Even with no direct references to World War I, Katherine Mansfield makes it a clear focus of "The Fly"through many details:
1. "...photograph over the table of a grave-looking boy in uniform...It had been there for six years." (page 1) This is the first clue that his son was in the military and possibly had been killed.
2. "The girls were in Belgium last week having a look at poor Reggie's grave, and they happened to come across your boy's." (page 2) The readers now learn that both of their sons were killed in the war.
3. "There's miles of it," (page 2). Woodifield is speaking of the massive graveyard where their sons along with other soldiers are buried.
4. "The boy had been in the office learning the ropes for a year before the war." (page 3). This is the first direct reference to the war, although it does not specifically state which one.
Although "The Fly" can be interpreted in many different ways, there is one theory that makes the most sense to me. After learning about Katherine Mansfield's personal life, I believe that Mansfield herself is the fly and God/fate is the boss. She harbored an unbearable anger about the war and her brother's death. As the fly, she is being crushed by the boss who represents a fate she cannot control. The hardships of her life slowly led to her death, signified by each drop of ink. One of these ink drops was the death of her brother. With each obstacle, she tried to dust herself off and move forward. But eventually, she no longer had the physical and emotional strength to keep going. "The Fly" symbolizes her own struggle.
Various themes are also present throughout the story. Hopelessness and despair appears throughout the story which parallels the devastating aftermath of World War I. Another theme is the notion that time heals all wounds. After six years, the boss finally cannot force himself to mourn over his son's death. On another note, this is why Mansfield wrote the story: she didn't want people to forget those who lost their lives fighting in the war, like her brother.
1. "...photograph over the table of a grave-looking boy in uniform...It had been there for six years." (page 1) This is the first clue that his son was in the military and possibly had been killed.
2. "The girls were in Belgium last week having a look at poor Reggie's grave, and they happened to come across your boy's." (page 2) The readers now learn that both of their sons were killed in the war.
3. "There's miles of it," (page 2). Woodifield is speaking of the massive graveyard where their sons along with other soldiers are buried.
4. "The boy had been in the office learning the ropes for a year before the war." (page 3). This is the first direct reference to the war, although it does not specifically state which one.
Although "The Fly" can be interpreted in many different ways, there is one theory that makes the most sense to me. After learning about Katherine Mansfield's personal life, I believe that Mansfield herself is the fly and God/fate is the boss. She harbored an unbearable anger about the war and her brother's death. As the fly, she is being crushed by the boss who represents a fate she cannot control. The hardships of her life slowly led to her death, signified by each drop of ink. One of these ink drops was the death of her brother. With each obstacle, she tried to dust herself off and move forward. But eventually, she no longer had the physical and emotional strength to keep going. "The Fly" symbolizes her own struggle.
Various themes are also present throughout the story. Hopelessness and despair appears throughout the story which parallels the devastating aftermath of World War I. Another theme is the notion that time heals all wounds. After six years, the boss finally cannot force himself to mourn over his son's death. On another note, this is why Mansfield wrote the story: she didn't want people to forget those who lost their lives fighting in the war, like her brother.
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