Notes on Immigrants' Love and Family Time Inn

Two pairs of father and son, three generations. In two stories, the protagonist's identity changed from son to father.

Forty-four years has brought not only birth and death, but also earth-shaking changes in society.

Old Henry's wife died less than half a year ago, and his communication with his son Marty became less and less. The death of his wife Ethel made the father and son lack a bridge of communication. Marty also complained about his father, and the gap between them deepened. A group of Japanese-American luggage during World War II was found in hotels in Panama, which was dusty for many years. Old Henry's dusty memory was opened, and a past appeared in front of him. The son became curious about Panama Hotel and his father's past, and the father and son took this opportunity to open their hearts and communicate frankly. There is Marty's fiancee in the middle, and father and son are in harmony. Didn't follow the old path of old Henry and his father.

In another story, old Henry was from China, and young Henry was born in the United States. It is also the second generation of immigrants who really integrate into the United States. Little Henry is estranged from his father, Lee, and his parents want him to integrate into the United States. However, he was asked to return to China to study. He is not allowed to speak Cantonese at home, and his contacts with Japanese-Americans are restricted by various means. Conflicts and contradictions deepened in little Henry's home, and at the same time, the language barrier made the father and son lose the way of communication. Mother was caught between the two and didn't know what to do.

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Japanese town next to Henry's house was put under martial law. Before long, all the Japanese in the city will be transferred to Harmony Camp for isolation and close surveillance. This includes the Keiko family, a friend Henry met at school. It's rare for two white schools to see each other, and they have different intentions, so they appreciate each other even more. Henry did not inherit his father's prejudice against Japanese-Americans. He helped Keiko's family as much as possible, helped Keiko's family to keep photos, and delivered necessary items when Seattle Harmony Camp was under surveillance. Henry and Keiko's family formed a deep friendship. But it didn't last long. Henry's father found out about helping the Keiko family. His father was very angry with Henry for helping the enemy. Since then, the two have become strangers. Soon after, his father had a stroke and they couldn't communicate.

The influence of the war continues to expand, and Keiko's family will be moved to Donikami Camp in Idaho with all the Japanese. The two were forced to separate, and Keiko's luggage was stored in the Panama Hotel. Henry visited them in Idaho once, but after that, they could only communicate by letter. Time and distance separated them. At the same time, the Panama Hotel is about to be acquired. What luggage does Henry want to keep? He reached an agreement with his prestigious father in China, and Henry agreed to study in China. At the same time, his father hopes that the Panama Hotel will not be acquired.

After Germany surrendered, Henry sent the last letter to meet Keiko at the Panama Hotel and say goodbye, because some Japanese had already returned to Seattle. But only the letter returned from the postman, and Henry was disappointed. And Ethel, the messenger, came together. It was not until Japan surrendered that Henry caught a glimpse of Keiko. He finally understood that all this was arranged by his father. The letter is, and so is Ethel. When he got home, Henry went to the window of his dying father. Confirmed his father's guess. He lost Keiko and his father.

After his father died, Henry listened to his father's arrangement, returned to China to study, and returned to live in the United States. After 44 years, I returned to the beginning of this book. Henry found the Keiko family's things from Panama Hotel and the records they bought together. At the same time, I told my son the story of my hotel in Panama when I was young. Meanwhile, old Henry said he didn't want to be his father.

Marty and his fiancee heard this touching story and helped old Henry find Keiko. At the end of the story, they met again The novel came to an abrupt end here. (The article is not well summarized. Welcome to read the original text. )

The ending of the story is happy. I can deeply understand the author's sympathy for the people in the war in my works. He profoundly described the sufferings and pains of Japanese-Americans in World War II, and also profoundly understood the contradictions and conflicts between the first and second generation immigrants in the United States. The love story that falls on the pen is excellent, but in fact, we can see the changes in immigration and race in the United States. For example, Old Henry finally married Ethel Chen, a second-generation immigrant like him (pure China blood is the same as Henry's), and his son married a pure white American. Although old Henry and Keiko can speak English, they are often bullied because of their skin color when they go to school in the United States, but their son Marty has no such experience and can get along with his classmates. This is something that old Henry never thought of.

What is more commendable is that Henry always has a heart of respecting and treating others equally. In World War II, Keiko was not isolated because of different nationalities, but also forged a long-term friendship with the black saxophonist who wandered the streets. After becoming old Henry, he can understand his son's study and life without arguing with his blonde daughter-in-law. It can be said that Henry is a real American integrated into the United States. I got rid of my father's shadow, respected my son seriously and got on well with Marty. All this is the change of Henry's efforts, and it is also the epitome of the new generation of immigrants described by the author.

The author Jamie Ford is a second-generation immigrant of mixed blood between China and the United States. The story contains his personal experience and what he and his parents experienced. We can truly describe what the United States has done and leave it to readers and history to judge. As the author said in the preface, "although this is a novel, there are many incidents, especially the part about Japanese Americans being restrained, which really happened as described in the book." As the author, I tried my best to reproduce this historical picture. You two can comment on the right and wrong of the people involved. ..... I just want to tell the truth clearly, for right or wrong, it is still up to the readers to judge. "

Another interesting clue in the story is a record by saxophonist Sheldon and Oscar holden. Oscar holden is a real person, known as the father of northwest coast jazz, but interestingly, he has never made a record in his life. Sheldon and Cat in the Alley are both fictional contents, but they leave suspense for the whole novel. These two records witnessed the changes in the feelings and relationship between Henry and Keiko. Finally, the sealed record was torn in half, and the one as a birthday present was kept intact in Keiko's hand for 44 years. Does it also represent the disappearance of old relationships and the beginning of new ones?

Anyway, when this song rings again and the two meet again, it is the beginning of a story. The author's ending is just blank, so that every reader has his own ending in his heart.

I am Qingyu, thanks for reading.

In the next issue, let's take a look at another story in the same background, cedar.

I think it must be interesting to compare.