"The Fly" Is a Modern Short Story

The Fly is a Modern Short Story

Modern short story has grown mere or to the lyric and clase to the psychological  mood-poem. Katherine Mansfield's short story ' The Fly ' is a case in point. it has the minimum of story in its shaping . it radically differs from the conventional short story in its mechanics of presentation. in it the treatment is not clear and logical enough. it offers a sympathetic insight into human soul in a moment of shock relying on atmosphere and suggestion. it has not plot and technique it is akin to the stream of consciousness method of fiction.

Here 'She' concentrates on the moment in which past and present strive in revealing tension. A businessman receives in his gorgeous office chamber. His on time collage Mr. woodifield who through younger than Boos has now retired from the service and become a trail old figure in the muffler . The 'boos' who is still going strong pities Mr. woodifield and serves him wine . Mr. woodifield in course in course conversation casually refers to the visit of his daughter to Belgium where they had come across the grave of his son, killed in the battle six years before. After woodifields departure from his office he finds a ' fly' in his beard ink pot takes it out and places it on a piece of bleating paper. lets drop on it blots of ink from his pen repeated to watch its successive attempts to cleans itself  and come back life until dies into the process. he is sized by " Such a grinding feeling of wretch endless  that he fells positively frighted". he finds himself unable to recall what he has been thinking of.The nervous tension inside the individual so character is tics of much modern experience  is intensely present in " The Fly ".

To fly episode is surcharged with immense symbolic suggestion. Until the fly dies the boss looks at the little creature with wonders and admiration. He fully appreciates the fly's courage.The Fly shows how to tackle the odds in life.one should not the overawed by danger and surrender to it passively/ no one in this world is ready to part with fly which is very dear without offering ,any resistance.The role of Boss in respect of the death of the fly in not much different from the role of the all powerful fate which had snatched away his son .

Thus Mansfield's technique in the short story is to describe something while really indicating another.When the story begins the Boss appears to be very comfortable and confident . but as the story proceeds the tragic aspect of life underneath his self complacence becomes to light .in fact he is much more pitiable in his private life than woodifield whom he pities . This is an irony, The earlier part of the Story it re-read in the light of the fly episode will appear more meaningful and suggestive.

Thus apparently woodifield 's visit to the office of boss and the fly episode which may seen irrelevant to the central theme ,namely, the relation of the boss bereaved heart are very much indispensable for the theme. The things in the piece are originally connected together .it needs discerning things.

The story leaves behind the impression of an artistically delineated picture of the inner world of the boss. The story has the brevity of expressions , acute characterization , inter connected episodes and the singleness of the situation.