Influence Of Life In Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter Sweet By Jamie Ford
In the novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter Sweet, by Jamie Ford, Ford clearly depicts the strife of Asian Americans during the 1940s. The 1940s was a treacherous time for Asian Americans as a result of the recent Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Chinese American Henry Lee lived in Seattle’s Chinatown, during the 1940s. Henry frequently had exposure to prejudiced people for looking similar to the Japanese. The novel often flashes forward to the 1980s when Henry is older. Older Henry reflects on his childhood and how his friends and family have influenced his persona during his lifetime. The alterations in Henry’s life have shaped him into the character he is at the end of the novel. Henry experiences numerous significant connections throughout …show more content…
I love her. Henry paused at the thought. He didn’t even know what that was, or what it meant, but he felt it, burning in his chest—feeling fuzzy inside. Nothing else seemed to matter. Not the somber crowd of camp workers drifting to the barbed-wire gate. Not the machine guns in the towers above. (234)
Henry and Keiko tried their best to communicate with each other as long as they could, but eventually, they lost touch. Henry left Keiko knowing the true meaning of love. The type of love he was not able to receive from his father. Henry’s experiences as a child taught him about love for his future. Henry carried his experiences to his marriage with Ethel and eventually with his son, Marty.
Throughout this coming-of-age novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Ford illustrates the life of Henry Lee and his growth throughout his lifetime. Henry’s relationships during his life greatly contributed to his character today. Henry learned from his father’s actions, a personality that he did not want to portray as a person. Henry learned from his childhood father-son relationship and over time repaired his relationship with Marty. Keiko greatly influenced Henry’s outlook on love and taught him the true feelings of love. Overall, the challenges and life lessons Henry has experienced in his life guided him to become his
Racial Fault Lines Analysis
1871 Words | 8 PagesChapter six examines the anti-Chinese sentiment with the emerging class antagonism and turmoil between white capitalists and workers. The unwelcomed arrival of Chinese immigrants brought along their own social organizations such as the huiguan, fongs, and tongs. These types of social organizations secured areas of employment and housing for Chinese immigrants in California. This social structure that was unknown to Anglos led them to also categorize Chinese on the same level as Indians by depicting them as lustful heathens whom were out to taint innocent white women. These images were also perpetuated onto Chinese women, thus, also sexualizing them as all prostitutes.
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Character Analysis
1174 Words | 5 PagesHenry struggles to have a close relationship with his son Marty which may be because of
The Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Quotes
575 Words | 3 Pages"The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford is a captivating coming-of-age story that follows the life of Henry Lee, a Chinese-American boy growing up in Seattle during World War II. Throughout the novel, Henry experiences profound personal growth and self-discovery as he navigates the complexities of racial tensions, family expectations, and first love. This essay will explore how four quotes from the book exemplify the transformative journey of Henry's coming of age. Paragraph 1: In the early stages of the novel, a young Henry grapples with his dual identity as an American-born Chinese.
Examples Of Allusions In The Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet
255 Words | 2 PagesThe first allusion in the Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is when they mention Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was a U.S. naval base in Hawaii that was attacked by the Japanese in WWII. Today Pearl Harbor is now a memorial site for all the lives that were lost. This was the start of the war between the U.S. And Japan and the start of the mistaken mistrust between the U.S. And the Japanese race living in the U.S. This is shown clearly in the book when Henry the main character is hated at his school because they think he 's Japanese
Strength And Bravery In Takaki's A Different Mirror
1431 Words | 6 PagesThe reasoning behind General DeWitt for this command was because the Japanese race was an “enemy” (p.346). However, with so much discrimination against all Asian Americans, they still persevered and it is inspiring to see how individuals such as the Chinese Americans still motivated their children to gain an education. This strength and bravery can also be seen in literary works such as Edith Maud Eaton’s, “In the Land of the Free”, and in Chien-Chi Chang’s artistic work such as his portfolio, “USA. 1990s. New York’s Chinatown”. To begin with, in Eaton’s, “In the Land of the Free”, she illustrates the story of a husband and wife and their struggles and fight to gain back their child.
The Horrific Murder Of Vincent Chin
648 Words | 3 PagesThe horrific murder of Vincent Chin suggests that people are ignorant to the fact that numerous ethnic groups exist within the same “race.” They view all Asian Americans as the same race despite there being different ethnic groups, such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. As a result, anti-Japanese sentiment meant discrimination towards all Asian Americans in general because to Whites, they all “looked the same.” Chin was in a club celebrating his upcoming wedding before he was savagely attacked by two white men who accused him of “stealing” their jobs. At this time, due the influx of Japanese immigrants as a result of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, many Whites lost their jobs, especially in the automobile industry.
