Exploring the presentation of the boss in 'The Fly' by Katherine Mansfield | English

Starter quiz

When analysing Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, knowledge of these words will help you form powerful paragraphs. Match the words and phrases to their definitions.
- topic sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea ✓
- quotation
  
  ⇔
  
  words from the text ✓
- analysis
  
  ⇔
  
  commenting on why or how a writer wrote something ✓
- methods
  
  ⇔
  
  the tools a writer uses to create their work ✓
Starting with the first, order these plot points all taken from the first section of Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’ chronologically.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Mr. Woodifield admires the boss’s office.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  Mr. Woodifield admires the boss himself.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  The boss shows off, and brings out some whiskey.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Mr. Woodifield says that their sons’ graves are near each other.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  Mr. Woodifield continues talking about the trip to Belgium.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  The boss stops listening to Mr. Woodifield.
- 7
  
  ⇔
  
  Mr. Woodifield leaves, unaware of the boss’s intense emotions.
When writing analytical paragraphs about Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly', you should explore Mansfield's methods. Match each method to its definition.
- verb
  
  ⇔
  
  a word which describes an action, a doing or being word ✓
- adjective
  
  ⇔
  
  a word which describes a noun ✓
- simile
  
  ⇔
  
  a method of comparison using 'like' or 'as' ✓
- repetition
  
  ⇔
  
  using the same word or phrase more than once for effect ✓
- sentence structure
  
  ⇔
  
  the order of the parts of a sentence, as well as its length and type ✓
- foil
  
  ⇔
  
  when a character contrasts with another character ✓
______ is when when writers use something to represent intangible ideas.
- 'symbolism' ✓
In Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, the boss is described as “stout, rosy, five years older than he [Mr, Woodifield] and still going ______”.
- 'strong' ✓
In Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, Mr. Woodifield is described as a “______ old figure”.
- 'frail' ✓

Exit quiz

When analysing Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, you will write in main body paragraphs. What is true of main body paragraphs?
- They should all contain one quotation.
- They should end with a topic sentence.
- They should begin with a topic sentence. ✓
- They should explore writer’s methods. ✓
- They should include multiple quotations from across the text. ✓
A pupil said, “When analysing quotes from Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, you should analyse each in the same amount of depth.” How would you correct them?
- Some quotations require more analysis than others. ✓
- You can embed some quotations without analysing them. ✓
- Analyse quotations that include methods in the same amount of depth.
- All quotations require two sentences of analysis.
A pupil wrote a topic sentence about the boss in Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’. Which is the strongest topic sentence?
- Mansfield uses a range of methods to present the boss.
- Mansfield uses the boss as a symbol in ‘The Fly’.
- Mansfield presents Mr. Woodifield as a foil to the fly.
- Mansfield presents the boss as “strong”.
- Mansfield presents the boss as a man full of confused feelings of grief. ✓
In Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, Mansfield describes the boss as feeling his life is in “______” after the death of his son.
- 'ruins' ✓
In Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, once Mr. Woodifield has left, the boss “wanted, he intended, he had arranged to ______”.
- 'weep' ✓
In Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Fly’, at the start of the story, the boss is described as being “______ of his room”.
- 'proud' ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

A topic sentence states the focus for a paragraph.
Including multiple quotations in a main body paragraph from across a text can help strengthen your analysis.
Exploring the methods a writer has used can help to develop your analysis.
You don’t need to analyse every quotation in the same amount of depth.

Common misconception

You must analyse every quotation.

There are some quotations that you will want to analyse in depth, and consider their methods and the range of ways they might be interpreted. However, there will also be quotations that link to your topic sentence, but don't need to be analysed.

Keywords

Foil - in literature, a character who contrasts with another character
Topic sentence - the first sentence of a paragraph which states its main idea
Symbolism - when writers use something to represent intangible ideas; the fly in 'The Fly' is an example of a symbol
Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; character foils and use of symbolism are both examples of methods
Analysis - in English, to look closely at a text and comment on how it was written and why