This little story of a moth is quite captivating. It's just about watching a moth, that happens to be out in the day, die but it contains great enough detail and simplicity that it holds attention. The moth itself even takes on a personality. Compassion is felt toward the moth as it struggles for life. The line "had he been born in any other shape" definitely makes one think about what kind of life the moth leads. Even if the moth is aware of its own being. Virginia Woolf makes the assumption that the moth is in fact aware of this. To think that the moth is aware of its own being makes the last line even more strong. Almost sadder but content.
In a way the moth is given the characteristics of being stronger than a human for it accepts death when Woolf would have tried to help it. The moth fought death and in the end let it come. Woolf even states that the moth was "uncomplainingly composed" as it lay rigid. Most humans try to fight death, after all there are so many ways to seem young; botox, lipo-suction, medication of all kinds, and general health foods. As humans it seems that we try to put off death, but this small moth who had all life against it, accepted its fate without a complaint. In a way it would seem that we, as humans, should be like the moth and not complain about our fate. For we are all going to die one day, whether we like it or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment