After watching the movie, áðEmpire of the Sunáñ, I observed that the Character, Jim, had changed through out the story from a child to an adult. It was a big change to the character, because Jim was totally a boy who always relies on his parents, thinking that his parents will solve the problems for him; and now, he learned how to take care of himself and to be independent. And one of the things he learned most was that what the world outside is like, an ugly society that everyone would do anything just to get a potato.
He found out the way of life is just what it is, you have to follow the world or you will not be able to survive. The world is a place where unpredictable things will happen, just like Jim, he would never thought of working so hard just for a potato; if he hadnáït play a joke with the Morse code, he wouldnáït have gotten in to the war.
So you have to face reality, stop thinking about the pass but think about the future.
There was a scene where Jim was trying to save the Japanese pilot, which he was actually trying to save himself, acted out in a strong way because after years of hard life, he hadnáït give up yet, he was looking back at the pass, where in the end, he finally gave up. The last scene when his dad didnáït even recognize him, probably show that Jim is completely different from the start, and had changed into someone even his parents didnáït recognize. The most special thing was a suitcase that Jim threw away, the director made it a symbol of Jim, because the suitcase floated back to Shanghai, Jimáïs home, meaning that Jim have met his parents and is home.