Relationship Between Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet
770 Words | 4 PagesConnections and experiences greatly influence a person’s ultimate character. There is no question whether people’s involvement in others’ lives impacts their attitudes, values, and overall personality. The novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jamie Ford, displays an excellent example of outsiders’ impact on a person’s life through the main character, Henry. He is directly influenced by characters such as his Father, Keiko, and his son Marty. The characters listed offer him many contrasting experiences, but all are vital parts of the creation of his character.
The Theme Of Loss Of Innocence In Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet
1043 Words | 5 PagesNow aware how hard it is to keep long-distance relationships, Henry begins to feel a rift between him and Keiko - the same kind he has with his father, one that hurts to think about and full of despair. By realizing this, Henry is becoming mature and knowing that for a relationship to work, you have to stay close to the person - resulting in him only meeting with Keiko several years in the future after the two live their own lives with different people. Not hearing from Keiko for months, Henry decides to move on by dating Ethel Chen, the clerk from the post office he visits every day; however, he would still “think of her
Internment Camps
855 Words | 4 PagesWhen talking about beloved presidents, one of the first that comes to mind is Franklin D. Roosevelt. According to InsideGov.com, FDR ranks third in average approval rating of all US presidents. Many people, however, do not realize that FDR was the president during the start of World War Two, and most importantly was the president who directed the Japanese-Americans to internment camps. In the novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, we get a more intimate look into the way these internment camps affected people of the time. Ford paints a picture of distrust and fear through the flashbacks of Henry, a boy of Chinese descent who grew up in 1942 around the time Pearl Harbor was bombed.
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Quotes
957 Words | 4 PagesJamie Ford’s novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, displays the lasting effects of the less mentioned details of WWII. Executive Orders 9102 and 9066 altered the lives of many loyal citizens, especially people of Japanese descent and those near to them. Countless people, like the Okabes, lost their homes and belongings as they were unfairly sent away to internment camps. Numerous of their belongings remain unclaimed in places like the Panama Hotel in Seattle as people attempt to forget their inhumane treatment during this time. Many residents of the United States, such as Mr. Lee, unfortunately agreed with this treatment.
Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Quotes
1064 Words | 5 PagesThis takes place when Henry is needing to help Keiko and keep his promise by protecting her families photos, but his father is being unreasonable because he is a major Chinese Nationalist, so rather than trying to reason with Henry, or negotiate with him, he instead disowns him without remorse. Regardless of Henry's father and his hate for the Japanese, Henry and his father, are not very close with one another. For example, Mr. Lee will not even allow Henry to speak his native tongue in their own house, this presents a variety of problems, first being that there is relatively no communication between either of them, because Mr. Lee does not speak English(that well). As another point, Henry and Mr. Lee do not share the same interests, the main one being music. Henry loves upbeat music, the main one being jazz music, while his father likes either traditional classical music, or no music at all.
A Close Reading Of John Knowles 'A Separate Peace'
3430 Words | 14 PagesGene's profound affection for Finny becomes both a haven of comfort and a breeding ground for internal turmoil, as envy and resentment permeate their relationship. Through this examination, Knowles unveils the profound impact that love can have on life, shaping identities and influencing choices made. Through Gene's admiration for Finny and the homoerotic undertones of their relationship, it’s apparent how love can be both a source of comfort and a source of conflict. By exploring the complexities of love with allegories, Knowles offers a nuanced portrayal of the human experience and the challenges faced as emotions are navigated. Knowles' exploration of love in A Separate Peace offers insights into the human condition.
The Importance Of Companionship In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
582 Words | 3 PagesHenry and Victor needed each other to get through school and life. Everyone needs at least one friend, who will bring his or her balance and love, into their life. To go further in depth, the characters in Frankenstein expressed the need of a companion to feel the need and want in life. The character to introduce the want for a friend is Robert Walton.
Rag Rooney In Henry Flew Over The Cuckoo's Dream '
154 Words | 1 PagesHenry likes to go into rich detail with each character. He would create personality traits and stories for each one of the characters as part of his process. By creating each character, Henry would give each character part of his own personality traits and ways of thinking. The similar characters helps the reader to understand how Henry sees himself through his association. Henry knows he plays the game too much, an obsession maybe, but doesn’t admit it himself but through his made up characters.
Creative Writing: Dragon's Throttle
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