The Hotell on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written by Jamie Ford and published in 2009, tells the story of a relationship between Henry Lee and Kieko Okabe, two middle school aged children caught up in the persecution that was taking place during World War II. The tale, told from the perspective of Henry Lee’s flashbacks to childhood, is sparked as a result of the renovation of the Panama Hotel, a hotel that is metaphorically on the corner of “bitter” and “sweet.” The tale not only discusses the relationship between the two children, but follows them through the intricacies of dealing with an intercultural friendship, especially one considered so dangerous, during the time of cultural persecution and internment following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Henry Lee is the American born child of Chinese immigrants, while Kieko is the American born child of Japanese immigrants; the Panama Hotel is on the corner of the dividing line between Japantown and Chinatown, offering the perfect location for children of both worlds to play together, in spite of the fact that their parents would never think of talking to each other if they were to see each other on the streets. Henry initially keeps his friendship from Kieko from his family because he knows that they will not approve of his relationship between the girl, believing her to be tainted as a result of her heritage. The characters of Henry and Kieko are used as vessels for explaining not only the racial hatred and persecution of individuals of Asian and Asian American descent during this time of turmoil, but are utilized as a means of describing the pressures faced by children during this time, showing how they must attempt a clear social balance between what society wants of them, how others respond to them, and what they know in their hearts and minds are the right actions to take. The book is designed to discuss these complex relationships during such a time of turmoil, working to explain not only the difficulties of