Junior English

The Box Man Redux
"The Box Man knows that loneliness chosen loses its sting and claims no victims" (line 9).

As we return to reexamine Ascher's essay, "The Box Man," we begin to gain a better understanding of what it is she is trying to say about this unusual man who lives deliberately outside of mainstream society. He has knows and lives accordingly to what Ascher says we all know but are not willing to accept. The Box Man, on the other hand, has accepted it, and perhaps, this is a key to life.

Let's remember that Ascher is not beating us over the head with this message. She doesn't want to come off as being didactic (preachy). So, she is careful with her words and tone, and aims to help you understand what the Box Man is all about. She knows her audience and writes about the Box Man in such a way, with metaphor and imagery, allusion and parallelism (to name a few), to reveal her opinion more subtlely. See if you can locate some of the rhetorical devices that make up her writing style. If you need help, check out this site and review your annotations. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. To get you started on your essay, check out the Box Man essay initiator sheet. THE ROUGH DRAFT FOR YOUR BOX MAN ESSAY IS DUE MONDAY, MAY 7TH!