"The Fly" by Katherine Mansfield has two main characters and one minor character. Unless of course you include the fly!
First, we are introduced to Woodifield, who is constantly referred to as old, yet treated the opposite. His wife and daughter don't let him out of the house since his stroke, and when they do, he is only allowed out once per week, and they get him ready as if he were a child. Even the man he is visiting, known only as "The Boss", keeps referring to him as a baby. Remember, the drink he offers Woodifield "...wouldn't hurt a child..." (Mansfield). Woodifield is described as old, frail and treated as a baby.
The Boss, who is actually older than Woodifield, is still thriving in the workplace, but suffering from a serious case of denial. His son died in the war, and he has not dealt with this loss. He built the empire of his business planning on leaving it to his son, but now has nobody to carry on his legacy. He changed everything in his office in a recent renovation except the photograph of his son, and when he looks at it he can't even recognize his son in that image. He is obviously rattled when Woodifield brings up the fact that his wife saw the Boss' son's grave.
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