How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
He was acting […] playful, not worried, while all the day his insides had been crying, moaning, sometimes screaming. It was like pain, but worse. (1.24)
Much of the suffering that Alex endures over the course of The Wild Children is internal. Don't get it twisted—Alex gets his fair share of bumps and bruises along the way as well—it's just that it usually seems like he's much more affected by emotional suffering than physical suffering
Quote #2
"How long have you been walking?" he asked […]
The boy stared at Alex, regarding his heavy clothing and replying in a deep grunting croak. "Three, four months" (2.49-50)
Wow, that's a really long time. Alex meets a lot of new people while traveling to Moscow, and he comes to learn that his story isn't all that unique. In fact, there are tons of people who have had their lives shattered by the government and are now forced to pick up the pieces, just like him. Unfortunately, that's a lot easier said than done.
Quote #3
He began counting steps […] but always the vision of the soup came back, floating like a phantom just in front of him, out of reach (3.1)
A steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup has never sounded so good. Here, we see how Alex's imagination makes his situation even worse, forcing him to come face-to-face with the suffering he's going through. Either that or he's just haunted by the ghost of a bowl of soup… The jury's still out on this one.