Chinese government under Chiang Kai-shek that counteracts with Japanese makes propaganda to resist the puppet government. O‟Neill in his
description, this tactic is constructed as an attempt to avoid the Japanese invasion into China. The struggle to resist this aggression is led by Nationalist
Party 1987: 150. According to O‟Neill‟s description above, the existence Japanese
puppet government lead by Wang Ching-wei is also described by Jim‟s
experience in the novel. It is when he sees the picture of Chiang Kai-shek in front of Sincere Department Store Ballard, 1984: 14. Jim explains in the
novel that this is the way to resist the Japanese. Jim realizes about the Second Sino-Japanese War that has already
begun in Shanghai from the picture of Chiang Kai-shek that he sees in the Sincere Department Store in Shanghai. This picture is set up by Kuomintang
in order to resist Japanese aggression. Kuomintang party does this because this party is the leader of the resistance against the Japanese aggression and
the leader of Kuomintang Party is Chiang Kai-shek. Based on these descriptions by O‟ Neill and Bain, the conditions in
China during that time are shown in the novel fro m Jim‟s experiences.
2. Economic Situations
a. Professions in China
China is a country with many natural and human resources. The people are famous for their traditional cultures and heritages, even in the term
of professions. Based from those resources, cultures, and heritages; many of Chinese are working in agriculture and commerce. The other profession is
like artisan. These next three preceding paragraphs describe the professions of
Chinese. These professions are also stated by Latourette. He describes there are many professions which are existed in the Chinese society since a long
time ago, such as farmer, merchant, trader, artisan, blacksmith, even restaurant-keeper 1951: 558-559.
The first Jim‟s experience is when he walks around Shanghai Bund in the night; he sees many Chinese with various professions are surging into the
American and British sailors. He observes some of the professions, such as pickpocket; pimp; prostitute; bar-trout; vendor of liquor; opium dealer, gold
dealer; and pedicab or rickshaw driver Ballard, 1984: 345. Based on the quotation, Chinese who live in city usually works in commerce as the main
profession. These people are the traders who trading goods and services to the customers.
Chinese is famous with their occupation as trader. Jim finds out the professions of many Chinese in Shanghai. Many of them are working in
commerce and trading businesses, even though they sell many kinds of goods and services from legal to illegal, such as opium and prostitute. This
condition is supported by the destruction happened during the long war and the domination of foreign invaders since a long time ago. This condition
makes many Chinese do whatever they can to survive, even though it is
violating many values in society. Jim understands that these kinds of jobs are not suitable for these people, but he cannot anything because of the
circumstances in Shanghai during that time. Latourette also explains that most of the Chinese are supported by
their occupations in agriculture as farmers 1951: 558-5 59. The other Jim‟s
experience represents the profession of the Chinese who usually lives in the village. This experience is when Jim sees many of refugees who are brought
from western suburb of Shanghai without any crop or land to cultivate Ballard, 1984: 347-348. Based on this quotation, the others Chinese who
have been refugees actually are farmers from the village that save their lives from the war. This condition is seen from Jim‟s explanation about the crop or
land to cultivate that is not enough for the refugees. Jim finds out that the main occupation of Chinese is farmer. This
occupation are seen when Jim realizes that there are no lands or crops to cultivate by the Chinese after the end of the Second World War in China. Jim
feels sorry for them. He realizes that the refugees that brought into Shanghai after the end of the Second World War will be unemployed and become low
payment worker in Western industries, illegal and criminal worker, and beggar in the street of Shanghai.
The last profession which is seen in the novel is artisan. This profession is seen from Jim‟s experience when he passes through the ruin of
Chapei ceramic work Ballard, 1984: 126-127. Based on this quotation, Chapei is actually a place to create many crafts in China before it was
destroyed in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Some of Chinese are working as artisan before the Second Sino-Japanese war. These people create a
traditional works as their cultural identity, heritage, and the character of their nation. Some of their works are like ceramic.
Jim represents this profession as the tradition of the Chinese. The job as artisan is almost the same job as farmer. This kind of job has become the
tradition of Chinese that done by many Chinese since a long time ago. Jim experiences when he sees that this place is already changed into Western
industries represent that it is shame that this place has lost its magic as rural tradition of China.
Based on all preceding paragraphs, Jim‟s experiences about the professions in the novel are really existed in China.
b. Industry in China
The industrial epoch was brought and established in China by the Westerners, especially British. The industrial increased in China after the
Treaty of Nanking that gave the permission for British to establish settlement in Shanghai and other towns. This permit is increasing the power and
authority of the westerners to establish some industries in China Latourette, 1951: 572.
This situation is described from Jim‟s experience when he passes through the Chapei industrial area to their destination to Lunghua prisoner
camp Ballard, 1984: 126-127. From this quotation, Chapei was described
actually as a place to make ceramic work in the past time. However, it was destroyed after the war and British takes over this place and builds an
industrial area there. It means that the place in the novel represents about the condition that is explained by Latourette in China during that time.
