The social conditions in China during the second sino-Japanese war seen through Jim`s experiences in James Graham Ballard`s Empire of the Sun.

THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN CHINA DURING THE

SECOND SINO-

JAPANESE WAR SEEN THROUGH JIM’S

EXPERIENCES IN JAMES GRAHAM BALLARD’S

EMPIRE

OF THE SUN

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN

Student Number: 084214030

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

i

THE SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN CHINA DURING THE

SECOND SINO-

JAPANESE WAR SEEN THROUGH JIM’S

EXPERIENCES IN JAMES GRAHAM BALLARD’S

EMPIRE

OF THE SUN

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN

Student Number: 084214030

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA 2013

iv

Quit. Don't quit. Noodles. Don't noodles.

You are too

concerned with what was and what will be. There's a

saying. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery,

but today is a gift. That is why it is called the

"present".

(Master Oogway, Kungfu Panda)

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and

doing new things, because we’re curious and

curiosity

keeps leading us down new paths.”

(Walt Disney)

“

The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can

change the world, are the ones who do.”

(Steve Jobs)

To infinity, and beyond!

(Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story)

v

This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to

The Almighty God

My beloved father in Heaven, Drs. Hendrawan Kelana

My beloved mother, Lilik Ernawati

My beloved aunts, Dra. Budiarti and Dra. Ani Utami

My beloved brother, Satya Saguna Hendrawan

And to everyone that has supported me

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Almighty God for His assistance, protection, and blessing in my life. I salute Him for being a teacher, listener, and good friend that aids me to complete my tasks.

I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M.Hum. for his guidance and suggestions in finishing this thesis and for his patience to correct my grammar. I would like to express my gratitude to my co-advisor Maria Ananta Tri Suryandari S.S., M.Ed. for her patience in correcting and improving this thesis and for being my academic advisor since I was in the first semester. Next, I express my gratitude to all lecturers in English Letters Department for bequeathing priceless knowledge.

I would like to express my gratitude to Sanata Dharma University that gives the chances to study here to develop myself. I thank to Sanata Dharma Library for providing the sources for my thesis and the Secretary of English Letters Department for providing the hints for my thesis.

Finally, I express my gratitude to my family, especially my father in heaven. Thank you for never surrendering on me. I give my regard to my friends wherever they are, especially for my hangout friends, boarding house friends, and friends and coach in basketball club. Special thanks go to my friends and teachers who help to revise my grammar. Lastly, for the special ones who give me wonderful experiences, deeply thank you. I owe you a lot.

ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ...i

APPROVAL PAGE ...ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...iii

MOTTO PAGE ...iv

DEDICATION PAGE ...v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...vi

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ...vii

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ...viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...ix

ABSTRACT ...xi

ABSTRAK ...xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...1

A. Background of the Study ...1

B. Problem formulation ...4

C. Objectives of the Study ...4

D. Definition of Terms ...5

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW ...7

A. Review of Related Studies ...7

B. Review of Related Theories ...10

1. Theory of Setting ...10

2. The Relationship between Literature and Society ...11

C. Review on History or Biography ...14

1. The Society in China ...14

2. The Chinese Civil War ...17

3. The Second Sino-Japanese War and the Second World War in China ...19

D. Theoretical Framework ...21

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ...24

A. Object of the Study ...24

B. Approach of the Study ...26

C. Method of the Study ...28

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ...29

A. James “Jim” Graham‟s Experiences Related to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China? ...29

1. Jim‟s Experiences Related to the Political States ...30

2. Jim‟s Experiences Related to the Economic Situations ...36

3. Jim‟s Experiences Related to the Social Cultural Circumstance .41 B. The Social Conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War Revealed through James “Jim” Graham‟s Experiences? ...48

x

1. Political States ...49

2. Economic Situations ...57

3. Social Cultural Circumstances ...65

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...74

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...77

APPENDICES ...80

Appendix 1: Summary of James Graham Ballard‟s Empire of the Sun ...80

xi

ABSTRACT

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN. The Social Conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War Seen through Jim’s Experiences

in James Graham Ballard’s Empire of the Sun. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.

The novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard illustrates the adventure of a British boy named James “Jim” Graham in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War around 1930s until 1940s. This novel elucidates the social conditions in China occurring during that time based on the settings in the novel as the experiences perceived by Jim as the main character.

The main objectives of this thesis are to reveal and comprehend the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. There are two main problems to analyze in order to complete the thesis. The first is to reveal Jim‟s experiences based on the settings in the novel which are related to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. The second is to comprehend the social conditions during the Second Sino-Japanese War in China which are revealed through Jim‟s experiences.

The writer conducted a library research to collect all data appropriate to the completion of the thesis. For the analysis, the writer applied the Sociocultural-historical approach and two theories: theory of setting and the relationship between literature and society. The other data used were cited from dictionaries, encyclopedias, essays, and reviews about the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1930s to 1940s.

The result of the research reveals the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War that is portrayed in James Graham Ballard‟s Empire of the Sun. The first finding is the settings in the novel illustrating and relating to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. The second finding is the settings in the novel reveal and represent the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, elucidating three subjects: political states which denote the conflicts and wars between powerful factions and the domination of other nations in China; economic situations which denote the professions of the Chinese, poverty, and famine in China during that time; and social cultural circumstances which denote the stratification in China, the Chinese Cultures, and malice in China during that time.

xii

ABSTRAK

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN. The Social Conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War Seen through Jim’s Experiences

in James Graham Ballard’s Empire of the Sun. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.

Novel Empire of the Sun oleh James Graham Ballard menceritrakan perjalanan seorang anak berkebangsaan Inggris bernama James “Jim” Graham di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua sekitar tahun 1930an sampai 1940an. Novel ini memaparkan keadaan-keadaan sosial yang terjadi di masa itu berdasarkan pada pengalaman Jim sebagai karakter utama.

Tujuan utama dari skripsi ini adalah memaparkan dan memahami kondisi-kondisi sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua. Terdapat dua permasalahan yang di analisis dengan tujuan menyelesaikan skripsi ini. Masalah pertama ialah memaparkan pengalaman-pengalaman Jim berdasarkan pada setting-setting di dalam novel yang berkaitan dengan perang China-Jepang yang kedua di China. Masalah kedua ialah memahami keadaan-keadaan sosial selama waktu itu sesuai dengan yang dipaparkan oleh pengalaman-pengalaman Jim.

Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka dalam pengumpulan data-data yang tepat untuk menyelesaikan skripsi ini. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiokultur-histori dan dua teori yaitu teori setting dan hubungan antara literatur dan masyarakat. Data-data yang lain adalah kamus, ensiklopedia, essai, dan tulisan tentang keadaan-keadaan sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua dari tahun 1930an sampai 1940an.

