Two Views of the Death of a Moth
One would think two essays on the death of a moth would have to be fairly similar. However, in the case of ‘The Death of the Moth’ by Virginia Woolf and ‘Death of a Moth’ by Annie Dillard, there are many more differences than one would think. While Dillard sees the death of the moth as beautiful and purposeful, Woolf has a more morose attitude towards the moth’s demise. In Annie Dillard’s essay, the death of the moth holds more meaning than it seems. When Dillard first sees the moth caught in the candle, she notices its burning wings “[enlarge] the circle of darkness”.