Coming Full Circle - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Some of you may remember reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford in Freshmen English, but for those of you that either haven't read it or need a quick refresher, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet follows Henry Lee, a 12-year-old Chinese-American boy, as he develops a close bond with a Japanese-American girl named Keiko Okabe. However, the story takes place a few months after the attack on Pearl Harbor so the government is prosecuting Japanese-Americans, including Keiko, and sending them to internment camps. Furthermore, Henry faces the challenge of keeping his relationship with Keiko hidden from his father who absolutely despises Japanese people. Throughout the novel, Henry's coming of age process focuses on the dynamics of independence and dependence. Like any kid, Henry began by relying on his parents for most things and obeyed them even when he disagreed with what they told him to do. However, when Henry's father discovers pictures of Keiko ...