Hasil dari penelitian ini memaparkan keadaan-keadaan sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua seperti yang digambarkan oleh James Graham Ballard dalam novelnya Empire of the Sun. Penemuan pertama adalah setting-setting di dalam novel menceritrakan dan berkaitan dengan perang China-Jepang yang kedua di China. Penemuan kedua adalah setting-setting di dalam novel memaparkan dan menjelaskan kondisi-kondisi social di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua dan memaparkan tiga pokok yaitu keadaan-keadaan politik yang menjelaskan konflik-konflik dan perang-perang antara pihak-pihak penguasa dan dominasi dari Negara-negara lain di China; keadaan-keadaan ekonomi yang menjelaskan jenis-jenis mata pencaharian masyarakat China, kemiskinan, dan kelaparan di China selama waktu itu; dan keadaan-keadaan sosial budaya yang menjelaskan pembagian kelas-kelas di China, budaya-budaya di China, dan kekejaman di China selama waktu itu.

1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Novel as one type of literature is an instrument that can represent social conditions, such as the conditions of society in a certain time and place. From this instrument, the writer can develop the social conditions inside a certain society. Holman and Harmon describe,

All novels are representations in fictional NARRATIVE of life or experience, but the FORM is itself as protean as life and experiences themselves. Serious FICTION deals with human beings in significant action. The world that appears to be a significant stage for such ACTION varies greatly from author to author. An author‟s world maybe only within the lowest recesses of the human unconscious; … (1986: 336).

They describe that novel is an extraction or reflection of life and experiences of human beings. Based on that point, literature is not always a pure fiction, but it is also an accurate document which contains history of human beings, in this case, as the reflection of the author‟s life or experiences. They also describe that the world in a fiction created by the author is based on the unconsciousness of the author himself as the source of imaginations to construct the basics of the story, such as the backgrounds, settings, and characters.

The main purpose of this thesis is to reveal and comprehend the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War represented by James Graham Ballard in the novel Empire of the Sun. For that matter, first

the writer needs to perceive J. G. Ballard‟s experiences as the author through Jim‟s experiences as the main character of this novel in order to comprehend the real social conditions in China during the Second World War. Langland describes,

The variable relationships among these three centers of value – character, society, and narrator/ implied author – determine the range of functions or formal roles for society in the novel … I have limited myself to character; society; and narrator/implied author, because these all inhere in the novel and are the centers of judgment manipulated within the novel (1984: 11).

From Langland‟s description, there are three main values in the creation of a variable relationship in the novel. They are character, society, and narrator/implied author. These three values have a function to determine the range or formal roles for society in the novel. They also become the center of judgment which manipulates the story within the novel. This means that they are very crucial factors in order to construct the main ideas and develop the story in the novel.

Based on the preceding paragraphs, there is a relationship between literature and society. The society can be described as the knowledge, which is derived from many experiences that the author has. After the author experienced something, he transfers his experiences into a novel that contains his knowledge about his experiences in a certain time and place. From the elements that are illustrated in this novel, the writer attempts to reveal and comprehend the social conditions of the people and society that occur in China in the pre-Sino-Japanese War until the post-Sino-Japanese War since 1937 until 1945. The social conditions are taken as the primary subject

because through the social conditions, every elements of a nation in a certain time and place can be explained and represented.

Another related quotation is described by MacIver and Page. They say “the relationship between individual and society is not one-sided: both are essential for the comprehension of either” (1957: 48). From MacIver and Page‟s quotation, the relation between human beings and society is not one-sided. Society influences human beings because society is created from many characteristics of human beings. From this explanation, the connection of human beings and society that is “not one-sided” is proved. Both of them are essential to create a comprehension between them, i.e. human beings and society. Based on the preceding paragraphs, the novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard can be used to analyze the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It is because the writer can sense the experiences which are encountered by the author through the novel.

James Graham Ballard‟s Empire of the Sun is appropriate to be analyzed in order to reveal and comprehend the social conditions in China in relation with the Second Sino-Japanese War. It is because J. G. Ballard as the author of this novel experienced the social conditions during the Second Sino-Japanese War. A quotation taken from Vanessa Thorpe entitled “JG Ballard's draft of Empire of the Sun acquired by British Library The dystopian visionary's manuscript is part of an archive being saved for the nation in order to pay death duties” in The Observer says,

Ballard grew up in Shanghai and was interned with his family in a Japanese camp during the Second World War. His recollections were the basis for Empire of the Sun. He moved to Britain, and by the 1960s had become a full-time author (www.guardian.co.uk, 27 March 2012). From the foregoing quotation, J. G. Ballard as the author of Empire of the Sun really encountered the experiences when he and his parents were placed in a prisoner camp by the Japanese during the Second World War in China. After the Second World War was over, he moved to Britain and worked as a full-time author. In his work as an author; he wrote about his childhood experiences in China, especially in Shanghai and created a novel entitled Empire of the Sun.

B. Problem Formulation

There are two questions to be answered in this study. The two questions are formulated as follows:

1. What are James “Jim” Graham‟s experiences that seen through the settings in the novel related to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China?

2. How do James “Jim” Graham experiences reveal the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War?

C. Objectives of the Study

There are two objectives in this study. The first objective is to perceive the experiences based on the settings in the novel from Jim‟s perspective as the main character of the novel. The second objective is to

reveal and develop the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War as seen in the experiences of Jim in the novel Empire of the Sun.

D. Definition of Terms

With the intention for comprehending this study, the writer delineates some terms essential to analyze the study. There are three essential terms which are social condition, experience, and the Second Sino-Japanese War. 1. Social condition

The word “social” means having to do with the reciprocal relations of interacting human beings, either as individuals or groups. A comprehensive term, including all the phenomena which are the subject matter of sociology (Fairchild, 1970: 275). From the preceding quotation, social has a meaning related to mutual relation of interacting human beings about their origin, development, and structure as individual or group in society. It also can be explained as the relation to the phenomena which becomes the main subject in sociology, a science that study about human beings and society.

The word “condition” means a situation that must exist in order for something else to happen (Hornby, 2005: 316). From the previous quotation, condition is described as a situation that exists or initiates to construct something happens. From that, a condition happens because something is impacted by others which initiate a change in some area.

From the commencing definitions overhead, social condition is a circumstance that occurs because of the reciprocal relations of interacting

human beings, either as individuals or groups, including all the phenomena which are the subject matter of sociology. The main point of social condition is human beings‟ relationship with the conditions around them, in this case the society. From the social condition, the writer can comprehend many aspects which happen on certain time and place (politic, economic, social and culture).

