Mr Maxted - Kate Millington

• Was an english architect and entrepeneur living in Shanghai who designed various nightclubs throughout the city before the war. He was, therefore, very wealthy and lived a very luxurious lifestyle.
• For Jim Mr Maxted represents his life and Shaghai before the war such as the wealthy and carefree life, the parties which Mr Maxted and Jim and his parents attended and the fact that, being british, they were superior and had people working for them. Mr Maxted is the only person in the camp who knew Jim's parents and, despite the fact Jim prefers not to speak of them this is probaly something Jim does not want to lose. When they lived in Shanghai Jim looked up to Mr Maxted and wanted to be like him when he grew up, because of this he helps him in the camp. The change in Mr Maxted from before to during the war represents the affect the war had and how it was changing everything, ruining lives and tearing people down.
• Mr Maxted's very relaxed personality which Jim tries to imitate helped him to adapt well to life in Shanghai, however, when he goes to the camp he has alot more trouble adapting. This is probably largely to do with the fact that he previously lived a very luxurious lifestyle being wealthy and respected. 'The Studebaker and the afternoon girls in the gambling casinos had prepared Mr Maxted badly for the world of the camp.' The camp must have been a big culture shock for Mr Maxted after the comforts of his life in Shanghai, not only because of the lack of luxuries but also because he wasn't used to being restricted or not being treated with respect by others. For Mr Maxted the war caused major role reversal within his life.
• In Shanghai Mr Maxted greatly enjoys the comforts of alcohol, 'Forever accompanied by the same glass of whisky and soda' which cause him to frequently 'fall' into (full) swimming pools at parties. This could account for a big change in personality when he's at the camp as he's deprived of alcohol which could have had a big hand in his relaxed personality and helped him stay cheerful.
• In the camp Mr Maxted is very weak and sometimes unsteady, he seems to have aged to a frail old man since before the war. However he doesn't see this as a reason to sit back and do nothing so he does what he can such as collecting rations which, for him, requires great effot, 'Some work and some watch, and that's all there is too it.' He's an educated man and seems to have a realsitic, if not slightly pessimistic view of the implications of the war and it's end. He contemplates that the war ending may be the begginning of their troubles not the end and when he questions Jim he seems quite philosophical, 'will the war really end for you, Jim?'