Parent Guide > The Fly

by Katherine Mansfield 1922

Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.

This week in class, we’re reading "The Fly" by Katherine Mansfield.

In this short story, a man known only as "the boss" tortures a fly because he feels powerless about his son's death.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death and Power & Greed as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"How do people face death?" and "How does power corrupt?"

Ways to support your child:

  • Ask your child about this short story at home:
    • What was "The Fly" about?
    • What did you learn about Death?
    • What did you learn about Power & Greed?
  • Watch Does Power Make Us Corrupt? at home with your child.