How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Don't think, Alex, that the idea of socialism is bad. […] It is just there are good people and bad people in all systems, and sometimes the good people are overwhelmed by the bad." (1.61)
This is an important part of understanding The Wild Children. Though the book is rightly critical of the Soviet government, it isn't exactly a full-blown critique of socialism. Instead, it portrays the government as a corrupt community in which a select few members get all of the swag, while the rest are stuck scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Quote #2
He had spoken to nobody […] and nobody had spoken to him. They all seemed to have been traveling separately in their own small world of trouble. (2.47)
There is absolutely no sense of community here on the road to Moscow. It makes sense, though: The people of the Soviet Union have been taught that forming a community is a bad thing, since you never know who will rat you out to the government. In this messed up world, friendship is a liability.
Quote #3
When Alex's eyes adjusted he could see that there were many children grouped around each fire, talking, laughing, joking, quarreling, singing, smoking, playing cards. (4.1)
It's party time, y'all. Although this scene startles Alex a bit (he's a true nerd, after all), it's also somewhat comforting. He's just spent days without seeing a friendly face, days without seeing people having fun, and days without making casual conversations with some bros. This is like a breath of fresh air.