2. Experience

Experience is the living through or participation in any incident or occurrence (Deuter, 1941: 117). From Deuter‟s quotation, experience is described as something that directly occurs, in this case is remembered in the brain memory because it happens, encounters, feels, and involves by the subject. It means every living creature has experiences in their mind. From the preceding quotation, experience is created if the subject is using his/her sense when an incident occurs in his/her area.

3. The Second Sino-Japanese War

The Second Sino-Japanese War is a grand scale in the bloody though undeclared war of 1937-1941, and the final merging of this conflict with the world conflagration that began with Pearl Harbor (Clyde, 1958: 594). The term “Sino-” is combining form (in nouns and adjectives) Chinese (Hornby, 2005: 1426). This term come from Late Latin (Sinae), Arabic (aş-şīn), Sanskrit (cina), and Mandarin (qín). Based on Clyde‟s passage, the Second Sino-Japanese War is a military conflict in order to resist the aggression of the Empire of Japan to over dominate China by the Republic of China.

7

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

Th. Enny Anggraini in essay entitled “End Justifies the Means: The Hysteria of Witch Hunting A Socio-historical Study on Milles‟s The Crucible and Poetry‟s Tituba of Salem Village” in Phenomena Journal of Language and Literature Vol. 8 No. 2 October 2004 writes,

Historical facts are renewed for being the source of the writing of many literary works. Many works have been written based on big events that happened on earth: the Great Wars – Civil War, the First World War, the Second World War, The Vietnam War-; the Great Disasters: the Holocaust, the Sinking of the Titanic, The eruption of the Krakatoa, and such kinds of events. By knowing the history of such significant, people are expected to learn something in order that good events will continue to happen and to stop bad ones from happening again (2004: 9).

From the foregoing quotation, the socio-cultural historical approach is appropriate in order to analyze many works that are related with historical facts of big events which are happened on earth, such as the World War, the eruption of Krakatoa. She also explains that if human beings understand the historical facts that contain the conditions of certain time and place, they are expected to be better creatures in the future.

Another quotation comes from David Pringle in www. guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 April 2009 entitled “Obituary: JG Ballard” that describes about the author of the novel, J. G. Ballard. He writes,

Esteemed for his wayward imagination and his ability to create a distinctively Ballardian world, his fiction moved through various

phases while remaining instantly recognisable. … Another decade on and he reemerged as a great novelist of the second world war experience with Empire of the Sun, shortlisted for the Booker prize and winning his widest-ever public (www.guardian.co.uk, 27 July 2012).

The overhead quotation describes J. G. Ballard as a great novelist who can create an inimitable world of fiction. Pringle says that J. G. Ballard has the ability to combine imaginations and experiences in order to create a fiction through various phases, but easily recognizable. Pringle‟s review is substantiated by J. G. Ballard‟s works about that win some awards and prizes in literature. One of his eminent works is the novel Empire of the Sun, which portrays the experiences of the Second World War in China as the inclusion of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The quotation about the novel Empire of the Sun is described by Golancz in The Guardian entitled “Empire of The SunReviews of 'Empire of The Sun' by JG Ballard”. He writes,

His new novel Empire of the Sun, however, deserves to be considered quite apart from his former work, not least because it marks a decisive break with his past reputation as essentially a science fiction writer. … Indeed, it could be said that if there is still room for a masterpiece about the Second World War, then this is it - and like other

masterpieces it gains its initial effect in standing at a slightly oblique and unexpected angle to its subject matter (www.guardian.co.uk, 27 July 2012).

From the above quotation, the novel Empire of the Sun deserves to be a masterpiece amongst works of literature that are related with the Second World War as its theme. Even J.G. Ballard is a science-fiction writer; he can create a work that is related with the real conditions in the world. It is because

he can combine between his imaginations and his experiences about the conditions of the Second World War in China as the inclusion of the Second Sino-Japanese War that he experienced in China when he was a child. Golancz says the novel Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard is unique because this novel has a slightly oblique and an unexpected angle to its subject matters.

The last quotation comes from Exam Center of skoool.ie interactive learning. This quotation explains about the content of the novel Empire of the Sun. This quotation describes “Ballard's fiction is concerned with catastrophe and dystopia - that is, the opposite of utopia. He explores the physical and mental decay of his characters in landscapes of terrible urban destruction and environmental decay” (www.skoool.ie, 30 July 2012). From this quotation, the novel Empire of the Sun has been studied by some researchers. They say that this novel is unique because it does not like J.G. Ballard‟s other novels, this novel represents the catastrophe and dystopia, a condition when or where everything is as bad as possible it can be. This novel represents that everything is bad based on the author‟s childhood experiences during the Second World War in China as the inclusion of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Setting

The first significant theory is the theory of setting. According to this theory, the writer can see the period in time or place of the story and daily manner or environment of the character. The setting can explain more clearly about the social conditions that are related with the time and place which are experienced by the character‟s senses in the novel.

According to Roberts and Jacobs, “setting refers to the natural and artificial scenery or environment in which characters in literature live and move, together with the things they use” (1989: 229). In this quotation, they describe that setting is differentiated into two which are natural setting and artificial setting. Natural setting focuses on nature and artificial setting focuses on everything that is built by human. They also describe the function of setting as a place for characters in literature to do their activities, like live and move. Based on their quotation, the writer can divide two kinds of setting. The first one is natural setting, that represents about the natural place and time in real world; and the second one is artificial setting, which represents every place or time which constructs by human beings in real world.

According to Kenney, setting of a novel can be perceived from four elements. He writes,

They may be listed under for headings: (1) the actual geographical location, including topography, scenery, even the details of a room‟s exterior; (2) the occupation and modes of day-to-day existence of the characters; (3) the time in which the action takes place, e.g., historical period, season of the year; (4) the religious, moral, intellectual social, and emotional environment of the characters. (1966: 40)

According to Kenney‟s description, elements of setting usually consist of place, habit, time, and background of the character in a fiction. These elements are important parts to build a fiction, in this case a novel. This quotation also explains that the elements of setting can be used as sources to analyze a novel, especially a novel which is related with social conditions in a certain time and place. The writer can comprehend and use these important elements to analyze the novel.

By using the theory of setting, the writer can learn and comprehend the period in time or the place in which the events of a story are said to occur and the character exists. It is because the setting compiles many elements that build a fiction. The writer can understand the social conditions in the society by observing them from the elements that are illustrated by the setting in the novel.

2. The Relationship between Literature and Society

The final theory necessary for the analysis in this study is the relationship between literature and society. Using this theory, the writer can see the connection between literature and society, like what create them; why they are important; and how they support each other in order to answer the main problems by using this theory. This theory is used because the social conditions that are experienced by the author happen inside a society. By understanding the experiences represented by the author in his novel, the

writer can comprehend the social conditions that occur in a certain time and place in this novel during the Second Sino-Japanese in China.

