75 pages • 2 hours read
William BellForbidden City
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1990A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 25-28Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 25 Summary: “May 30-June 2”
The Chinese Press and Western Press begin to spar on the details of what is going on in Tiananmen Square. The city is abuzz with terrifying excitement. Again, the soldiers show up in the square. This time, the interaction between the soldiers and the people is not demur. They shout at the soldiers. They wave their arms and shout demands. The soldiers, Alex thinks, look “tough. And mad” (95). It wasn’t a game this time. And yet again, they retreat, much to Alex’s bewilderment.
Chapter 26 Summary: “June 3”
Confrontation between troops and students begin in earnest. Alex describes himself as “grounded” because for once he is not able to talk Ted and Eddie into letting him accompany them into the square to see what’s going on with the demonstrations. Instead, they tell Alex he should stay at the hotel with Lao Xu. They promise to correspond with him over the two-way radio.
The two men take separate locations and spy distinct types of activity, both of which they related to Alex, who franticly writes down what they are seeing. Soldiers push their way through the crowd, swinging clubs at anyone in their way. Tear gas is used in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
