No student devices needed. Know more
24 questions
Where is the story set?
In Belgium
In an office in England
In the boss's home
In World War One
Why doesn’t Mr. Woodifield want to leave the boss’s office?
He became depressed by the reminder of his lost son.
He was offended that Mr. Woodifield would bring up his son so casually.
He hardly reacted to hearing about his son's grave.
He was upset and asked Mr. Woodifield to leave his office.
What do we know for sure about both Mr. Woodifield and the boss?
Their wives travel together.
They worked together in the same company.
Their sons were best friends.
They have sons in the same cemetery.
How has the boss's grief changed over time?
His sadness has gotten more intense.
He doesn't get as emotional as he once did.
He has completely forgotten about his son.
He is as sad as he was when his son died.
Why does the boss dislike the photo of his son?
He looks too serious and unnatural.
It has worn out over time.
There are other people beside him.
It was taken on the day he died.
What could the fly symbolize?
Soldiers who struggled in World Wars.
Unwillingness to accept death.
The experience of grief and loss.
All of the above.
Why doesn't the boss have a name?
The author was lazy.
He represents more than one person.
He was Mr. Woodifield's boss.
His name is the Boss.
Why does the boss keep dropping ink on the fly?
Because he is a sick man.
Because he enjoys torturing insects.
Because the fly is his son.
Because he is testing the fly's resilience.
What do you think is the author's opinion about war?
It is a necessary evil.
She has no opinion about war.
Soldiers deserve to die.
It is cruel and senseless act.
“we cling to our last pleasures as the tree clings to its last leaves” in paragraph 1
is an example of a:
allusion
alliteration
simile
metaphor
“we cling to our last pleasures as the tree clings to its last leaves” in paragraph 1
Means:
A tree clinging to its last leaves is an image of a tree near to death. This statement implies that the fly too is nearing death.
A tree clinging to its last leaves is an image of a tree near to death. This statement implies that Woodifield too is nearing death.
A tree clinging to its last leaves is an image of a tree near to death. This statement implies that the boss too is nearing death.
A tree clinging to its last leaves is an image of a tree near to death. This statement implies that YOU too is nearing death.
What is the tone in "The Fly"?
humorous
somber/melancholy
eerie
sweet
How does Mr. Woodifield’s diction contribute to the reader’s understanding of his character?
He seems poor and uneducated.
He seems pleasant and sympathetic.
He seems distant and harsh.
He seems flaky and distracted.
How does the parallel structure of the sentence, “He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep....” affect its meaning?
It shows that the boss plans everything out.
It illustrates the boss' strong desire to cry, despite his struggle to.
It reflects the boss’s growing anger.
It supports the idea that the boss has no emotions.
What does the boss’s treatment of the fly demonstrate about his character?
Still dealing with the crippling death of his son, the boss' toying with the fly's life suggests that he has a strong desire to end his own life.
Faced with a sense of powerlessness over his son's death, he is compelled to exert his power on the innocent fly and watch it struggle to survive.
He does not appreciate the fly's struggle to live, demonstrating that he believes his son was weak by submitting to an early death.
He is cruel to the innocent and vulnerable fly, revealing that the boss was a merciless father to his son and his family.
What are TWO major themes in "The Fly"?
Sometimes, people grieve and process death in peculiar ways.
It is important to carry on, even when all hope seems lost.
People are often driven by the need to feel powerful and in control.
Small acts of kindness can go a long way in mending a broken heart.
Adults can be cruel and inhumane toward animals and other living things.
Which TWO details from the passage best support the two themes:
Sometimes, people grieve and process death in peculiar ways.
People are often driven by the need to feel powerful and in control.
"So there sat old Woodifield, smoking a cigar and staring almost greedily at the boss..." (Paragraph 1)
"Poor old chap, he's on his last pins, thought the boss. And, feeling kindly, he winked at the old man, and said jokingly, 'I tell you what. I've got a little drop of something here that'll do you good'" (Paragraph 10)
"Although over six years had passed away, the boss never thought of the boy except as lying unchanged, unblemished in his uniform, asleep for ever." (Paragraph 26)
"there was something timid and weak about its efforts now, and the boss decided that this time should be the last, as he dipped the pen deep into the inkpot" (Paragraph 32)
"And while the old dog padded away he fell to wondering what it was he had been thinking about before." (Paragraph 36)
Which detail from the text best supports how the following quote impacts the story?
“we cling to our last pleasures as the tree clings to its last leaves” in paragraph 1
“I've got a little drop of something here that'll do you good before you go out into the cold again.” (Paragraph 7)
“…and it's all as neat as a garden. Flowers growing on all the graves. Nice broad paths." (Paragraph 19)
“The horrible danger was over; it had escaped; it was ready for life again.” (Paragraph 30)
“All the same, there was something timid and weak about its efforts now, and the boss decided that this time should be the last…” (Paragraph 32)
Which of the following quotations best supports how Mr. Woodifield’s diction contribute to the reader’s understanding of his character?
He seems pleasant and sympathetic.
"it's all as neat as a garden. Flowers growing on all the graves. Nice broad paths" (Paragraph 19)
"The girls were in Belgium last week having a look at poor Reggie's grave, and they happened to come across your boy's." (Paragraph 15)
"Now what was it? I had it in my mind when I started out this morning." (Paragraph 6)
"It's snug in here, upon my word!" (Paragraph 2)
Why doesn’t Mr. Woodifield want to leave the boss’s office?
He doesn't get to come to the office very often anymore.
He has something important to tell the boss.
He is good friends with the boss.
He is concerned about his job and wants to talk with the boss.
How did the boss feel after learning about his son's death?
He was sad but unsurprised as his son was a soldier.
He was heartbroken and never expected to recover.
He was terribly sad but knew that time would heal him.
He was in denial and refused to accept his son's death.
What did the boss do to the fly?
He rescues the fly from the ink and lets it escape.
He kills the fly immediately because he doesn't like flies.
Each time the fly almost escapes, he puts another drop of ink on it.
He sends the fly home with Mr. Woodifield because he is lonely.
Why did the boss admire the fly?
It never stopped fighting for its life.
It was able to dodge the ink.
It was blissfully unaware of its surroundings.
It was impossible to kill.
Why did the boss feel so horrible after killing the fly?
He felt bad for taking a life.
He felt guilty for torturing it.
He was using the fly to distract himself from memories of his son.
He had made a terrible mess in his office.
Explore all questions with a free account