The Big Box is about three very energetic
children “who
just can't handle their freedom.” To make these children abide
by their rules, the grown-ups create a world inside a box, a world with
toys and games, treats and gifts, and all kinds of stuff they think
kids need to be happy and carefree. There are three locks on the door,
which opens only one way.
The first set of questions is designed to elicit discussion
regarding the life in the box. Life in the box, depending on how
you look at it, may be a happy place
for the children. The children can be who they are and have no one judge or
punish them. They are free to do what they want in that confined
area. On the other
hand the box could be an unhappy place for the children. The children are
given everything that adults assume would make the children happy.
Are the children happy
with all the clothes, toys, and candy? What makes us happy? There is a conflict
between happiness and what people perceive happiness to be? Some
children
consider
happiness to be
freedom of speech and freedom to do what they what. Other children may
be happy with materialistic things. The questions make
us think about what truly makes us happy. If you were put
into the box, what out everything would you choose to put
in the box with you? Why do the children
stay
in
the box? Some
may say they are scared to go out and face the rest of the
world. Others
may say that they are happy in their own little world.
The second set of questions explores the meaning of
rules. These questions allow us to evaluate whether rules are important
in our communities. What would
happen if our society did not have rules? Rules are important for structure,
organization, and safety in society. Do the rules we have make
our communities perfect? Even though we have rules we still have
the
freedom to make our own decisions.
Freedom is the last topic of discussion. We are absolutely
sure that there are at least some cases where we make decisions, and
that in making them we are free and hence responsible for these decisions.
We cannot imagine what it would be like to live in a community in which
there is no such thing as responsibility. On the other hand, does freedom
actually exist? With a lack of resources are we still free to do what
you wish to do? Freedom appears to be impossible in a world where everything
runs its ordinary course and no irregularities happen. But why is that
so?
Continue
to question set for this story
