The Boy On The Wooden Box

“In fact, only by standing on a wooden box could I reach the controls of the machine I was assigned to operate. That box gave me a chance to look useful, to stay alive.”

In the Prologue, Leyson helpfully explains the book’s title and its significance to the narrative. A number of physical objects will have a pivotal importance in the story—notably, the wooden box, a work permit, and a thermos. The detail of the wooden box emphasizes Leon’s smallness and helplessness in his situation. 

“We were agrarian, unsophisticated, industrious people, Jews and Christians alike, whose lives revolved around family, our religious calendars, and the seasons of sowing and reaping.” 

Leyson continues to set the scene of his childhood in Narewka, depicting a world revolving around nature and religion, which the war shattered. His wording here depicts a kind of domestic monotony as he describes the cyclical nature of their lives, suggesting the contrastingly fraught times to come.

“It was a patriarchal society, in which age was respected, even revered, especially when, as in my maternal grandfather’s case, age meant a lifetime of hard work, of caring for his family, and of devotion to his faith.” 

This statement anticipates the respect and solicitude that Leon will show toward his parents throughout their dire experiences, suggesting that filial piety is important in his cultural background.