1. Jim’s Experiences Related to Political States
a. Jim‟s Experiences a Day before the Japanese Invasion on Shanghai in 8
December 1941 During the winter on Sunday, 7 December 1941 in Shanghai, Jim and
his parents were preparing at their house in Amherst Avenue for a Christmas par
ty in Dr. Lockwood‟s mansion. Dr. Lockwood is the vice chairman of the British Resident‟s Association. Jim is eager to go to this party. He has another
intention to go there, but not to come to the party Ballard, 1984: 11. Based on the party invitation b
y the vice chairman, Jim‟s family is considered a high class family in Shanghai at that time. The Amherst Avenue neighborhood is
actually a place dominated and preserved for the high class Westerners. With the Packard driven by their Chinese Chauffeur, Yang, they drive
through the Japanese lines to Hungjao, and then many Chinese conjurors, fireworks, and newsreels. Getting bored with the conditions of Shanghai, Jim
listens to the story that is retold by Yang. Suddenly, newsreels containing propaganda attrac
t Jim‟s curiosity. Normally, he will devour that kind of newsreels, but that time he reads that newsreels which recite an effort to
counteract the German and Italian war films in certain public theatres and Axis club in Shanghai by the British embassy. From the newsreels, Jim
realizes that the British people like to be the superior one. They do not like to be defeated and they are relishing the war indeed Ballard, 1984: 12. This
kind of propaganda is created by the British to maintain their superiority in China, especially in Shanghai as the international port in Asia.
Jim‟s family Packard moves on and arrives in Bubbling Well Road, one of the crowded streets in Shanghai. He notices that this street is full of
aggressive rickshaw coolies who try to get or escort their customers. Jim never sees Yang punches the horn powerfully like that before. Jim notices a
truck with pack with professional executioners swerves in front of the Packard and a barefoot beggar boy is approaching and shouting with hold out
palms to Jim. Public execution and beggar are common in Shanghai during that time. Jim is relieved when the sound of the horn makes the crowd and the
beggar boy leaves. Not far from that place, Jim stares from the Packard at the Sincere Company‟s department store that is dominated with the picture of
Chiang Kai-shek. Jim notices that a faint light which is reflected from a faulty neon tube and it trembles over the picture of the Generalissimo‟s soft mouth.
Jim stared at the garish façade Sincere Company‟s department store, which was dominated by an immense portrait of Chiang Kai-shek
exhorting the Chinese people to ever greater sacrifices in their struggle against the Japanese Ballard, 1984: 14.
Jim realizes that this picture is used by the Chinese government to increase the spirit of the Chinese to fight against the Japanese. Actually, during that
time China has been in the middle of the war against Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War.
From the picture of Chiang Kai-shek, Jim has no doubt that the war has already begun in 1937. Inside their moving Packard, Jim remembers of
the Japanese invasion in 1937 that made many Chinese refugees died of Cholera and many Chinese soldiers died in that invasion.
The real war was everything he had seen for himself since the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, … In a real war no one knew
which side he was on, and there were no flags or commentators or winners. In a real war there were no enemies Ballard, 1984: 14.
Since Jim saw the Japanese invasion in 1937, he knows that the war has already begun. He realizes there is no winner and enemies in the real war. He
feels the suffering of the Chinese as the effect of the war, even he is a foreigner in this country.
When they reach the exit of Great Western Road from the Inte
rnational Settlement, Jim observes the Shanghai policemen‟s effort to arrange a queue on both sides of the checkpoint from the Packard. Shanghai
police work for the international settlement under the British government. In the recent days, the guard is tightened because there are many issues about
the next war or the Kuomintang or Communist spies who are spread in the International Settlement. The ideology is also one reason that makes the
people in China against each other. From the Packard, Jim also notices the Sikh NCO who arranges the thousands of Chinese pedestrians in the
pavement using his bamboo rod. It is very different with their treatment to the Westerners, especially British. This condition happens because the British has
arranges and dominates every aspect of this city. When they reached the Great Western Road exit from the
International Settlement they found a queue of cars on both sides of the checkpoint. The Shanghai police had given up any attempt to
control the crowds. The British officer stood on the turret of his armoured car, smoking a cigarette as the gazed over the thousands of
Chinese pressing past him. Now and then, as if it to keep up appearance, the Sikh NCO in a khaki turban reached down and lashed
the backs of the Chinese with his bamboo rod Ballard, 1984: 22.
