Characters

The main and most important character in the short story “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield is the boss, whose perspective the narrator follows. Apart from him, other characters which appear or are mentioned in the short story are: Mr Woodifield, Macey – the office clerk, Mr  Woodifield’s wife, Gertrude – Mr Woodifield’s daughter, Reggie – Mr Woodifield’s son, and the boss's son. Out of these characters, only Mr Woodifield and the boss’ son have more concrete portraits.

The Boss

The boss is the main character in the short story and is depicted both directly in terms of physical appearance and indirectly through his thoughts, attitude and actions.

Outer characterisation

His outer characterisation is first made in comparison...

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Inner characterisation

The man’s inner characterisation reveals him to be a typical English gentleman, proud of his achievements, polite and somewhat superior to others: “As a matter of fact he was proud of his room; he liked to have it admired, especially by old Woodifield. It gave him a feeling of deep, solid satisfaction...” (p. 743, ll. 32-36)

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The Boss’ son

The boss’s son is an absent character in the short story, as he had died six years prior to the time of the narrative. He is mostly relevant for what he represented for his father, namely hope for the future and the idea of leaving a legacy behind.

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Mr Woodifield

Mr Woodifield is a secondary, episodic character in the short story; he only appears in the first scene. However, his function in the narrative is that of a trigger of conflict, because it is he who reminds the boss of his son’s death.

Outer characterisation

His outer characterisation is done mostly from the boss’ perspective,...

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Inner characterisation

His inner characterisation suggests a melancholic, forgetful man. He appreciates and admires the boss and the fact that the man is still strong:

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