Virginia Woolf's The Death Of The Moth

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In Virginia Woolf’s The Death of the Moth the narrator tells the story of how she watched the small creature that is the moth in its seemingly strange actions, going from this window to another. She soon realizes, however, that the moth’s whole life was within that small area and that was all he could do with his life. This leads the narrator, and therefore the reader, to take away a very distinct message from the story. That message is, no matter how large or small a life a creature lives, their life is still valuable, because in life every creature is struggling against the same common enemy, death.
To create a sympathetic tone for the moth, and to get the reader to think about what is happening, Virginia makes sure to take great care to describe the events as full as needed to get the reader to connect with it as if they were the ones watching this moth. Through this by explaining the thoughts of narrator she gives the reader something to think about as well, in this case thinking about the peculiar life of the moth. Much emotion is brought forth from the way Virginia writes her story, from the way she describes and personifies the moth, putting forth theories of what it is thinking, to how the narrator considers the life it leads pitiful and curious all at the same time. …show more content…

She even puts emotion upon the moth, saying it must be content with it’s life and not understand the futility of it all, despite what the narrator considers to be a rather pitiful existence full of missed opportunities. Reflecting upon the life and purpose of the moth in the story is a way to get the reader to sympathise with this small creature they would otherwise think nothing of. By comparing the moth to other life forms it gives life a sense of equality, bringing back up the idea that all life is precious and deserves to be

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