The Lesson of the Moth

Like with most personified animals in poetry and literature, the particular species of Marquis’s creations have a powerful symbolic meaning. Marquis uses the symbolic weight of Archy’s and the moth’s respective species to add depth to the poem.

Archy’s first appearance in “The Coming of Archy” is explained by Marquis leaving a piece of paper in his typewriter overnight. Both cockroaches and moths are understood to be nocturnal creatures. Therefore, the two species share some symbolic similarities. A major distinction between them, however, is that cockroaches are generally considered ugly and undesirable, while moths are considered more beautiful. These associations play a role in each character’s relationship with beauty.

Cockroaches are also scavengers and infamously difficult to kill, which is reflected in Archy’s conviction that he would rather have “half the happiness and twice / the longevity” (Lines 49-50). Meanwhile, moths are typically associated with dreams and death, which, in addition to their beauty and their habit of flying toward open flames, makes them the perfect representation of the poem’s idea of consumptive beauty.

Light and light sources play a key role in “the lesson of the moth.” The light source of the “electric / light bulb” (Lines 11-12) is the occasion for the poem, and light is one of the main sources of