The first quotation about this theory is described by Wellek and Warren. They describe the relationship between literature, imagination, and experiences of human beings. They write,

At its finest, this conception of „literary history‟ requires an effort of imagination, of „empathy‟, of deep congeniality with a past age or a vanished taste. Successful efforts have been made to reconstruct the general outlook on life, the attitudes, conceptions, prejudices, and underlying assumptions of many civilizations (1942: 41).

From the preceding quotation, literary history, or literature that contains history, takes effort for its comprehension. The comprehension is the imagination of empathy about a deep congeniality with a past age or a vanished taste. It means that to understand about the concept of literary history, the writer shall have an imagination. This imagination is necessitated to form empathy. From the empathy, the writer can establish the deep comprehension about the condition. If the writer‟s efforts are successful, the writer can reconstruct the general outlook from the work of literature that is created by the author. Some general outlooks that can be seen are life, attitudes, conceptions, prejudices, and assumptions of civilization (society) that are represented by the author in the novel and analyzed by the writer.

The last quotation by Wellek and Warren describes literature as the representation of life. They write,

But, furthermore, literature „represent‟ „life‟; and „life‟ is, in large measure, a social reality, even though the national world and the inner or subjunctive world of the individual have also been objects of literary „imitation‟. The poet himself is a member of society,

possessed of a specific social status: he receives some degree of social recognition and reward; he addressed an audience, however hypothetical (1942: 94).

The previous quotation explains literature “represent life”. It means that literature is a mirror or reflection that is required by the author to distribute his ideas or experiences. Life in this context is the social reality (social condition). Life also takes the individual as the object of imitation in literary work. The literary work possesses or contains a specific social status that is established in a certain time and place, such as society. This literary work obtains some recognitions and rewards because of what contains inside of it, even though it is abstract at first, like idea or experience. According to Wellek and Warren‟s explanation, the writer comprehends that novel is an imitation of the real world. It represents the real world in the other forms, like a literary form. Though the literary work is consisting of ideas or experiences that represent by the author, the writer can understand about the author‟s certain conditions that want to be shared to the readers through his work.

By using this theory, the writer can comprehend that work of literature is a representation of the author‟s ideas or experiences. The writer can perceive and comprehend the social conditions that occur in a certain time and place from the ideas or experiences that are illustrated in his novel.

C. Review on the Society of China, the Chinese Civil War, and the

Second Sino-Japanese War and the Second World War in China

1. The Society in China

Chinese government was difficult to predict. After the fall of the Chinese empire, the Republic of China that was built by Sun Yat-sen was separated into two big parties: Nationalist and Communist party. Since the era of Chinese empire, the land of China had been separated into some domination areas which were controlled by the warlords and also the Westerners who deal the treaty with the Empire of China.

Tung Chi-ming wrote that “It sent representatives to sue for peace and the result was the signing on board a British warship on August 29, 1842 of the Sino-British Treaty of Nanking” (1959: 216). This treaty was one of many treaties signed by the two countries, Empire of China and British, in order to create a peace agreement after the first opium war. As the redemption China must open their strategic city, such as Shanghai to British trade and allow British to establish settlements in China.

According to Clyde, in 1853 there were only 500 Chinese residents in Shanghai International Settlement and most of them were servants and shopkeepers. In the same years, Chinese authority in areas adjacent to the settlement having broken down completely as a result of the rebellions and civil war, the foreign area was soon swarming with homeless and often destitute Chinese refugees. To avoid and protect from rebellion and civil war, the community, which consisted of foreigners, established its own national

laws and jurisdictions degree of unity under a municipal constitution and it was approved by consular authorities. Based on that constitution, the Shanghai International Settlement was placed under an elected and exclusively foreign municipal council (1958: 133-134).

According to Bain, another power which ties to over dominate China land was the Empire of Japan. The Japanese established a new Chinese regime which was not anti-Japanese in order to establish the allegiance with the Chinese. This government was established in Peking on 1937 and trusted to Wang Ching-wei as one member in the highest post of Kuomintang by the Empire of Japan (1958: 598).

According to Latourette, since the ancient time agriculture had been the major occupation of the Chinese. Even though most of the Chinese were supported by their occupations in agriculture as farmers, there were other occupations which are done by the Chinese, like merchants, traders, artisans, blacksmiths, and restaurant-keepers (1951: 558-559). These kinds of occupations thrived after the contact with the West. The West had made their own city from China old city to support their live (Latourette, 1951: 572). The considerable percentage of agriculture was an interesting sum. This condition had made many farmers‟ live difficult. Many of these farmers changed their occupation into labors in the West industry (Latourette, 1951: 575).

The nature of the earliest religion in China was monotheism and it was later corrupted by polytheism and by the worship of the ancestors and spirits

residing in various natural objects (Latourette, 1951: 607). Latourette also inscribes the development of religion in China. He wrote,

Others – and this is the present tendency – believe that the theistic elements in some of the ancient literary remains were late accretion and that the primitive faith was probably a mixture of animism, including the worship of ancestors, and for reverence for forces and objects of nature (1951: 607).

The overhead quotation describes the nature of the philosophy and religion that represent the live of the Chinese. Religion is one of many aspects that reflected in the characteristic of the Chinese.

Latourette inscribes that the outstanding characteristic of Chinese civilizations had been its emphasis upon social relations. Chinese philosophy had had as a leading objective the maintenance of an orderly society. The basic and the most characteristic Chinese institution had been and was the family. It had had a leading part in economic life, social control, moral education, and government. The members of a family had been supposed to stand by one another in trial and distress” (1951: 665-666). The tied binding the family together had been prominent and enduring. There are some important functions of the family. First of all, the family had been perpetuated the honors to ancestors stressed by Confucianism and ancient custom. Seconds, the family had constituted a kind of mutual protective association (1951: 669).

The expressions of the Chinese characteristic were reflected by recreations and amusements. There were many popular amusements for the populace in China, such as flying kites; gambling; even opium. The moderate

use of opium had been very widespread and excessive indulgence in every aspect of society, like moral, physical, and financial. The other types of recreation had been feasting as accompany of many social events, such as weddings; watching processions; reading novels and stories; singing with or without the accompaniment of musical instruments; retailing and exchange gossips; resorting to clairvoyant; watching marionettes and jugglers; attending village fairs, visiting temples, automatic writing through what corresponds to the planchette; and simply frequenting crowded places (Latourette, 1951: 696-699).

From these characteristics, the society in China was consisted of many complex elements. These characteristics established the society and gave the manifestation to the society itself in order to designate China.

2. Nationalist-Communist Civil War

The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between Kuomintang (KMT) as the leader of the Nationalist Government of Republic of China and China Communist Party (CCP) for the control of territory since 1927 until 1950, which led into two de facto states: the Republic of China in Taiwan and People‟s Republic of China in Mainland China both claimed as legitimate government of China. This war was the depiction of an ideological rived between Kuomintang which indicated nationalism and China Communist Party which indicated communism.

