"But death's acquisitive instincts will win"

This quote by Harold Brodkey speaks with the inevitability of death. No matter how hard we try to prevent it, death will always win in the end. It is an acquisitive force, implying it will take whatever it wants, no matter how hard we attempt to withstand. This quote works as a reminder that death belongs of life and that it is something we need to accept. It is a reminder that life is limited and that we should take advantage of it while we can. It is also a suggestion that death is not something to be feared, however rather something to be accepted as a part of life. Death is a natural part of the cycle of life and it is something that we must accept and learn to live with.