Who Is Virginia Woolf's Death Of A Moth?

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The inescapable thought of death in one's life is a very common and recurring subject. "Death of a Moth" by Virginia Woolf is used to demonstrate the simplicity of life and death and acceptance towards the virtuous truth of the inevitable. Woolf represents reality in its most harsh state by displaying the essential need to put on fight to survive. Woolf uses tone to establish a strong sense of hope and failure as the moth dies a peaceful death. Woolf uses imagery to strongly argue that life is a battle full of struggle, but in the end, there is no escape of death as an outcome. Using tone, Woolf creates a very depth understanding for the small and neglected creature, contrasting hopefulness and helplessness in which the potential butterfly …show more content…

In Virginia Woolf’s story “The Death of the Moth,” the constant struggle between life and death is thoroughly laid out as a battle that will never, in the end, be won. Woolf concludes, "death is stronger than I am." to strongly prove that death will always be stronger than hope. Virginia describes what she sees outside of her window to depict the simplicity of life beyond her room. She explains the excitement of the rooks in the treetops and believed that the horses and men shared the same energy in which the moths patheticness has restricted itself. Woolf feels that she can connect to the moth in the sense that she too, is pathetic which is why she creates so much emotion towards it. Woolf feels that the moth is acting upon the energy of the outdoors however, it flies into the corners struggling to get out. The moth, anxious as can be “flew vigorously to one corner... fluttering from side to side”. Woolf’s choice of imagery for this piece creates a very personal feel as the reader can sit in Virginia’s place to visualize the struggle of the moth. Woolf attempted to save the moth as it struggled long and hard until she realized that death will always be the outcome. As the moth grasps for one last breath, she depicts her indifference through the phrase “I laid the pencil down,” as if she had given up on hope for

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