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Empire of the Sun | Introduction

When Empire of the Sun was published in 1984, it quickly became a critical and commercial success. Many commentators regard it as one of the finest war novels ever written. In the novel, Ballard chronicles the semi-autobiographical experiences of an eleven-year-old British boy named Jim living in China during World War II.

When the fighting comes to Shanghai, Jim is separated from his parents and sent to a prison camp. It is there that he faces the harsh realities of war and learns important lessons about human nature. The novel has been praised for its vivid portrayal of the devastating effects of war and the psychology of survival as seen through the eyes of a young boy. In this moving coming-of-age tale, Jim lets go of his innocent ideas about war and heroism and in the process reveals the meaning of courage, tenacity, and faith in the endurance of the human spirit.

Empire of the Sun Summary

The novel opens on the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941, in Shanghai's International Settlement. Eleven-year-old Jamie—or Jim as he prefers to be called—his father and his mother live in a wealthy European area within the city.

With the threat of war, most of the European women and children have been evacuated to Hong Kong and Singapore. Jim's family remains. While riding his bicycle through the streets of Shanghai, he... » Complete Empire of the Sun Summary

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1. Empire of the Sun: Introduction
2. Empire of the Sun: Summary
   1. Part I Summary
   2. Part II Summary
   3. Part III Summary
3. Empire of the Sun: J. G. Ballard Biography
4. Empire of the Sun: Themes
5. Empire of the Sun: Style
6. Empire of the Sun: Historical Context
7. Empire of the Sun: Critical Overview
8. Empire of the Sun: Character Analysis
   1. Basie
   2. Jim
   3. Other Characters
9. Empire of the Sun: Essays and Criticism
   1. Point of View in Empire of the Sun
   2. A Boy Saved by the Bomb
   3. A Survivor's Narrative
10. Empire of the Sun: Topics for Further Study
11. Empire of the Sun: Media Adaptations
12. Empire of the Sun: What Do I Read Next?
13. Empire of the Sun: Bibliography and Further Reading
14. Empire of the Sun: Pictures
15. Copyright

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