Symbolism In The Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet

The book The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford executes symbolism in the story by showing how Oscar Holden’s record is the basis for Henry and Keiko's friendship. Henry and Keiko’s friendship was forbidden because he was Chinese-American and she was Japanese-American. The record was very special to Henry and Keiko because it was dedicated to them since both of them had a love for jazz music. The record symbolizes their relationship because it is how they bonded and became friends. The record shows the memories they both share. Henry and Keiko met when Henry walked into the cafeteria to help serve students their lunch, but when he walked in he noticed that there was a young girl in there putting on an apron. As the days went

As the war progressed, Keiko and her family were sent to an internment camp and they boxed up their belongings and stored them in the basement of the Panama Hotel. During their final goodbyes “they talked about music, Oscar Holden, and what life would be like when Keiko’s family came back to Seattle” (Ford 233). Even while departing, Henry and Keiko still bonded over their love for jazz. Then 40 years after the war ended, the belongings of the families were found in the basement of the Panama Hotel. Since Henry never forgot Keiko was his first love, Henry went on the hunt for her. After searching the boxes, the record of Oscar Holden’s Alley Cat Strut was found. As Henry held the record, he could tell it was broken. While holding the record, Henry thought “this was all he’d wanted”. Something to hope for, and he’d found it” (Ford 142). Henry and Keiko were then later reunited because of Henry’s son Marty, who found where she lived. The quote represents that all Henry had wanted was to find that record again, and when he found it it was snapped in half, just like Keiko and Henry’s relationship, because all Henry had wanted was to reunite with