Boy Quote by J.G. Ballard
““Jim watched them eat, his eyes fixed on every morsel that entered their mouth. When the oldest of the four soldiers had finished he scraped some burnt rice and fish scales from the side of the cooking pot. A first-class private of some forty years, with slow, careful hands, he beckoned Jim forward and handed him his mess tin. As they smoked their cigarettes the Japanese smiled to themselves, watching Jim devour the shreds of fatty rice. It was his first hot food since he had left he hospital, and the heat and greasy flavour stung his gums. Tears swam in his eyes. The Japanese soldier who had taken pity on Jim, recognising that this small boy was starving, began to laugh good-naturedly, and pulled the rubber plug from his metal water-bottle. Jim drank the clear, chlorine-flavoured liquid, so unlike the stagnant water in the taps of the Columbia Road. He choked, carefully swallowed his vomit, and tittered into his hands, grinning at the Japanese. Soon they were all laughing together, sitting back in the deep grass beside the drained swimming-pool.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Atrocity Exhibition, 1970
A starving boy receives food and water from enemy soldiers, creating a brief, uneasy camaraderie amid war.
In simple terms: Enemy soldiers share food, forming a fleeting bond.
Key Takeaway
Even in conflict, humanity can surface.
Themes
war
humanity
survival
compassion
camaraderie
Mood
bitanchored
hopeful
Type
narrative
reflective
humanistic
When to use this quote
- battlefield
- prisoner of war
- refugee camp
- post‑war recovery
Key Concepts
empathy
shared vulnerability
psychological relief
Questions to Reflect On
- How does shared hardship change perceptions of the enemy?
- What does this moment reveal about human needs?
A Different Perspective
The scene may romanticize suffering and ignore broader brutality.
