and tells him that he does not want to be disturbed. It is apparent from the narrative that he is extremely perturbed at the sudden reference to his dead son. Now we find something very curious: the narrative tells us that the boss 'arranges' to cry. He fails, however, and is even more puzzled because previously he had only to say the words "my son" to be overcome by tears. He looks at his son's photo, and then notices a fly that was struggling to get out of his inkpot. The boss helps it out of the inkpot and observes how it dries itself, with some amount of admiration. Just when the fly is dry and safe, the boss has an idea and starts playing with the fly by dropping ink on it. The story ends in an unexpected way which has led to critics interpreting it in many different ways.
[edit] Analysis
This story has been interpreted variously: that the boss plays the role of fate over the fly, that the fly represents the boss under blows of fate and so on. However, no critic seems to be able to explain satisfactorily the significance of the 'fly episode' as it has been dubbed.
Incidentally, Mansfield's own very dear brother had died in the war too, before this story was written, and the author's personal writings reflect that she had felt nothing could ever be the same again. What relevance, if any, this could bear to 'The Fly' is an open question.
The main motif or question concerning 'The Fly' is the idea that time can overcome all grief. This theme is presented when the boss is quoted as- (Quote) "He wasn't feeling as he wanted to feel"
The death of the fly is also said to represent the death of the son. A fly's death is not one filled with a great deal of emotion just as the son's life was not grieved by the soldiers who killed him.