The following quotation by Tung Chi-ming inscribes the reason why the civil war was inevitable. He wrote,

that the Communist be not allowed to occupy more than one-third of the post of executive members in the higher Kuomintang organization; that no Communist be appointed directors of the Kuomintang‟s central departments; and that no Kuomintang member be allowed to join Communist Party (1959: 337-338).

The political and ideological contradictions occurring between these two parties created a conflict. This conflict was continued into an ideological war and also a physical war. The other Tung Chi-ming‟s quotation inscribes the conditions of the people who were involved in this war. He wrote that “the Kuomintang carried out a ferocious slaughter of the Communist and other revolutionary people. Incomplete statistics put the number of people killed by the Kuomintang between 1927 and 1932 at more than one million (1959: 351).

Clyde inscribed that the Civil War between Nationalist and Communist Party could not be avoided. Clyde Stated,

The end of hostilities altered decisively the long-standing conflict within China between the Nationalist and the Communist, and also the bearing of this internal struggle on international affairs. The most immediate change – the removal of Japanese military power by surrender – opened the way for a violent competitive scramble between Nationalist and Communist to take over Japanese-occupied China, …

As the hope for a coalition between the National government and the Communist become more remote. Hurley became more sympathetic to the position taken by the Kuomintang and exerted less pressure on the national Government to reform its administration (Clyde, 1958: 783-784).

Based on Clyde inscription, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War is going to break in order to acquire the main leader of China.

There were many victims in this war from the militaries and common people in order to create a better future and prosperity for China. Even in its ways there, many sacrifices must be done by the people of China.

3. The Second Sino-Japanese War and the Second World War in China

The Second World War was a global military conflict which was the most devastating war, in terms lives and material destruction between the opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It began in 1939 and ended in 1945. The Second World War in China already began since 1937. This war was triggered and comprised by the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan over predominance in East Asia. It happened from 1937 until 1941.

According to O‟Neill, the Second World War in China referred to “The War of Resistance to Japanese Aggression”. There were some main factors that triggered the Second World War in China. The first factor was the Second Sino-Japanese War. This war was the resistance of Republic of China against the imperialist policy of Empire of Japan through political and military to seize the raw material reserves and economic resources. This war occurred in some cities in China, such as Tsinan and Shanghai. The second was the Empire of Japan‟s influences in internal and external jurisdiction in China, such as the establishment of Manchukuo and the occupation of some cities in China by Japanese troops. The third was the domination and territory

controls of Empire of Japan as the member of Axis power in Asia. This was approved by the Axis faction with the Treaty of Versailles which granted the Empire of Japan an absolute control over Asia. The domination of Empire of Japan also supported by the overthrown of Russia by Japan in China land and as the compensation, Empire of Japan took over the control of Russia in China land (1987: 150).

The Second Sino-Japanese War became the main crucial factor of the Second World War in Asia. Tung Chi-ming inscribed “On July 7, 1937, the Japanese launched their attack on Lukouchiao (Marco Polo Bridge) southwest of Peking. The Chinese troops stationed there put up a strong resistance” (1959: 387). This incident was the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the trigger of the Second World War in Asia.

The other quotation came from Bain. He inscribed the condition of the people during the Second Sino-Japanese War. He wrote,

By this time, the defeated Chinese defenders were demonized and might have been captured or wiped out had not the victorious Japanese forces indulged in an orgy of raping, looting, and destruction. As a result, Chiang found time to reorganize his force in order to retreat (1958: 156).

The Second Sino-Japanese War became worldwide when the Empire of Japan attacked and occupied Shanghai in 1941 as the signal that the Second World War was begun. A quotation by CovWarkCSVActionDesk in WW2 People‟s War An achieve of World War Two memories – written by the public gathered by BBC entitled “Life in Occupied Shanghai – 1941” described the conditions in Shanghai in 1941 during Japanese troops occupation. He wrote,

At about 4am in the morning, we heard heavy gunfire from the Japanese cruiser H.I.J.M.S Izumo which sank the American gunboat U.S.S Wake and H.M.S Petrel, it was the signal that the Pearl Harbour attack was on.

The Japanese army, now not only controlled their own little sector, but the whole of Shanghai except for the French Settlement as the French were now under the Vichy Government which was allied to the Axis Powers, Germany, Italy and Japan.

All the allied nations were not permitted to work or go to places of entertainment and had to wear a red arm-band with a number and initial of their nationality so they could be picked up if they caused any trouble (www.bbc.co.uk, 7 September 2012).

Clyde‟s described that the Second Sino-Japanese War created many suffering for the Chinese in China. He inscribed,

Basic in China‟s declining war effort by 1943 was the fact that the Chinese people had been worn sown and disillusioned by six years of war. Millions had lost their homes and all their worldly possessions. .... There was a steady deterioration in economic life and a growing paralysis within the governmental administrative hierarchy. …

No phase of China‟s war economy escaped the effects of these disastrous conditions. Where famine was added to the shortages of war, the peasantry took to arms to disarm their own soldiers (1958: 687-688).

The Second World War which was triggered and Comprised by the Second Sino-Japanese War had taken too many lives. Many violations of human rights happened to the people during these incidents, especially the people who did not understand about the purpose of these incidents. These wars were the great disasters which had been happened in China.

D. Theoretical Framework

This part explains about the usage of the theories to answer the problem formulation. Some of theories are required to analyze the social conditions in the novel related to the social conditions in the real world. There

are two theories that are used to analyze this thesis. They are the theory of setting and the relationship between society and literature.

The first is the theory of setting. This theory is used by the writer to analyze the social conditions from the setting in the novel. The writer wants to compare the social conditions in the novel with the real world. This theory describes that setting is the period in time or the place in which the events of a story are said to occur and the character exists or takes place, such as event, location, and year. The setting is important to analyze history and social aspect because literary interest contains historical and sociological aspect of certain time and place. The writer uses this theory because it is appropriate to perceive and compare of the setting between the novel and the real world. This theory can be used to perceive the conditions which are encountered by the character in the novel. By perceiving from the social conditions that are experienced by the character in the novel, the writer can comprehend the real social conditions that really occur in a certain time and place, especially which are encountered by the authors in his life (experiences in society).

