Rhetorical Devices In The Box Man

“The Box Man” is a story with many interpretations, and these ideas are conveyed differently by the use of different rhetorical devices. Barbara Lazear Ascher, the author of this text, wrote this story using the idea of solitude and loneliness. She contrasts a homeless man she refers to as the Box Man, a couple of women who seem to have it all, and a book she loved as a kid. She is able to connect these ideas with her rhetorical choices, which consist of similes, allusions, and imagery. These are displayed throughout the text in order to support the message that choosing loneliness isn’t as damaging as being chosen by loneliness.
To begin with, Lazear Ascher uses a simile to describe the Box Man’s attitude toward the night. In paragraph 18,

In paragraph 17 she describes one of the lonely women, and she appears to be have an exquisite lifestyle by seeing her “crystal chandelier in the dining room and matching Chinese lamps…[her] six cats, some Siamese, others Angora and Abyssinian…[her] African violets, a Ficus tree, a palm, and geraniums in season.” During the day she seems to live a successful and fulfilling life, but in the night she shows her true self by staying up late, watching the television, alone. The description of this character’s surroundings seems like something that many people would want, but she doesn’t enjoy it as much. This character is the very opposite of the Box Man, a foil character. She is wealthy, but is found in loneliness. The descriptions of the luxuries in her home are the complete opposite to the Box Man’s lifestyle, he is homeless yet, creates goals and a purpose for himself. These two different characters show the difference in how they choose to spend their time alone, whether forced to or not. The Box Man enjoys his life regardless, but the lady struggles during the nights. This highlights the idea that the Box Man forged his own path and knows what to do, which allows him to accept his life the way it is unlike the lonely