Kellie Schmitt's The Old Man Isn T There Anymore

Coping With Unfamiliarity Being uncomfortable and uneasy about a new situation are one of the great emotions about trying something new. In the story “The Old Man Isn’t There Anymore” by Kellie Schmitt, the author describes her difficulties in acclimating to Chinese culture and her unfamiliarity of her new neighbors; therefore, when she is faced with attending a funeral of someone she barely knows, her anxiety comes to the forefront. This story is an amazing guide for anyone looking to go outside their borders. Schmitt wants to show others that to acclimate to foreign cultures, it is crucial to go outside the box; or step out of the comfort zone. The audience is mostly those who would are already living in a foreign country, or are planning
Since this story is an observation piece, imagery is featured heavily throughout the piece. In China, funerals are colorful and the people are cheerful about the life that the deceased live. Schmitt uses a lot of imagery in describing the funeral. When Schmitt brings black flowers to the home, it symbolizes how she assumes they feel about the passing; where on the other hand, Chinese culture asks for white flowers to express the life the deceased had lived. Allusion is also used in the story; mostly in the cremation scene. Schmitt tells us about the possibility of getting the wrong ashes if they had gone with the economy style cremation. This shows the density of the population that you have to pay extra to be cremated alone. The entire story revolves around the funeral scene. The funeral shows how Schmitt feels about the funeral service, the culture as a whole, and her longing for her family in Baltimore. The description of the funeral is extremely effective as it conveys many underlying ideas and thoughts going through Schmitt’s mind. To most, a story about a funeral would have a somber, darker tone. Schmitt uses an optimistic tone throughout the story. This conveys that even though she is very unfamiliar with the culture and her new neighbors, she is optimistic that things will get better and easier for