The fly represents more then just man. It represents the boss and his struggle for control. "the boss" had everything set up for his son to take over, he thought he was in control of everything. It was only an illusion to him. In the end he is destroyed( as the fly) as that represents his life. With out his sence of control he has nothing. His desire to control is what destroys him. In reality he has no control. Woodifield is a foil to the boss as aslo does not have control. katherine masfield uses the foil of Woodifield to help the reader understand the bosses situation. In the end when he forgets it is not that he has overcome his grief, it to show how he is the same as woodifield and that he does not have any control; woodifield has no control over his mind as he could not prevent his mind from havinig a stroke.