What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of school children and Mij?
Maxwell says the compulsive habits of school children on their way to and from school include placing their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block, touching every seventh upright of the iron railings, or passing to the outside of every second lamp post.
The compulsive habit of Mij on his way home was to tug Maxwell to a low wall opposite his flat, jump onto it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards.
Explanation
The textbook defines compulsive habits as 'habits impossible to control'. Maxwell compares Mij's rituals to those of school children, illustrating how both follow strict, repetitive patterns. Children interact with paving blocks, railings, and lamp posts in specific ways, while Mij insists on galloping along the primary school wall on his way back home.