Loneliness In Barbara Lazear Ascher's The Box Man

Outcasts are typically looked down upon or comforted by their surroundings. However, rarely does anyone know what is happening in their life, nor how they are feeling. "The Box Man," is a story written by Barbara Lazear Ascher, where the purpose of the story is to show that there is a clear-cut difference between loneliness and solitude. She shows the reader the difference between being lonely and being alone. Ascher explains the life of a lonely individual compared to the life of one who grasps life through his imagination and curiosity. In the beginning of the story, Ascher believed that The Box Man was lonely, but as the story went on she realized that the man is very happy with the life that he is living and he has nothing to worry about.

The Box Man is enjoying his lifestyle. “He is not to be confused with the lonely one. You’ll find them everywhere,” (Ascher P.11) Ascher shows that The Box Man may be capable of living a different lifestyle, however he chooses to live the way that he does. The Box Man embraced the fact that it is possible to choose loneliness when she said, “Although it would appear to be a life of misery, judging from the bandages and chill of the night, it is of his choosing,” (Ascher P.10). The author wants her reader to embrace the fact that some people choose to be lonely. The Box Man chooses to live his life freely. He may not want to have to live up to the expectations of society. On the other hand, some people do not choose solitude but it just happens to be that way with society. The author continues a story about a women who lives a pretty comfortable life. She does not seem to live a very lonely life “except that 3 am lights and television seem to proclaim it,” (Ascher P. 15) Although the women lives a lonely lifestyle, ahe turns to solitude to help her keep