Tom Healy
Mr. Valerio
AP English 12
November 18, 2003
Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That
Good Night” tell us all not to give into death. It is still thought to be
natural process and an infallible foe; nevertheless we should still not give in
without a struggle, even if that struggle is in vain. Thomas goes as far as to
presume the state that death will bring: something far less enjoyable than
life. If he did not distrust death so much, than why would he urge us to
attempt to struggle in vain? The whole poem only assumes what death will bring
and what it will end in life. Some do not go gently “because their words had
forked no light” (5), and even though the second stanza refers to the wise man,
it is still presuming that death will be the ultimate sacrifice of our
inconsequential efforts. Others resist because they “sang the sun in flight,
and learned, too late, they grieved it on its way,” (10-11). Even if this is
the most valid reason for fighting death, because one has not enjoyed the
fruits of life, it is still assuming what the afterlife will offer. In general,
Thomas says that we should all fight the phase into death, because death is
just a mystery and judged as untrustworthy.
Lu Hsun’s Death is very
casual and comforting to those concerning greatly with death. In the beginning,
Lu Hsun lists the manifestations and the varied beliefs of the afterlife that
seem to be quite significant to daily life. Most believe in spirits, and
through transmigration, the soul will be reborn into another body. Then there
are those who do not ponder too heavily on death, which is where the character
places. The character did not devote much thought and time to death, and even
when his illness was diagnosed he still refused to ponder the subject heavily.
It is almost admiral, to see such a character treat death so lightly and
casually. The only thoughts of death he devoted to during his last days were
the trifles, which, by nature, required only little concern. The will, which he
did not draw up, was almost comical. It was his only acknowledgement of death,
and even in the will’s contents that acknowledgement was thin-“forget me and
live your own lives-if you don’t, the more fools you” (269). He rejects the
European traditions and ceremonies with the burial of the soon to be deaceased.
He only sits upon his wicker chair and accepts this inevitable phase. Unlike
Thomas’ poem, the character admits he does not know what it will be like, but
if “this happens only once in a lifetime, I can take it” (270).
Woolf’s “The Death of a Moth” is
sad, yet only that because it expresses the one true constant in life: we all
are subject to the same fate. Though this essay is not quite a revelation of
similarity between the main character and the moth. It focuses on significance
and inconsequentiality-death as well as life. The moth is a creature quite
worth the pity the character dwells upon. It is a simple species unable,
regardless of its efforts, to enjoy the splendor of the day. When death finally
descends upon it, the main character looks with obvious sympathy, but the
resilience of this quite insignificant creature inspires the character even
greater than would the resilience of a more consequential life form. In
general, any brief victory against this foe is inspiring, but when such a
victory is unexpected, as would generally be with a moth, greater inspiration
is evoked. Of course the moth inevitably dies, but what reiterates the
character’s passion for life is the moth’s impressive battle with this titanic foe.
With this pleasant and beautiful atmosphere, life would be worth struggling
against, and even the lowly moth would not easily lose the life it tried so
hard to enjoy.
Plato’s The Death of Socrates
is more like Lu Hsun’s with the willingness to submit to fate. Though, to
contrast it with Lu Hsun and to provide the antithetical to Thomas’, we have
another presumption of death. Here Socrates assumes that death will provide
greater aims than life will. Life is treated as harsh and unimpressive. Where
Woolf reiterated her passion for life, Socrates explained that death is a cure
for this horrible stage. Like Lu Hsun, Socrates mocks the classic ceremonies
and traditions that the soon to be deceased face. He embarrassed those who wept
during his last moments because in his own mind, he believed he would soon be
in a better place, which is certainly not news one should weep over. Socrates
and the character in Death both face death with acceptance. Though, in
contrast to the other three works, Socrates did not have any passion reserved
for life.
Even though I am so willing to
accept any enlightenment of any brilliant philosopher, I must say that Lu
Hsun’s Death presents the best way to face the inevitable. For, even
though I agree with Socrates’ assumption of death, I do not feel that
assumptions should be valid, since nobody can truly say that death is either
the beginning of a golden era, or a simple mystery that should be distrusted
through prejudice alone. So then, I respect the character in Death, for
not only does he admit death as inevitable, but also he admits, in his current
stage, his own ignorance. It is mind evoking and creative to judge death
through a philosophical and educational manner, but it proves to be unappealing
to those facing death. So this casual reaction criticizing those overly
distraught with this inescapable fate is most valued to me, but I shall never
really know until I am facing my own end.
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