A long time ago in a valley far, far away…. civilization developed. With civilization came language that grew and changed. Today’s language, especially that found on the internet, coins special phrases and sayings for just about everything. One such phrase that has seen growing popularity on social media is “relationship goals”. In the novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, the main character, Henry, develops three main relationships that contribute to shaping his character.
The first relationship expressed in the novel is that between Henry and his father. Henry’s father is strict and loyal to China and he likes to express himself. Henry struggles to develop a good relationship with his father and it sticks with Henry …show more content…
Henry and Marty begin their relationship much as Henry and his father’s was. Henry is hard on Marty even though Marty is very intelligent. Marty tries to escape his father for some time after moving away for college, which he graduated from with a 4.0 gpa. When Marty comes to visit his father again, something has changed. Marty’s mother and Henry’s wife, Ethel has died and they both are able to console each other. Another reason Marty visits is to introduce his bride-to-be, Samantha. He is worried that Henry will not accept her because she is white and Henry had always been strict with Marty. Due to Ethel’s death however, Henry has started to realize the errors in his ways and is open to Samantha. She even ends up impressing him with her attempts at cooking traditional Chinese dishes. Henry is not only impressed by her cooking, but also by how happy she makes Marty and he reflects upon his failures as a father when he is able to witness this happiness. Although Marty and Henry’s relationship had been tough, they come together after time and reconcile with one …show more content…
Henry has trouble fitting in at Rainier Elementary. Being the only Chinese student, he is bullied by the white children and nobody steps in to help him. When a Japanese girl named Keiko arrives, they are almost instant friends. They both are forced to work in the cafeteria during lunchtime because of their race. Eventually they come to have feelings for each other that result in more than a friendship. Though their relationship continues to develop into a romance, they are forced apart at the issuing of president Roosevelt’s executive order 9066. Henry sacrifices everything to see Keiko, including the relationship between him and his father. Keiko and Henry lose contact which forces him to forget her and move forward. As a grown man, his childhood friend still sits in the back of Henry’s mind. This becomes evident when his wife passes away and Henry’s son, Marty, asks about his childhood. They had discovered a box of memoirs in the Panama Hotel basement which Henry found dear to him leading Marty to his question. “‘So are you going to explain that box in the backseat then?’” (144). Marty inquires at the box and Henry explains his past with Keiko. This leads Marty to insist upon Henry finding Keiko. Discovering that she is in New York City, Marty and Samantha fly Henry out there. In the last chapters of the novel, Henry finds Keiko in New York City and they sit down to tea. Their conversation starts with “‘Oai deki te . . .’ She
The first relationship expressed in the novel is that between Henry and his father. Henry’s father is strict and loyal to China and he likes to express himself. Henry struggles to develop a good relationship with his father and it sticks with Henry …show more content…
Henry and Marty begin their relationship much as Henry and his father’s was. Henry is hard on Marty even though Marty is very intelligent. Marty tries to escape his father for some time after moving away for college, which he graduated from with a 4.0 gpa. When Marty comes to visit his father again, something has changed. Marty’s mother and Henry’s wife, Ethel has died and they both are able to console each other. Another reason Marty visits is to introduce his bride-to-be, Samantha. He is worried that Henry will not accept her because she is white and Henry had always been strict with Marty. Due to Ethel’s death however, Henry has started to realize the errors in his ways and is open to Samantha. She even ends up impressing him with her attempts at cooking traditional Chinese dishes. Henry is not only impressed by her cooking, but also by how happy she makes Marty and he reflects upon his failures as a father when he is able to witness this happiness. Although Marty and Henry’s relationship had been tough, they come together after time and reconcile with one …show more content…
Henry has trouble fitting in at Rainier Elementary. Being the only Chinese student, he is bullied by the white children and nobody steps in to help him. When a Japanese girl named Keiko arrives, they are almost instant friends. They both are forced to work in the cafeteria during lunchtime because of their race. Eventually they come to have feelings for each other that result in more than a friendship. Though their relationship continues to develop into a romance, they are forced apart at the issuing of president Roosevelt’s executive order 9066. Henry sacrifices everything to see Keiko, including the relationship between him and his father. Keiko and Henry lose contact which forces him to forget her and move forward. As a grown man, his childhood friend still sits in the back of Henry’s mind. This becomes evident when his wife passes away and Henry’s son, Marty, asks about his childhood. They had discovered a box of memoirs in the Panama Hotel basement which Henry found dear to him leading Marty to his question. “‘So are you going to explain that box in the backseat then?’” (144). Marty inquires at the box and Henry explains his past with Keiko. This leads Marty to insist upon Henry finding Keiko. Discovering that she is in New York City, Marty and Samantha fly Henry out there. In the last chapters of the novel, Henry finds Keiko in New York City and they sit down to tea. Their conversation starts with “‘Oai deki te . . .’ She