Literal Analysis of the Novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Essay Example

Literal Analysis of the Novel, “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” Through his characters in “The Hotel onthe Corner of Bitter and Sweet”, author Jamie Ford depicts the racial inequality and infringement of the rights of Japanese Americans, which preceded the Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor in 1941. Ford chose Seattle as the setting for his novel using his characters’ experiences in different eras (1942 and 1986) to contrast ideologies possessed by Americans pre and post- World War II. Discussed below is a literal analysis of Ford’s central characters Henry Lee and Keiko Okabe, which seeks to shed light on racial issues specific to before and after World War II in America and their impact on society. Henry and Keiko represent the first generation of Chinese and American immigrants respectively granted citizenship by the US government. In an ideal society, the citizenship status entitled them to the privileges designated for all American citizens regardless of their race. However, the reality of the matter was that racial inequality persisted after World War I worsening in the wake of World War II in 1939. Therefore, for Henry and Keiko, belonging to a foreign race functioned to estrange them from their classmates in the all-white Ranier Elementary school. After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, further distinctions along racial lines emerged whereby, the Chinese Americans overtly distinguished themselves from Japanese Americans, as they feared forceful internment by the US government. This strained Henry and Keiko’s relationship especially when Henry complied with his father’s directive to wear a button that boldly declared he was Chinese. Ford depicts Keiko’s disappointment with Henry in the following conversation: “Keiko halted and looked at Henry. She looked down at his button, the one his father had made him wear. "You are Chinese, arent you, Henry?” He nodded, not knowing how to answer. "Thats fine. Be who you are," she said, turning away, a look of disappointment in her eyes. "But Im an American (Ford 60).” Keiko’s open declaration pertaining to her citizenship status prompted Henry to rebel against his father whereby, he disposed of the button strengthening their bond. Ford’s depicts his perspective of friendship through Keiko and Henry. He portrays Henry as a true friend willing to go the extra mile for Keiko. This shows that true friendship transcends racial differences. Henry struck a bargain with his father that restricted his sale of the Panama hotel, which many Japanese families used to store their belongings before moving to the internment camps. In addition, he also agreed to safeguard Keiko’s family photographs, which she her mother compelled her to destroy. Henry’s actions showed his unfaltering devotion to Keiko, as she left for the Camp Harmony internment camp. As a grown up, Henry frequently thought about Keiko, which affected his devotion towards his wife Ethel. Henry’s reflection about the past depicts his feelings towards Keiko: “The more Henry thought about the shabby old knickknacks, the forgotten treasures, the more he wondered if his own broken heart might be found in there, hidden among the unclaimed possessions of another time. Boarded up in the basement of a condemned hotel. Lost, but never forgotten” (Ford 6-7). While trying to rebuild his relationship with his son Marty Lee, Henry accepted his invitation to go and look for Keiko’s belongings at the Panama Hotel. His father who wanted him to pursue an education and start his own family cut Henry’s correspondence with Keiko short. This compelled him to set aside his feelings and start a family with Ethel the mother of his son. After her death, Henry’s relationship with his son became deplorable, which in turn forced his nostalgic feelings towards Keiko to surface. In his disillusioned state, Henry lost all hope until Marty reached out to him with his plan to visit the Panama Hotel. Ford noted this as the point Henry’s hope resurrected: “Henry squinted, allowing his senses to adjust to the daylight and the cold, gray Seattle sky that filled the paned windows of the Panama Hotel lobby. Everything, it seemed--the city, the sky--was brighter and more vivid than before. So modern, compared with the time capsule downstairs. As he left the hotel, Henry looked west to where the sun was setting, burnt sienna flooding the horizon. It reminded him that time was short, but that beautiful endings could still be found at the end of cold, dreary days (Ford 76-77)”. Conversely, Keiko remained disillusioned while at the internment camp responding to Henry’s mails irregularly. With the passing years and lack of communication from Henry, she lost all hope of reuniting with her friend who had promised to wait for her. However, after the abolition of internment camps, she sought to rebuild her life by reaching out to Henry. In conclusion, Ford’s work is an exemplary literal piece, which highlights the prevalence of racial prejudice and discrimination in the wake of World War II in US. Keiko represents all disillusioned Japanese immigrants coerced into internment camps in spite of their American citizenship status. Conversely, Henry’s character highlights the plight of Chinese Americans faced with the burden of distinguishing themselves from Japanese Americans to avoid forceful detention in internment camps. However, Ford remains hopeful that friendship and love function to unite people despite their racial differences. Work Cited Ford, Jamie. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. New York: Ballantine Books, 2009. Print. Read More