Through animation in Birthday boy and the narrative in Empire of the Sun, both creators are able to present the universal characteristic of childhood of being naive and innocent. Jim’s lifestyle depicts a life without hardship or loss. His carefree attitude towards living and ignorance to his surroundings is what shows his innocence. Similarly Manuk’s actions do not suggest that he has gone through any hardships. However Manuk’s fantasy of aspiring to be a soldier like his father contradicts with Jim’s view of not dealing with grim realities of war. Jim compares war to his empty pool and relates it to the ‘bunkers in Tsingtao, and the bloody handprints of the maddened German gunners.’ This statement has elements of denial and naivety as he