The second theory is the relationship between literature and society. This theory is used to find out and comprehend the social conditions in the novel and the social conditions in the real world. The writer uses this theory by perceiving the experiences of the author that are revealed through the main character and their relationship with the social conditions occurring in a certain time and place. Literature is an expression and reflection of society (an „imitation‟ of life). Based on this depiction, this theory can be used to

substantiate this thesis. This theory is used to reconstruct the social conditions in a certain time and place. From the reconstruction, the writer can comprehend the real social conditions experienced by the author, especially the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

24

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The novel entitled Empire of the Sun was written by the British author named James Graham Ballard or well-known as J. G. Ballard. This novel was published by Grafton Books in London in 1984. This novel has 351 pages long, containing forty two chapters. These chapters are divided into four parts. Empire of the Sun reveals the struggle of a British boy named James “Jim” Graham in the city of Shanghai, China during the Second World War in China as the inclusion of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The main theme of this novel is the conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The setting of this novel is Shanghai city, one of the biggest port cities in China. The setting of this novel is manufactured setting because the setting is established from the designs of human beings, like buildings. This novel is categorized into Semi auto-biographical novel. It is because this novel based on the experiences that were really encountered by the author, with some fictional additions from the author‟s imaginations.

The plot of Empire of the Sun is created in sequence and the structure was formal. It is because the story of the novel follows the formal construction from exposition until resolution. The conflict occurs when the city of Shanghai is invaded by Japanese troops. The narrator is the author himself. The point of view in this novel is third person omniscient. The author uses

neutral and denotation style to represent the story. He also structures this novel by using straight forward narrative; even in some story the author retell the experiences of the main character in the past time.

Empire of the Sun gained Guardian First Book Award and James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1984. J. G. Ballard also gained an award as the famous science fiction writer in 1960s until 1970s. The novel Empire of the Sun was adapted into a motion picture with the same titled by Steven Spielberg in 1987. Besides the novel Empire of the Sun, Ballard also wrote many other works such as novels, short stories, essays and book reviews.

The novel Empire of the Sun tells about a 10 years-old British boy named James “Jim” Graham or Jamie who lived in Shanghai around 1930s until 1940s. There are many things in this city, from the high class mall to the broken small beggar‟s house, from the colonizer to the colonized, from the leader of government to the leader of liberation. As far as Jim lived in this city, he felt the stratification that separated the citizen of Shanghai into certain classes, like the Westerners; the Japanese; and the Chinese as the native. This stratification was created since a long time ago, even before Jim was born and these kinds of classes still continued in his era. Jim always enjoyed his life, even though he lived in that terrible era.

Jim‟s journey began after the Japanese invaded Shanghai in 1941. In that chaos condition, Jim struggled to maintain his life. It was because he had to live by himself. He was separated from his parents because they were caught and sent to a prisoner camp by the Japanese troops during their

invasion in Shanghai. Jim had to interact with the people around him to survive in this terrible condition. As the main character, Jim saw everything based on his perspective as a child. He had a dream to join with Japan air force, better than joined the British Royal Air Force. As a child, he was naïve and saw everything without any repression from any ideologies. Jim also felt the resistant war that was done by the Chinese army and supported by the Allies faction versus the Japanese as the Axis faction.

At the end of the story, Jim and all prisoners were set free from the Japanese aggression after the atomic bombs were fell down in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan. The Empire of Japan surrendered to Allies forces and the Second World War as the inclusion of the Second Sino-Japanese ended. Even though the Second World War had brought to an end, the war inside China still continued and no doubt, Jim felt that the city of Shanghai had changed into a terrible city because there was no peace at all.

B. Approach of the Study

Sociocultural-historical approach is used to analyze the novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard. This approach is ideal to describe and actually supported to analyze the work of literature that contains the social conditions occurring in a certain time and place. From the explanation, sociocultural-historical approach is essential to the main purposes that will be used by the writer to analyze the novel. There are some conditions which can

be analyzed by this approach, such as social, culture, and history. According to Rohrberger and Woods, they describe,

Critics whose major interest is the sociocultural-historical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and point out that literature takes these attitudes and actions as its subject matter. They feel, therefore, that it is necessary that the critic investigate the social millennium which a work was created and which it necessarily reflects (1971: 9).

From their depiction, sociocultural-historical approach locates the work based on reference which is constructed by the civilization. Based on this approach, they define that civilization contains attitudes and actions of some specific groups of people. From the attitudes and actions, the author creates a work of literature, so directly or not, the work of literature will contain the reflection of civilization. This approach is really ideal to criticize and investigate the social millennium (matters) which is created and reflected by the work, especially a literary work.

The reason sociocultural-historical approach is chosen as the main approach is because the main problems of this thesis are to reveal and to develop the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War based on the novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard. This approach can comprehend the real social conditions which are really encountered by the author in form of literary work, especially a novel. By using this approach, the writer can comprehend the real social conditions that are encountered and experienced by the author.

C. Method of the Study

The writer used library research in order to collect all data which were appropriate to support the thesis. The writer selected this method because the data were found in library, without any field research.

The primary source was the novel by James Graham Ballard, Empire of the Sun. The second sources were the theory books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, essays, and files from the internet. These data were combined in order to analyze the problems that were formulated in the first chapter.

There were some steps done by the writer to do the analysis. The first step was selecting the novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard as the main project of the thesis. The writer was selecting the theories which were theory of setting and the relationship of literature and society and the approach which was sociocultural-historical approach to support the analysis. The novel, theories, and approach were studied to comprehend the significance of the social conditions. The seconds was collecting data from many sources to support the thesis. The writer acquired the sources from library. The sources were dictionaries, encyclopedias, essays, guidelines, past thesis, reviews, theory books, and some files from the internet. From these data, the writer could comprehend and compare the primary sources with the data. The thirds was the writer attempted to carry out the thesis. The writer inscribed the theories, approaches, and studies to answer the problem formulation that had been set up in the first chapter. The final step was concluding the analysis which had been done before.

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter depicts the analysis of the problems that has been formulated in the previous chapter. The analysis is divided into two main parts. The first part is to reveal the experiences of James “Jim” Graham based on the settings in the novel. The second part is to compare and comprehend the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War based on the setting of the experiences of James “Jim” Graham in the novel and the settings in the reality.

A. James “Jim” Graham’s Experiences Related to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China

The first part analyzes the experiences of the main character of the novel Empire of the Sun, James “Jim” Graham, during the Second Sino -Japanese War in China. The writer uses the theory of setting by Kenney (1966: 40) to reveal and comprehend Jim‟s experiences in the novel that support the analysis of the thesis. The writer applies the theory to attain the time or place of the story and the daily manner or general environment of the character.

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 party 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 by 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 attract 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 International 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

a. Jim‟s Experiences in Shanghai during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 until 1945

The number of beggars and refugees in China increased during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 until 1945, especially in Shanghai.

