Main Theme - Sian Thompson

One main theme in Empire of the Sun, is how Jim's relationship and reliability on his parents changes dramatically throughout the book.
At the beginning of the story, Jim seems entirely dependent on his parents, as he has grown up as part of such a pampered, fortunate lifestyle, with his parents always being there with him and caring for him. He never had the need to be self-reliant, as there were always other people around to look after him and help him in life. He had always had a very close, stable relationship with his parents, and so the idea of having to cope without them had never even occured to him - especially as he was at such a young, naive age. But after losing his parents on the day of the attack at Pearl Harbor, things changed. He began having to do things for himself, and care for his own well-being, and use his own initiative to keep himself alive. He soon realises that his parents won't be coming back, and so he needs to learn to survive by himself, without the pampered, caring lifestyle he's so used to. He grows in mental strength, and gains knowledge which helps him along the way. He learns that to survive, he must co-operate with the Japanese, as if he were to die - they would be the ones that kill him.
As he is fully aware that he is attempting to do as much as he can to stay alive without the help of his parents - he becomes self-reliable, and attatches himself to people who he has worked out will keep him as far away from death as possible, as he knows this is his only hope.