The Fly on the Bus

Perhaps Greenwell's most delicate symbol, the displaced fly on the city bus symbolizes Mitko and the various people the narrator wants to help but never does. Much like the fly, Mitko is helpless, living in a place where no one knows how he arrived. He needs assistance; Mitko needs help and guidance. The narrator stares at the fly, tracking its every move, but he does not know how he can truly help the fly. He ensures that the man on the bus does not harm it, and he ensures Mitko remains as healthy as he can keep him. In the end, the fly disappears without the narrator being able to monitor its safety anymore. This is also a moment of foreshadowing, allowing readers to expect that Mitko will also slip out of view of the narrator with only a hope that he...