One example, when Jim‟s family is on the way to the Christmas party at Hungjao, Jim observes many beggars along Amherst Avenue. One of them brings Craven A tins box and asks for donation using it. The other beggars show their wounds and lurid. Another one is legless and he brings a wooden dumb-bell in each hand. Jim notices refugees from towns and villages pouring to Shanghai. The other view that Jim sees is the peasants that consist of adults and children that bent under the bales strapped of their backs, forcing the wheels with their hands. Jim also notices many wooden carts and rickshaw coolies crowd the streets doing their habitual activity, like hauling at their shafts, chanting, and spitting, veins as thick as fingers clenched into the meats of their swollen calves. Petty clerks push bicycles load with mattresses, charcoal stoves, and sacks of rice. Jim feels sorry for this people, but he cannot do anything because it is very common in Shanghai during that time (Ballard, 1984: 21-22). These people are pouring into Shanghai because they want to find another chance to maintain their life. The condition during that time is very difficult because many Chinese have lost their wealth and occupation. Their own government cannot help them because they are fighting against their own rivals and China is controlled by the foreigners who never care about the native people.

b. Jim‟s Experiences when Surviving Alone in Demolished Shanghai after the Invasion in 8 December 1941

The cruelty that is committed by the Japanese is also seen from the way they treated the refugees who are camping outside the prisoner camp. The other days in the prisoner camp, Jim has a conversation with Mr. Maxted. They are chatting until they reach the kitchen beside the guard house. They are ready to queue with other hundreds prisoners to get a food for today. From their queue line, Jim can observe some of the groups of thirty Chinese refugees that camp outside the gates which are protected by barb-wired. They consist of destitute peasants and villagers, soldiers from the puppet armies and abandoned children. They are not permitted by the Japanese to get in. Jim notices that they have already there since three months ago. Jim usually sees some of these refugees force to climb through the wire at night to get some foods. He also notices that for some refuges that are captured will be clubbed to death in the bank by the Japanese. Jim realizes that they will never be admitted by the Japanese to get in and Jim is afraid if they will stay until they die (Ballard, 1984: 179-180). This condition happens after a long war in China. These refugees do not have anything to survive. Sometimes some of them try to get some foods from the camp and many of them die trying because they are killed by the Japanese with cruelty.

c. Jim‟s Experiences to Lunghua Prisoner Camp after being Captured by the Japanese Soldiers after the Invasion on Shanghai in 1941

China is famous with their traditionalism from every aspect. Some of the traditions are seen from the occupations they have and the goods they produce. This tradition is seen when Jim surrenders to the Japanese after the invasion into Shanghai. He and other Western prisoners are brought to a prisoner camp at Lunghua by the Japanese military. They pass through Chapei area. This area is the industrial suburb of the northern Shanghai which contains tenement and derelict cotton mills. Jim sees the platoons of the Chinese puppet troop patrol around the area and he smells the foetid air of human‟s fertilizer as the effect of the invasion.

Were they lost? For an hour, as they trundled through the industrial suburbs of Northern Shanghai, …

The endless street of Chapei ran fast, an area of tenements and derelict cotton mills, police barracks and shanty towns built on the banks of black canals. They drove below the overhead conveyors of a steel works. Shuttered pawnshop stood outside the abandoned radio and cigarette factories, …

… They passed the ruin of Chapei ceramic works, … (Ballard, 1984: 126-127).

From the above quotation, Chapei area was a place for Chinese traditional artists to produce many famous ceramic works before the Second Sino Japanese war in 1937. The Westerners built an industrial area in this place after this place was destroyed during the war. These ceramic artists who lost their occupation then work in Westerner industry as workers.

d. Jim‟s Experiences when Sightseeing around Shanghai Bund Two Months after the Second World War is Over

Jim wants to see the change in Shanghai after the Second World War is over. He walks down from SS Arrawa to the Shanghai Bund. He notices that Shanghai is more overcrowded than before the Second World War. He sees thousand of Chinese, trams, limousines, jeeps and trucks of the US military, and also a horde of rickshaws and pedicabs. He also notices many American and British servicemen in and out of the hotels along the Bunds.

Beside, at the jetties along the Arrawa, Jim also observes many sailors come shores from the cruisers moored in mid-river. As these sailors step from the landing craft, Jim observes the Chinese in their professions pursue these sailors. The Chinese has many kinds of profession, such as pickpocket; pimp; prostitute; bar-trout; vendor of liquor; opium dealer, gold dealer; and pedicab driver. Jim also contemplates that many American sailors who are assigned to protect the peace in Shanghai are walking away with some bar-girls.

As they step from the landing craft the Chinese surged forward, gangs of pickpockets and pedicab driver, prostitutes and bar-touts, vendors hawking bottles of home-brew Johnny Walker, gold dealers and opium traders, the evening citizenry of Shanghai in all its black silk, fox fur and flash. …

Their arm around the bar-girls screaming obscenities at the sleek Chinese pimps in their pre-war Packard, down from the blocks in the back-alley garages of the Nanking road (Ballard, 1984: 345).

These kinds of professions have settled in China since a long time ago. Many of the Chinese are working in trading and commerce businesses. Jim observes many traders in Shanghai who are trading many kinds of goods and services to the customers.

many interesting in Shanghai, such as the traditional cultures of Chinese. In the morning, Jim and his parents surprised because the Japanese has invaded Shanghai as the continuation for their bombing the Pearl Harbor. The invasion begins with the attacks on USS Wake and HMS Petrel by Japanese Cruiser Idzumo. Jim is separated with his parents in this incident. He gets himself sober in the hospital without his parents.

Jim‟s next experience is when he must survive by himself in the

middle of demolished Shanghai that has been occupied by Japanese. Jim tries to back to his house at Amherst Avenue, but he cannot find his parents there. He realizes that he is alone now and to survive he must struggle by himself. He starts to find some foods in his house and in other places around Shanghai, especially at the abandoned houses and apartments. Jim also tries to surrender to the Japanese military, but they do not care about Jim and sometimes they leave some foods for him. Jim meets with Basie and Frank after he runs out of his supplies. He lives with them and sometimes Basie likes to teach Jim about the cultures of the Chinese.

Jim‟s following experience is when he surrenders to the Japanese and

is brought to Lunghua prisoner camp. He thinks he can survive and maybe find his parents there. Instead, he meets other western prisoners like Dr. Ransome, Mr. Maxted, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent in this camp. He learns much in

this camp. He helps as Dr. Ransome‟s assistance that treats other prisoners in

the camp hospital. Jim also witnesses the Second World War through this camp. He sees the battle between the Japanese and the Chinese consisting of

Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) and Communist Party. He notices that the Chinese is supported by the Allied Faction in order to defeat the Japanese and to get rid of the Communist Party from important spots in China. Jim is not always in this camp when the war happens. He and other prisoners also try to save themselves from the war by running away to the save place, but what Jim sees is the terrible condition all over the places.

