Connections 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. Henry’s involvement in certain relationships throughout his life shaped him into the man he has ultimately become. First, Henry’s character is directly connected …show more content…
She offered him a glimpse of hope offered as a separate relationship outside of his immediate family. They are drawn together through mutual challenges that they face due to their Asian descent. Both viewing each other as equal individuals, they eventually grow a mutual appreciation for one another. The appreciative friendship they share ultimately results in a loving bond that lasts a lifetime. Henry, specifically, loves Keiko to the point that he never ceases to remember the incomparable significance she has held in his life. Henry’s recollection of Keiko remains intact throughout his whole life as he confesses in the following …show more content…
He could remember a bit of the chorus, but its melody had escaped. Yet he couldn’t forget her, couldn’t forget Keiko. And how he’d once told her he’d wait a lifetime. Every summer he’d thought of her but never spoke of her to anyone, not even Ethel. And of course, telling Marty had been out of the question. So when his impetuous son had wanted so badly to go to the Puyallup Fair each year, and Henry had said no, there was a reason. A painful reason. (275) Henry’s memories of Keiko, although painful, continued to be a glimmer of light through all the dark adversity he faced throughout his lifetime. Keiko’s impact on Henry’s character ultimately results in him being full of life, hopeful, and teeming with unforgettable memories. His thoughtfulness and love towards others carried over to relationships he would develop further on in
He then spins around laughing and making silly comments, such as “I always wondered what it was like to have long pretty hair” (307). It was with these images of Henry that the reader was able to see his free spirit
Not only was he caring and moral, he was also
Henry struggles to have a close relationship with his son Marty which may be because of
Henry’s choices and consequences When Henry starts out in war, he is just an immature boy. As the reader reads, they come to find that Henry mainly seemed to have enlisted just for the fact of gaining glory. As the rumors of battle begin to spread though, he begins to question himself and whether or not he will flee from a battle or stand and fight bravely. This comes
" This quote captures Henry's desire to fit in and his struggle to reconcile his heritage with his longing for acceptance. It sets the stage for his coming-of-age journey, as he gradually learns to embrace his cultural roots while also embracing his individuality.
As Henry grows and the story continues you see the maturation and growth into adulthood. Henry was a prime example of what hundreds of thousands of teenagers that had to prepare for or in combat to survive. Recklessness and Immaturity would and did get people killed and Maturity and Carefulness created heroes and leaders that give us
He was a role model to him and also thanks to him he was able to have a
He realizes that not all death row prisoners are vicious and evil and starts to think in a new light. The reader feels empathy for Henry and can also imagine themselves in Stevenson's shoes. Many people build these stereotypes without realizing and these preconceived notions are almost always incorrect or off in some aspect. Henry is a person who did a terrible thing but he is just as human as anyone else. Just as human as Stevenson and just as human as the reader.
Selfishness is a trait that many people struggle with overcoming because it is human nature to take care of themselves before others. Being able to be understanding of others while also maintaining beneficial self-care is portrayed as a difficult task, but in this book, readers can see how simple it can be. Although having his struggles, Henry put Keiko before himself time and time again because he knew how unfair her situation was. He fought for her, helping her along the journey because of the injustice that every Japanese was forced to undergo during that period. In the novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, the character Henry plays an impactful role by conveying an altruistic side of his personality when putting others before himself.
Edgar Allen Poe, a brilliant author, once said, “Years of love have been forgot, In the hatred of a minute.” In the novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford, several characters encounter this type of conflict, specifically the main character Henry. Throughout the novel, several conflicts occur, and the time frame of the setting emphasizes these conflicts. This novel takes place during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which was an attack by the Japanese.
Henry’s flawed nature and inner desire to be morally upright are revealed as he escapes the battle and as he justifies himself
In my point of view, Frederic Henry is his own villain. Throughout the novel the audience gets to roam his mind and search for what he really believes. In his own mind he is judgemental of everything and everyone around him. This is not a good quality. His pessimistic views about people, especially himself creates an almost extinct sense of self confidence.
But, in Henry’s family, they start to turn on Henry when his father finds out that he is still friends with the Japanese girl that he had previously said Henry could not see anymore. This has a major effect on the family, “His father pointed at the door, ‘If you walk out that door—if you walk out that door now, you are no longer part of this family. You are no longer Chinese. You are not part of us anymore. Nor a part of me.’
This proves that he was not ready and only wanted to prove his mother wrong. As one can see, there are many reasons that Henry is considered a
In novels authors often write allusions. They use allusions to make a story seem more believable or real. In the novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford, allusions are used quite often. The first allusion Ford wrote was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese bombed and ambushed Pearl Harbor and thousands of lives were left in the dust in December of 1941.