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As a matter of fact he was proud of his room; he liked to have it admired, especially by old Woodifield. It gave him a feeling of deep, solid satisfaction to be planted there in the midst of it in full view of that frail old figure in the muffler.

This quote occurs at the beginning of the story, just as the boss is introduced. Over the course of the story, readers are presented with two different sides of the boss. The first side represents the man he was, the man he still presents to his friend, and the second is the side devastated by grief. This quote characterizes the boss as he should be, without the horrible pain that follows him. The boss is a successful man who worked hard to get where he is and who feels satisfaction at being admired. This characterization is reflected further in the plot when he starts to encourage the fly. Before the death of his son, the boss had a strong belief in hard work and faith that willpower could triumph over hardship. The echoes of these beliefs can be seen in his interaction with both Mr. Woodifield and the fly, and they make the death of his son more dramatic of a blow.

The day had come when Macey had handed him the telegram that brought the whole place crashing about his head. "Deeply regret to inform you..." And he had left the office a broken man, with his life in ruins.

This quote occurs at the midway point in the story as the boss reflects on the day he learned his son died. This tragedy becomes the defining event of the boss’s life. After his son died, it was as if all the work he had done was immediately discarded. He could no longer count on life to reward him for his willpower and his work ethic. Instead, he had to confront the reality that death is unpredictable and uncontrollable. As he keeps living, this realization shapes the rest of his life. His facade quickly crumbles at the mention of his son, and he spirals. The boss was broken by his son’s death, and he has not recovered the pieces of himself or given any new meaning to his life. The story focuses on this struggle, revealing a life left in ruins and the boss’s inability to redefine what he believes in.

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