"Life in a box is better than no life at all... I expect"

In this quote, Tom Stoppard is recommending that even a restricted and limited life is much better than not having a life at all. The phrase "life in a box" might be translated as a metaphor for a limited or confined existence, where one's options and opportunities are limited. Stoppard acknowledges that this may not be a perfect or satisfying life, but it is still more suitable to not having a life at all. The addition of "I anticipate" at the end of the quote includes a sense of uncertainty or doubt, as if the speaker is not completely convinced of their own statement. This quote might be viewed as a commentary on the value of life and the human desire to cling to it, even in less than ideal scenarios.