Jim‟s last experience is when the Second World War is over. Jim and

his parents back to Shanghai and he finds out that this city is worse than before. He observes that many American and British military come to Shanghai and do whatever they like. He also notices that the Communist Party has been got rid of Shanghai by Nationalist party and Allies faction. Jim also sees many refugees of the war that still live with uncertainty in the city no matter their profession are. Before Jim and his mother back to

Appendix 2: Biography of James Graham Ballard

James Graham Ballard was born in Shanghai, China on 15 November 1930. He was an English novelist, short story writer, and essayist. His writing is powerfully influenced by science fiction and fantasy. He explores contemporary concern about impending environmental catastrophe and the effect on human nature of the ascendancy of technological processes. His works usually resembles or suggestive of his conditions, such as dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes, and the psychological effects of technological; social; or environmental developments.

Ballard was raised in Shanghai International Settlement during the Second Sino-Japanese War. His father works as a Chemist at textile firm and gets a higher position in his firm in Shanghai. Jim lives with his parents and his little sister after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 as the signal of the beginning of the Second World War. They were eventually became prisoners there until being liberated by American army.

Ballard and his family left China and back to England in 1946 when he was sixteen. He spent two years from 1949 to 1951 studying medicine at the University of Cambridge. He was working in various Jobs before he was joining with Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1954 to 1957. He worked as scientific journal writer for six years before became a full-time author after discharge from RAF in 1957.

Ballard married Mary Helen Mathew in 1953 and had three Children. His wife died because of Pneumonia in 1964. He had took care their children

by himself since his wife died and he never remarried. Ballard was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, in which he died in London on 19 April 2009 at aged 78.

Ballard‟s works were influenced by his experiences since he was a

child. His works made a “New Wave” movement that creates a new taste in literary movement history. He wrote some famous novels like Empire of the Sun which was filmed by Steven Spielberg in 1987 and Crash which was filmed by David Cronoberg in 1996. His other novels such as The Drowned World (1962), The Win from Nowhere (1962), The Drought (1965), The Crystal World (1966), Concrete Island (1974), High-Rise (1975), The Unlimited Dream Company (1977), Hello America (1981), The Kindness of Women (1991), The Day of Creation (1987), Running Wild (1988), Rushing to Paradise (1994), Cocaine Nights (1996), Super-Cannes (2000), Millennium People (2003), and Kingdom Come (2006). The other works were short story such as The voices of Time (The Four-Dimensional Nightmare), The terminal Beach, The day of Forever, The Venus Hunters (The Overloaded Man), The Disaster Area, Vermillion Sands, The Best Science Fiction of J G Ballard, Low-Flying Aircraft, Myths of the Near Future. He received many awards and prizes, such as Guardian First Book Award and James Tait Black Memorial prize.

Source: < http://www.BrothersJudd.com> (14 July 2012) < http://www.enotes.com> (14 July 2012)

xi ABSTRACT

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN. The Social Conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War Seen through Jim’s Experiences in James Graham Ballard’s Empire of the Sun. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2013.

The novel Empire of the Sun by James Graham Ballard illustrates the adventure of a British boy named James “Jim” Graham in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War around 1930s until 1940s. This novel elucidates the social conditions in China occurring during that time based on the settings in the novel as the experiences perceived by Jim as the main character.

The main objectives of this thesis are to reveal and comprehend the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. There are two main problems to analyze in order to complete the thesis. The first is to

reveal Jim‟s experiences based on the settings in the novel which are related

to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. The second is to comprehend the social conditions during the Second Sino-Japanese War in China which are revealed through Jim‟s experiences.

The writer conducted a library research to collect all data appropriate to the completion of the thesis. For the analysis, the writer applied the Sociocultural-historical approach and two theories: theory of setting and the relationship between literature and society. The other data used were cited from dictionaries, encyclopedias, essays, and reviews about the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1930s to 1940s.

The result of the research reveals the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War that is portrayed in James Graham Ballard‟s Empire of the Sun. The first finding is the settings in the novel illustrating and relating to the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. The second finding is the settings in the novel reveal and represent the social conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, elucidating three subjects: political states which denote the conflicts and wars between powerful factions and the domination of other nations in China; economic situations which denote the professions of the Chinese, poverty, and famine in China during that time; and social cultural circumstances which denote the stratification in China, the Chinese Cultures, and malice in China during that time.

xii ABSTRAK

SADANA MAHARJA HENDRAWAN. The Social Conditions in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War Seen through Jim’s Experiences in James Graham Ballard’s Empire of the Sun. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2013.

Novel Empire of the Sun oleh James Graham Ballard menceritrakan perjalanan seorang anak berkebangsaan Inggris bernama James “Jim” Graham di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua sekitar tahun 1930an sampai 1940an. Novel ini memaparkan keadaan-keadaan sosial yang terjadi di masa itu berdasarkan pada pengalaman Jim sebagai karakter utama.

Tujuan utama dari skripsi ini adalah memaparkan dan memahami kondisi-kondisi sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua. Terdapat dua permasalahan yang di analisis dengan tujuan menyelesaikan skripsi ini. Masalah pertama ialah memaparkan pengalaman-pengalaman Jim berdasarkan pada setting-setting di dalam novel yang berkaitan dengan perang China-Jepang yang kedua di China. Masalah kedua ialah memahami keadaan-keadaan sosial selama waktu itu sesuai dengan yang dipaparkan oleh pengalaman-pengalaman Jim.

Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka dalam pengumpulan data-data yang tepat untuk menyelesaikan skripsi ini. Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiokultur-histori dan dua teori yaitu teori setting dan hubungan antara literatur dan masyarakat. Data-data yang lain adalah kamus, ensiklopedia, essai, dan tulisan tentang keadaan-keadaan sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua dari tahun 1930an sampai 1940an.

Hasil dari penelitian ini memaparkan keadaan-keadaan sosial di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua seperti yang digambarkan oleh James Graham Ballard dalam novelnya Empire of the Sun. Penemuan pertama adalah setting-setting di dalam novel menceritrakan dan berkaitan dengan perang China-Jepang yang kedua di China. Penemuan kedua adalah setting-setting di dalam novel memaparkan dan menjelaskan kondisi-kondisi social di China selama perang China-Jepang yang kedua dan memaparkan tiga pokok yaitu keadaan-keadaan politik yang menjelaskan konflik-konflik dan perang-perang antara pihak-pihak penguasa dan dominasi dari Negara-negara lain di China; keadaan-keadaan ekonomi yang menjelaskan jenis-jenis mata pencaharian masyarakat China, kemiskinan, dan kelaparan di China selama waktu itu; dan keadaan-keadaan sosial budaya yang menjelaskan pembagian kelas-kelas di China, budaya-budaya di China, dan kekejaman di China selama waktu itu.