Hotel On The Corner Of Bitter And Sweet Literary Analysis
Rebirth is an over arching theme in the book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, written by
Jamie Ford. One of the main symbols of second rebirth is the ever present Oscar Holden record. The
records symbolizes not only Henry and Keiko s relationship, but how it can be renewed. From when
Henry and Keiko buy the record, to Henry finding it 40 years later, the record always has a strong
significance in the book. Though not the first mention of the Oscar Holden record, the story of the
vinyl started with Henry taking Keiko to the Black Elks Club. On that night Oscar Holden dedicated
song to them, and it became their song . Later, Keiko gave Henry the record as a thank you present for
their exciting night at the Black Elks Club. The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When Henry got to her apartment, he found out that Keiko was married and widowed, just like him.
Like the two halves of the record, though apart, still the same. Ultimately meeting after 40 years,
Henry and Keiko picked up where they left off. They were like an old married couple, finishing each
other s sentences. They stood there, smiling at each other, like they had done all those years ago,
standing on either side of that fence. Oai deki te... She paused. Ureshii desu, Henry said softly. (pp.
285) With this shared sentence, Henry and Keiko were mending their relationship, putting the parts
back together to create a new bond, one that was never broken. Their old relationship could never be
truly fixed, but they started a new one with the intact record. The record, and Henry and Keiko s bond,
was finally renewed in this meeting. The book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, shows many
themes through a simple vinyl record. One important aspect of the record s meaning is rebirth, but it
also stands for second chances, love, friendship, and of course, Henry and Keiko. In the end, Keiko
and Henry are not the same people, and their relationship is a new one, one that was waiting for all the
years they were apart. The Oscar Holden record holds its significance in the book from the beginning
to the
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