Concept of Life and Death in Virginia Woolf’s The Death of the Moth Essay Example

Death is an inevitable part of life. Without life there's no death and without death there's no life. They both have to co-exist. In Virginia Woolf’s narration ‘The Death Of The Moth’ the concept of life and death is clearly portrayed. Virginia Woolf applies the use of metaphors, tone and the use of fragmentation in the narration to deliver a message which makes the reader feel sad and compassionate. The struggle of life and death is portrayed that it is not a  battle which can be won. Throughout the narration, the tone of the text changes because Woolf’s use of literary techniques such as metaphors and stylistic devices reinforce the idea that death is not a fight that can be won. A sorrowful and gloomy underlying tone is maintained throughout the composition, and it is effectively developed in relation with the speaker's surface tone of idle indifference and curiosity. The underlying tones are heightened when used in combination, to the point where the reader develops and maintains a sense of melancholy for the moth. The reader becomes emotionally linked to the moth as a result of the tone, and during the brief tone shift in the fourth paragraph, he or she is hopeful that the moth might survive only to be dismayed when it does finally die.

Furthermore, Virginia Woolf's writing style in this narration makes it more personal which is an effective way of not only sharing her experiences but also connecting to the readers on a more personal level. It makes it more relatable to the readers. The reader can visualize and go through and experience the same experience Woolf had because she uses many literary techniques and also utilizes the use of pathos. The readers can relate to the moth in some way. Virginia Woolf illustrates the image and helps the readers visualize what is happening in the moment. The moth symbolism death and death itself can symbolize the end of something and the beginning of another. Woolf did try to save it but quickly realized that there wasn’t much she could do. Death can’t be cheated nor avoided. It is part of life and must happen in order for change and growth to happen. “It was useless to try to do anything. One could only watch the extraordinary efforts made by those tiny legs against an oncoming doom which could, had it chosen, have submerged an entire city, not merely a city, but masses of human beings; nothing, I knew, had any chance against death”. Woolf conveys that she had no control over the situation and just to watch the death of the moth. “O yes, he seemed to say, death is stronger than I am”. This quote from the text is from the moth's point of view. It tells us that the power of death is stronger than the moth. Virginia Woolf wants the readers to sympathize for the moth. Readers are devastated when they find out that the moth does indeed end up dying because there was a sense of hope that he will survive. 

In conclusion, Virginia Woolf sums up her narrative by saying that death is the reality that every living and non living thing will have to face. Its a force that cant be avoided. Woolf uses tone to manipulate the narrative to convey to the readers the feeling  of hopelessness and desperation to invoke acceptance and empathy for everyone. “…nothing, I knew had any chance against death,”. Woolf knew and understood that death is an inevitable part of life and that no matter what she could do, there wasn’t anything she could really do to stop death.