Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Analysis

Jamie Ford writes “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and sweet” and the publisher of the book is Ballantine Books. They published the book in English on 1st February 2009. “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” story sets during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history. The time period of the story is after the Pearl Harbor boomed and the internment of American-Japanese families during the World War II.

What reasons does Henry offer to suggest that the British were not worthy of trust at that time?

Henry is trying to show how one’s default or natural response to the hardships they were facing at the hands of British rule might be to turn their head the other way.

To neglect society's long-established views of how one should portray one another we should d rather embrace who we are. Focusing on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which has the main protagonist who is named Henry, Henry is an American ordered to live in a Chinese community and to Chinese standards. His father is a Chinese national and has very strong believes against the Japanese, and even though his father has such strong feelings toward the Japanese Henry ignores him. This was shown when Henry fell in love with a Japanese girl, Keiko. Throughout the novel Henry would face challenging decisions which would shape his relationships with his family creating his identity. The theme that ones identity is formed through individual reflection,

Jamie Ford, the author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, wrote a story about a Chinese boy named Henry and how he fell in love with a Japanese-American girl named Keiko Okabe. Their adorable and heart wrenching love story took place at Seattle, Washington during World War II when tensions rose between Americans, Chinese, and Japanese. In the novel, Henry’s father was a traditional Chinese man who was extremely loyal to his country. Due to his strong devotion to his homeland and resentment toward Japanese people, he disapproved of his son’s friendship with Keiko. As Henry’s affection and admiration grew for Keiko, his relationship with his father suffered. Misunderstandings and built up frustrations emerged from their lack of communication. Henry struggled with communication, the key to forming a strong relationship and a UULO that is significant throughout this novel. Because of this, he had a difficult time maintaining many of his relationships, including the one with his father, Keiko and his son, Marty.

They are talking about their previous home lives. During this encounter between them, Henry explained to Keiko the reason behind why he goes to the American school. He explains, “My parents want me to get a Western education.” (24) Henry's parents know that Americans go to American schools and therefore Henry should go to an American school too. It also says in the book that his parents took him away from Chinese school. In my opinion this is so that he could be more exposed to the American way of life. This shows that Mr. Lee simply believes the American identity is based off of doing American things that include speaking English, and going to American schools. To Henry's parents this is what makes you able to identify as an American. Based on Mr. Lee's historical background and his prejudice on Americans, he believes that Americans simply speak English and go to American schools. This is what he believes American identity

Being held by your word because you make a promise, or commitment is frustrating and tough. You don’t always want to do what you promised because it could be hard, or get you into trouble. Throughout the book Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry and Keiko’s relationship comes at a cost. They make commitments that comes with sacrifices which makes them hard to keep. Through Henry and Keiko’s relationship Ford shows that commitment is difficult.

The most important theme in this book was the trials and tribulations of racism because it was woven in every part of the plot, it contributed to the conflict and resolutions, and gave the story a connection to current events, helping the reader’s comprehension.

Throughout the book, the racial tensions between the people of Japanese descent and the people of Caucasian descent are clearly evident. After World War Two, relations between Americans and Japanese Americans are strained, since the Japanese were placed in internment camps for the war. Ever since then, the people view themselves as two separate groups of people, and not as a whole population. In the trial, one fisherman makes a racist remark at Kabuo. ‘"Suckers all look alike," said Dale. "Never could tell them

     War takes a toll on people; the intensity varies from person to person. In Henry?s case, the toll was very heavy. The Henry before the war was the opposite of the post-war

1. How does the author describe racism in America towards Japan in the Second World War?

The film also provides a meaningful glimpse at how the Japanese viewed the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity sphere. The native islanders are depicted as being genial but simple peoples. Prescribing perfectly to the idea of proper place they are shown as more than willing to be the beasts of burden for the superior Japanese.

The foundations of today’s popular music were built by an unlikely source: a poor white

     Asian Americans only make up a small percent of the American population. Even more significant is that this percentage live mostly on the west and east coasts of mainland United States and Hawaii; leaving the rest of the American population to most likely get their exposures to Asians through television and movies. However the exposure they have receive throughout the history of cinematography has been hardly flattering. Throughout the course of history Asians in film have been portrayed as evil or the "yellow peril" as described by others. If Asians are not being classified as evil in this picture then they are most likely the comic relief, with their lack of coordination or grasp of the English

The broadcasting and recording industries did not solely represent the conquering racial assumptions of the 1950's, they internalized them and helped to continue them. Racial conventions permeated the organization and structure of the music industry at every level. The very existence