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Mr. Woodifield is the friend of The Boss, who performs a very significant role in The Fly. As a character Mr. Woodifield remains confined in his house due to his illness and only on Tuesday, he is allowed to go about in the business area of London. Mr. Woodifield is extremely talkative and always found eager to talk on various matters. Mr Woodifield is a trail old man and is always found curious. Woodifield talks for the pleasure to enjoy life and he is also shallow and superficial.
Mr. Woodifield however plays an important role in the story. It is after all his reference to the Graves of his own son and the Boss's son, that rouses the dormant sorrow of the boss and through that reference, the boss was turned into a reminiscent mode. It is mainly because of Woodifield, the Boss suddenly remembered the past the birth of his son, his growth, his promise, and potentialities, how he worked to build up his business tirelessly for him but ultimately everything is destroyed. All his hopes and dreams are shattered. It is thus Mr. Woodifield who has been portrayed as the second most important character in the short story. From the perspective of as a contrast to the Boss, as well as for beginning into surface, the central action of the story Mr. Woodifield performs a vital role in the short story.
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| The Boss & Mr. Woodifield |
Mr. Woodifield however plays an important role in the story. It is after all his reference to the Graves of his own son and the Boss's son, that rouses the dormant sorrow of the boss and through that reference, the boss was turned into a reminiscent mode. It is mainly because of Woodifield, the Boss suddenly remembered the past the birth of his son, his growth, his promise, and potentialities, how he worked to build up his business tirelessly for him but ultimately everything is destroyed. All his hopes and dreams are shattered. It is thus Mr. Woodifield who has been portrayed as the second most important character in the short story. From the perspective of as a contrast to the Boss, as well as for beginning into surface, the central action of the story Mr. Woodifield performs a vital role in the short story.
In this short story of Mansfield’s 'The Fly' is emerged on two occurrence, old Woodifield’s visit to the Boss and the Boss’s action in killing an insignificant fly. The two instances are significantly connected to the development of the plot. It is Woodifield’s visit that leads the Boss’s toward killing of the fly. He brings the pathetic sense to the heart of the Boss. After the departure of Mr. Woodifield, the Boss tried to commute the burden of his grief by weeping, but he could not lament as his grief was too intense for teardrops. In that mood of unawareness, The Boss killed the fly as revenge of his martyr son.
Woodifield's consideration while portraying the central character Boss: In this story, Mansfield intensely put his concern on the character of the Boss. But without Woodifield the character sketch of the Boss would remain imperfect. The Boss’s discourse with Mr. Woodifield fetches the softness of his heart. With gesture of tenderness and compassion the Boss offers wine to his old friend. The Boss was very compassionate toward Mr. Woodifield that at the time of his farewell he followed him to the door and saw him going out. Similarities in the personal life of Mr. Woodifield and the Boss bring the cohesiveness to them. Both of them were advanced in age and they had become victims of stupid combat in the field of battle. Futility of war brings the arrival of destiny toward mortality to their sons in the First World War. After the premature death of his son, Mr. Woodifield had become a pathetic and miserable kind of person, as a tragic figure.