Chris Moon
Mrs. Cmaylo
Per 5; AP Lang
1/16/2017
Focus Work: “The Death of the Moth”
What effect is Woolf striving for?
In “The Death of the Moth”, Virginia Woolf is striving for the effect of making the reader contemplate about the relationship between life and death, and how one should view it.
How does she create that effect?
Woolf creates this effect by implementing rhetorical devices such as imagery and by creating a calm and observative tone. An example of imagery is when Woolf describes the setting by saying “Stillness and quiet had replaced the previous animation. The birds had taken themselves off to feed in the brooks. The horses stood still.” She also describes the death of the moth in detail by saying “The body relaxed, and instantly grew stiff.” Woolf’s calm and observative tone is shown throughout the essay as she never expresses her personal emotions, even when she describes death.
How does the effect serve the purpose of her writing?
Virginia Woolf’s effect of making the reader contemplate about the relationship between life and death helps serve the purpose of her writing, which is to convey the strength of death through the story of a moth. Her effect helps the purpose by preparing the reader to grasp Woolf’s view of life and death. She uses the story of a moth to show that death eventually defeats life and that all this is just part of nature. In a way, Woolf finds beauty in this and is intrigued by the struggle between the two forces- life and death.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline
Thesis Statement:
In “The Death of the Moth”, Virginia Woolf’s eff...
