Ah, the joys of family. Like plenty of other people, Henry loves his family a whole lot, but that doesn't mean he finds them easy to be around. In Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry struggles with his family both in childhood and as an adult. As a kid, he has a lot of disagreements with his traditionalist father, to the point where they stop talking to each other. And as an adult, Henry struggles to connect with his only son, Marty, even though he loves him dearly. In the end, Henry manages to reconnect with Marty—and with Samantha, his new daughter-in-law—on a more personal level. Phew.
Questions About Family
- How does the Okabe family welcome Henry into their arms? How do they make him feel like a part of their family? Give specific examples, please.
- Why doesn't Henry think of getting in touch with Keiko after he marries Ethel?
- Does Henry ever make peace with his father? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Even though Henry technically lives at home with his parents, he finds his "real" family in the outside world—through Keiko and her parents, and in Sheldon. They're the ones who truly support and love him.
Now that Ethel has died, Henry has a hard time connecting with Marty. But when he talks to his son about his past and Keiko, they reconnect and build a stronger relationship based on trust and mutual understanding.