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Old News (1986)
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Belonging, Bigotry, and Identity
Silence vs. Communication
Family Dynamics and Inheritance
Memory
Love and Self-Sacrifice
Summary
Analysis
The following day, Henry spends the entire day in Chinatown, looking for “any excuse to walk by the Panama Hotel.” When he arrives back home, he finds Marty waiting for him. Henry panics, thinking that Marty has come to argue with him about how he cared for Ethel—the two had disagreed about whether Ethel should be placed into a hospice, with Henry insisting that Ethel stay in her own home. However, Marty has different news: he’s engaged, and his fiancée is waiting inside.
The fact that Henry automatically assumes his son has come home to argue with him suggests that Henry and Marty don’t have a particularly healthy relationship. Furthermore, Henry did not even know his son was dating someone, much less that he was engaged to be married, which shows yet again that Henry has been repeating his father’s pattern of silence and non-communication in his relationship with his own son.
Themes
Marty seems incredibly nervous and stumblingly explains that he kept his engagement a secret because he was worried Henry would disapprove that he is not going to marry a Chinese woman. Before Henry can explain that he is not disappointed, Samantha comes outside and introduces herself, wrapping Henry in a hug. Henry flashes Marty a thumbs up over Samantha’s shoulder.
For the first time, Henry realizes the drastic difference between how his son views him and how he views himself. This passage is thus the first step in Henry taking action to reshape his relationship with Marty to be more open and communicative. Samantha’s immediate warmth toward Henry also suggests the important role she will play in encouraging Marty and Henry to improve their relationship.
Themes
