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Compare And Contrast Annie Dillard And Virginia Woolf

Decent Essays

Despite any futile resistance, each living creature eventually succumbs to the forces of death. Ultimately, death is a part of living. Death is inevitable. Likewise, although a diminutive moth may appear to be insignificant and pathetic, it can symbolize the true connections between the duality of life and death and human beings. For instance, Annie Dillard and Virginia Woolf illustrate similar, universal messages about the value of life through the metaphor of a moth. However, the manner in which they portray their themes and purpose varies, for their personal experiences and writing styles influence their perspectives of life and death.
Unlike Annie Dillard, Virginia Woolf was an essayist during the turbulence of the early twentieth century, where she witnessed the atrocities of both world wars and the lack of women in the intellectual realm. Ultimately, Woolf decided to end her own life by drowning herself. Therefore, her views of life …show more content…

For instance, Dillard explains a variety of instances with a more straightforward approach, while Woolf describes an individual event with complex sentences and ideas. However, as the moth in Woolf’s essay begins to face death, her syntax becomes less complex, with shorter sentences and less connected ideas. Likewise, the vocabulary of Dillard’s work is not as advanced, whereas Woolf would include complex diction to create a more formal tone. Furthermore, the tone of both writers provides different emotional senses to take away from the piece. For instance, Woolf concludes her essay by stating that death is stronger than her, whereas Dillard writes of her lively conversations with fellow writers. While Woolf effectively shares a much darker and emotional attitude, focusing on the power of death, both voices help impart the author’s true meaning and

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