1.) New thing you learned?
I learned that many homeless people may not necessarily dislike being homeless, they may enjoy the various aspects of homelessness, the main one being the solitude. In the Box Man, he enjoys solutide and welcomes it readily, he disregards the help offered to him. I also learned why the author puts the thesis towards the end of the story, she does this because she wants us to come to our own conclusion about what the story means, and then verify it instead of telling us what the story is about and trying to convince us of such.
2.) Something I wish we would have talked about?
I wish we would have talked about why the Box Man makes his home in a doorway, where people can see him and acknowledge his condition. It seems like most homeless people like to live in conditions away from people where they can't be seen. The Box Man welcomes solitude so why would he make his "home" where people can see him readily.
3.) What I wish I would have said?
I wish I would have talked more about why the thesis was placed towards the end, the thesis itself is very unique and the placement really illustrates the author's point. I wish I could have shared my thoughts with the class further because I really like the author's choice of placement. By placing the thesis at the end it just verifys and supports the thesis' we came up with during our own reading of the story.
I like your question about his decision to live in the doorway! That is an interesting point that is an interesting point and it would have been helpful to maybe look into it more as a small, though perhaps important detail.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how you discussed that he accepted solitude yet he lives in a city surrounded by people. I wonder if he feels even more alone because he is surrounded by people who can't talk normally to him.
ReplyDeleteI especially like your point about the Box Man's choice to live in the doorway where he can be seen. Perhaps, although he does welcome his solitude, he also wants others to acknowledge it? I completely agree with your point about the author's thesis placement! I think it would have added a lot to our discussion if we talked about the effects of the delayed thesis instead of just noting it wasn't presented until later in the essay.
ReplyDelete(at the risk of beating a dead horse)
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a great topic with the homeless man picking a very visible spot to live, perhaps to show the world that he is content.
Like many of our classmates I also like your point (in which the Box Man picks the doorway as his home), you should have mentioned this during the discussion because it would have brought up many opinions.
ReplyDelete