Jim finds out that Chapei has become industrial district when he sees an area of tenements and derelict cotton mills in this abandoned place. This
place is preserved for the workers who work for the Westerners. This place was taken over by the Westerners after it was destroyed in 1937 by Japanese
military. This is proved that many Chinese change their profession from farmers into workers after they lost their lands.
Latourette states that the main occupation of the Chinese is agriculture. The Chinese change their occupation into labors in Westerners
industries and leave their old occupation as farmer or artisan after they do not have insufficient income 1951: 575.
The other Jim‟s experience that can support the industrial in China is when Jim observes some refugees that are brought back to Shanghai without
any land or crop to cultivate Ballard, 1984: 347-348. Based on this quotation, many refugees that cannot find crop and land to cultivate will work
in the Westerners industries in order to repair and increase their lives and prosperity.
From this statement, Jim realizes that many Chinese works as farmer. This is seen when he thinks that there is no land and crop to cultivate by the
refugees. He realizes that these refugees will be working to the Westerners, if
they want to survive. This condition is supported by the domination of the Allied faction in China after the end of the Second World War. Jim feels
sorry for that, especially after he felt the same condition with these refugees in the previous war.
From the four preceding paragraphs, it is revealed that the main occupation of the Chinese is agriculture. Many Chinese change their
occupation into labors in Westerners industries and leave their old occupation as farmer or artisan after they do not have insufficient income. The other
majority profession is commerce or trading. The others Chinese trade goods and services to the customers. It is also revealed that Latourette‟s statements
about the professions in China are described by Ballard in his novel.
c. Poverty
Poverty increased rapidly in China, especially in Shanghai, during the Second Sino-Japanese War. This happened because the long war between
China and Japan destructed the resources for the people. This condition was worsened by the Civil War between Nationalist and Communist Party to gain
the authority in China government. These parties were concentrated only with their politics and forget the people. The third reason is the Westerners that
increased their supremacy in China from time to time and pressed the native with their authority.
Bain states that many Chinese are not treated as human beings during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The destruction that is done by the Japanese
happens anywhere 1958: 156. According to Bain‟s statement, poverty in China, especially Shanghai increased during the Second Sino-Japanese War
and Nationalist-Communist Civil War. The other statement comes from Clyde who inscribes that the Second
Sino-Japanese War has made millions of Chinese lose their home and all their worldly possessions 1958: 687-688. Based on this preceding statement,
poverty was a problem that is bore by the Chinese as the effect of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This terrible condition made many Chinese surrender to
the highest authority, even though they were neglected by the authority. Poverty is explained by the novel from Jim experience when he sees
many beggars and refugees along Amherst Avenue and other streets in Shanghai on the way to Christmas party Ballard, 1984: 21-22.
From the quotation, Jim feels sorry for the beggars and refugees, but he does not have intention to change the situation. He as the Westerner never
thinks too much about the native as long as he does not experience the same things with them. This situation also supports by the behavior of the
Westerners that never understand the miserable condition of the Chinese. They only think about their own businesses. It makes this kind of situation as
usual situation in Shanghai during that time. This perspective makes Jim as a child not to concern with his society until he feels the same situation like
those people. Based on the preceding paragraphs, poverty in China made the
Chinese live in insufficient condition during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Poverty in China happened as the effect of many terrible conditions during that time. Poverty occurred after most of the Chinese lost their home and their
worldly possessions, like occupation and wealthy.
d. Famine
Famine is another problem that was felt by the people of China during the Second Sino-Japanese war. Famine occurred as the effect of the long wars
that happened in China during that time. It had a strong relation with poverty that spread around Shanghai during that time. The highest rate of famine
happened during the Second World War as the Climax of the Second Sino- Japanese War in Shanghai.
Clyde inscribes that China‟s economic is destroyed as the effect of the wars. These disastrous conditions increase famine in China and make them
surrender to the highest authority during that time 1958: 697-688. This condition is explained by the novel
from Jim‟s experience which represents some groups of Chinese refugees who camp in front of Lunghua
prisoner camp for some foods. Jim also sees some of them are killed because they are found by the Japanese for intruding the prisoner camp fences
Ballard, 1984: 179-180. Jim sees some refugees outside the prisoner camp gate. He realizes
that these refugees lack of food. He feels sympathy for these refugees. He realizes many new thinks after he experienced some conditions until he come
to the prison and become a prisoner. He learns the hard burden of the refugee
in the middle of the war from his experiences during the war. He really wants to help, but he is in the prison. He is also afraid and worries if these refugees
died cause of starvation. Sometime he also finds some refugees were caught by the Japanese and killed when they tried to get some foods from the camp.
He is really sympathy for these people. The long wars that happen in China influenced the condition of the
people and brought it to the lower level. Famine was a problem encountered by the people beside of the poverty that created sufferings for the people in
China during that time. This condition is clearly represented by the novel when the trespassers are caught and killed by the Japanese soldiers.
Based on the statements and the quotation from the novel, famine really happened in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937
until 1945. This condition also made many of the Chinese surrender to the invaders during that time.
3. Social Cultural Circumstances