b. Jim‟s Experiences when Surviving Alone in Demolished Shanghai Three
Days after the Japanese Invasion in 8 December 1941 The Japanese invasion into Shanghai is the beginning of the Second
World War in China. Jim is awakened in a hospital which is full of the victims of the invasion three days after. He notices that he is separated from
his parents. In this time he must survive by himself. He goes home to Amherst Avenue with a hope to find his parents. He notices that the Shanghai
police who consist of a sergeant and two NCO still direct the traffic in the Junction of Avenue Pétain and Avenue Haig, even the city has been already
seized by the Japanese military. Jim also notices the picture of Wang Ching- wei as the leader of the puppet regime over the commercial billboards in that
place Ballard, 1984: 56. Wang Ching-wei is the Chinese leader who works under the Japanese Empire. From that picture, Jim realized that the Japanese
has fully control the government of Shanghai from the Westerners authority. Jim finds no body when arrives in his house at Amherst Avenue. Jim lives
from the foods given by the Japanese soldiers and from the abandoned houses or apartments around the city to survive in demolished Shanghai. His
condition right now is much contrasted with his condition before the invasion in 1941.
c. Jim‟s Experiences in Lunghua Prisoner Camp during the Second World
War in China Rather than dying in the demolished Shanghai, Jim surrenders to the
Japanese military. He thinks that his parents are also captured by the Japanese military and send to the prisoner camp. He also thinks that he can get foods
easier than in Shanghai. Jim is sent to the prisoner camp at Lunghua and he lives there during the Second World War for three years. This prison is used
by the Japanese only for the Western prisoners. Jim can observe the progress of the war in Pootung from the prisoner camp. The sound of artilleries and
gun fires of the battlefield are heard from the prisoner camp. Jim also notices the American aircraft and bombers approach from the south west. The dozens
of canister with parachute are dropped from the Allies planes to support the Chinese armies to win the war. From that moment, Jim realizes that the
Kuomintang armies are supported by American in order to regain the authority over China.
The battalions, with its artillery support, was rooting out the last of communist units which still hung on among the ruins of the Pootung
shore. On the mole, the corpses of dead communist soldiers were stacked like fire woods Ballard, 1984: 330
From the above quotation, America and the Allies Faction support Kuomintang in order to defeat the Japanese. The other purpose of the support
is to eliminate the power of Communist ideology from China because this ideology is diverged with the Nationalist and Allies ideology and they are
afraid if this ideology can disturb their supremacy in China. At that time the
value of humanity is neglected and the only important thing is the victory and domination over all, even though the others will be suffered in this action.
d. Jim‟ Experiences when Sightseeing around Shanghai Bund Two Month
after the Second World War is Over After the war, Shanghai is re-established and now it is more
glimmering and shimmering than before the war. The supremacy returns to Kuomintang as the Nationalist Party and supports by the Allies Faction. Jim
and his parents also return to their house in Amherst Avenue. One moment, Jim is walking around the Bund in the night of
Shanghai. Jim notices the newsreel that explains the end of the war by the Nationalist General and there is a gratitude for the victorious of
Generalissimo Chiang Kas-shek as the leader of Kuomintang and Chinese army in the war against the Japanese. Jim is aware that there is no any
gratitude for the Chinese Communist. Jim realizes that every Chinese Communist have been cleared out of Shanghai and coastal cities Ballard,
1984: 346. This is one of the ways to obtain the superiority in China by discarding other influenced powers. Kuomintang and Allies forces hope that
they can obtain the superiority in China by eliminating the power of Communist from Shanghai and other coastal cities.
Jim and his parents have agreed to back to England in a few days after the condition is stable. A day before return to England, Jim walks across the
quay from the Arrawa. He sees many newsreels along the street and he sees
one of the newsreel screens projector is being repaired by the army technician. When he walks along the tramlines, he notices two glimmering
bar-girls in the moving rickshaw. Suddenly, Jim notices that the Chinese are already turning their spectacle to a crowd below the steps of Shanghai Club.
Jim sets eyes on a group of drunken American and British sailors who are arguing to each other and waves at the cruiser moored at the Bund. Jim
observes that these sailors urinate down the steps. Fifty feet below them, Jim notices expressionless face of the Chinese as the arcs of urine forms a
foaming street that run down to the street and to the pavement which covers clerks, coolies, and peasant women Ballard, 1984: 350-351. These
American and British sailors have the higher status in Shanghai because they have a duty to maintain the peace in this city, but it looks like they only use
their status for their own sake. This is explained that China is still control under the foreign power, in this case by the Allies Faction. Jim observes the
expressionless Chinese that cannot do anything about it, but Jim believes that someday the Chinese will punish the rest of the world and take a frightening
revenge.
2. Jim’s Experiences Related to Economic Situations