The Death of a Moth

The first time that I read this I skipped over the introduction, thinking it would be general information that had nothing to do with the essay. Continuing to read I could not figure out any deeper meaning in the story besides the fact that everyone and everything lives for period of time and can suddenly die without much warning. However, re-reading it, including the introduction this time, I was able to draw the conclusion that Virginia Woolf is comparing the moth to herself. Knowing that she suffered from depression I think that she was either dealing with the death of a loved one, or she was comparing the moth to herself and wondering what separates herself from the moth and that is why she paid so much attention to the moth. As a reader, Woolf’s essay compels me with her descriptions, allowing me to picture the scene and put myself in the eyes of the person viewing the moth. As a writer this taught me to be able to write and make a story about something completely random and seemingly insignificant.

Greg Guslani