Broyard's Essay 'Intoxicated By My Illness'

Accepting death is not easy; one can feign his fear and desperation by appearing phlegmatic in the face of death, but his will take a while to actually accept the finale of his life. In the poignant yet inspirational essay, “Intoxicated by My Illness,” by Anatole Broyard, the author is informed about his prostate cancer, which changes his perspective in life and leads him to appreciate every minute things he has ignored before. Unlike most people who undergo the phase of despair and anxiety in the face of death, Broyard seems to quickly accept his imminent death, or he “ [turns] toward it.” (343) Despite the fact that his friends view such action as “courage,” he attributes his optimistic attitude to his desire, believing “[desire] itself is a kind of immortality.” (343-344) Broyard begins to live a new way, which is exemplified through his expanding gratitude towards his wife’s burger, his friends, and even his functioning body. Broyard is deeply “intoxicated by [his]
Why is the “truth” so effective, or astonishing, on Broyard’s intoxicated state of his impending death? These questions can be answered by Virginia Woolf’s essay, “The Death of The Moth.” In the essay, Woolf is distracted by a moth that “[flutters] from side to side of his square of the window pane.” (105) Feeling compassionate for the “pathetic” creature, Woolf faces a dilemma on whether she should help the moth or not. (105) Eventually, she decides that she should not interfere the moth’s “dance,” or his its struggle in the face of death. (106) Unsurprisingly, the moth dies, earning the respect from Woolf. Woolf observes the moth as a symbol of life, exuding an aura of “vigor” and “zest”. (105) The entire essay depicts a cruel battle between life- the moth- and death, and ends with life succumbing to death. Woolf understands the omnipotent strength death possesses; she is cognizant of the fact that life is helplessness in front of