| Literal Comprehension

“The Death of the Moth” is an essay by Virginia Woolf. One pleasant September morning a moth came fluttering into the room from the field outside. The field was being plowed. The rooks were flying. Different kinds of pleasure were available. The moth’s eagerness to enjoy life fully seemed pathetic. He flew from one corner of the window pane to the other.

After some time he was tired and could not resume his dancing so settled on the window ledge in the sun. He tried to fly but failed. After the seventh attempt, he slips from the window ledge and falls. His helplessness suggested that he was in difficulties. He struggled very hard to right himself. This suggested his coming death. His tiny legs were fighting against powerful death.

However, he goes on fluttering his wings onto his back on the window sill. His hard attempt made him upright. The signs of death could be seen. The body relaxed and became stiff and he died.

| Interpretation

The death of an insect is an ordinary event that usually goes unnoticed. Woolf suggests that every creature, human, animal, and insect struggle against death and tries to live more. Death is the opposite of life. Death is stronger than any living being. When it catches, nobody can do anything to be safe from death.

| Critical Thinking

In this essay, the writer is in a reflective mood and fascinated by such an unimportant event and it leads to an extraordinary result.

But I have some critical questions:

• Why we must give more emphasis to an insect’s life and death? They are nothing to us and also we can’t try to save all of the insects on this planet, it is impossible!
• She might have opened the window if she feels much more pity for the moth’s death!
• Can’t insects think rationally? Can’t they find any alternatives?

| Assimilation

After reading this essay, I came to realize the true meaning of life and death. Death is unexpected and life too, but we can length more of our life by properly utilizing our senses.

I also came to know some new things that constant effort in the wrong way is wasteful. So, if I failed, I will change my way of working, but the destination remains the same.