Forbidden City

“It’s his crazy risk taking that makes his work extra special.” 

In time, Alex grows to understand the work his father does as a reporter. He comes to see that it is not just risk taking to get crazy shots and coverage as he initially believed. The risks have to be calculated, and the risk-takers need to know just what they are wagering when they cover a potentially dangerous story.

“I’m not saying I’m crazy about people getting killed and cities being bombed but it happens to why ignore it? Pacifists are just simpletons as far as I’m concerned.” 

This statement from Alex is different than the feeling he has about war and armed struggle at the end of the novel. Being an aficionado of military history is a far cry from being in an actual war zone and seeing innocent people gunned down in the streets. Alex later goes on to become one of the objectors he initially thought were simple-minded.

“I’d draw plans and try to picture the troop movements, attacks, feints, retreats, traps, all that, and I’d lose myself for hours in a world that made sense?” 

During his parents’ messy divorce, Alex takes solace in war history and in re-enactments with his toy soldiers. Acting out strategy makes life feel more organized and systemic to him at this emotionally chaotic time.