Speaking of values, a big one in The Boxcar Children is resourcefulness. The Alden children go to live in the woods with the most meager supplies in the history of camping, but somehow, they manage to outfit an entire household with "treasures" from the dump, build a fireplace, and engineer a dam so they can have their own swimming pool. Over and over again, The Boxcar Children demonstrates that necessity is the mother of invention. These kids are the picture of self-reliance.
Questions About Resourcefulness
- Who do you think is the most resourceful of the Alden children? Why? Give evidence from the text to support your answer.
- Which of the children's "inventions" is your favorite? Why? How does it show their resourcefulness?
- What obstacles do the kids have to overcome as they set up house in the boxcar? Do you notice any patterns?
Chew on This
While being resourceful is an important value in The Boxcar Children, the book's message is that children can't be 100 percent independent.
For the Alden children, living in the boxcar is just a sophisticated version of playing house—so imagination is the key to their success.