The Fly By Katherine Mansfield - 1143 Words

Coping with the death of a beloved family member can be hard on the best of people. Coping may take time and following the steps of the grieving process which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The most important step in coping with any loss is the final stage of acceptance. In the short story, â€Å"The Fly† by Katherine Mansfield, the boss experiences the tragic loss of his son which causes him to fall into a deep depression and, by killing an innocent fly, he learns the power of acceptance. After the unexpected death of his beloved son, the boss falls into a deep depression. He feels that he cannot move on from such a loss. The boss’s son was preparing to take over the business so the boss built up his business in preparation for his son: â€Å"it had no other meaning if it was not for the boy. Life itself had come to have no other meaning.† This proves how the boss feels that without his son to carry on the successful business that he has worked so hard to build, his life and his business has no other meaning. For six years after his son’s death, all the boss has to do is think about or talk about him and he cries uncontrollably for some time. The boss declares that â€Å"time . . . could make no difference,† suggesting how the boss feels that all the time in the world is not enough for him to heal from this tragic event. The boss also does not like to talk about his son and never visits his grave because he does not want to think about his son’s bodyShow MoreRelatedThe Fly By Katherine Mansfield897 Words   |  4 PagesIn the short story, â€Å"The Fly† by Katherine Mansfield, a controlling boss is puzzled when he cannot weep over the death of his son. The boss enjoys being in power and in turn, sadistically murders an innocent fly. In â€Å"The Fly,† Mansfield tells a story of a controlling and prideful boss who cannot accept that he has moved on after his son’s death, while using symbolism to further explain the story. In the short story, the boss owns a strong business and relishes the fact that he is in control. ThroughoutRead MoreThe Fly By Katherine Mansfield1289 Words   |  6 PagesIn the short story, â€Å"The Fly† written by Katherine Mansfield in 1922, we are taken into the life of an old boss who still remains strong and at the head of his company. Through the boss’s actions and expressions we can see he is still pained by the loss of his son. However, through the illustrated story, we can see that even though the boss mourns the loss of his son, he is slowly moving through the grieving process that the fly in the story symbolizes. Through the actions of the boss in the storyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Fly By Katherine Mansfield1031 Words   |  5 PagesTrying to Fly Away from the Pain The short essay â€Å"The Fly†, written by Katherine Mansfield in 1922 paints the picture of an old man who is referred to as the boss, who is still grieving from some sort of tragic event that happened to him. Continuing to read through the story, the narrator goes on to inform the reader that the boss’ son was killed in World War I, and that the boss is still reeling from the death of his son. From a little hinted symbolism we can connect that the fly itself representsRead MoreEssay on The Fly by Katherine Mansfield1180 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Fly† Having read many pieces of literature through short stories, it is evident that each story has its own unique use of symbolism. Diverse characters in each work of literature are used to demonstrate these forms of symbolism. The boss and his inner conflict illustrate a great deal of symbolism in â€Å"The Fly† by Katherine Mansfield. The boss’s perception of the actions of the fly creates an interesting view of the comparison of his father-son, father-fly relationship. Katherine MansfieldRead MoreThe Fly Katherine Mansfield Analysis895 Words   |  4 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story â€Å"The Fly†, by Katherine Mansfield, a man struggles with his emotions over the death of his son. To cope with his emotions or lack thereof, the boss tries to make himself feel emotions when they aren’t there. Mansfield’s â€Å"The Fly† illustrates the boss and how controlling he can be and the conflicts he faces with himself, both of which are represented through the fly and ink.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The boss is a controlling man and likes things to go how he wants. He controlledRead MoreAnalysis Of Katherine Mansfield s The Fly1159 Words   |  5 PagesIn Katherine Mansfield’s, â€Å"The Fly,† an older gentleman referred to as â€Å"the boss† struggles with a fight, however it was a fight with his own thoughts and despair. Although The Boss is able to forget in the end, who is to say that this has not happened before, or will not happen again. The sadness he feels for his son will always be there, but he just cannot bring it to the surface. Although the fly drowns as if to symbolize his despair, his need to cope is gone. The boss as depicted by KatherineRead MoreConsequences of War in the Short Story, The Fly by Katherine Mansfield634 Words   |  3 PagesThe short story â€Å"The Fly† was written in 1922, and was first published in â€Å"The Nation Antheaeum† on 18 March 1922. The plot sets off with an elderly weak, retired man, named Mr. Woodifield making his weekly visit to the place where he had worked before he suffered a stroke. Mr. Woodifeld visits his old boss, who is a strong contrast to Mr. Woodifield. Even though the boss is five years older than Mr. Woodifield he is much stronger and much more fit. The two men enjoy each other’s company. MrRead MoreAnalysis of Katherine Mansfileds Bliss, the Fly and the Daughters of the Late Colonel1155 Words   |  5 PagesPassage Analysis: Bliss, The Fly and The Daughters of the Late Colonel Katherine Mansfield’s â€Å"The Collected Stories† purvey characters who are frustrated and disillusioned by the constraints and demands of society and the way it stops them from expressing emotion and control. This could be the desire to burst out with happiness, such as in â€Å"Bliss†, or sadness and distress at the lack of control over one’s future and life, such as in â€Å"The Fly† and, similarly in the â€Å"Daughters of the Late Colonel†Read MoreKatherine Mansfields Miss Brill Essay example1122 Words   |  5 Pagesas characterization. Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield displays the character of Miss Brill as the protagonist, confronted with the reality of her existence. In the short story Miss Brill, by Katherine Mansfield, an elderly woman spends a Sunday afternoon visiting a seaside park as part of her weekly ritual. As a developing character, Miss Brill is forced to face a harsh reality from her routine events. In the short story, Miss Brill, Katherine Mansfield effectively uses various literary techniquesRead MoreThe World s First Global Conflict937 Words   |  4 Pagesduring those times, to help provide the future with an awareness and appreciation for those who sacrificed their lives for the world today. Two pieces of literature which specifically explores the emotional impact of war is Katherine Mansfield’s symbolic work of literature â€Å"The Fly: and W.B Yeats poignant elegy, â€Å"An Irish Airman Foresees His Death. Each piece of literature written during the first year of the post war era, are an impressively intimate illustration of emotionally expressions and perspectives