Courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to overcome. The novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford shows this characteristic as a central element of its narrative. Henry is a Chinese boy living during World War II, a time of racial ignorance. His father is a traditional and severe Chinese, faithful to his homeland. Henry meets a Japanese woman, Keiko, with whom he creates an indissoluble bond. Unfortunately, her father disapproves due to her ethnicity and she is transferred to a resettlement camp. But Henry won't stop until their flame is rekindled. Jamie Ford shows us that courage isn't about saving the world, it's about doing what's right, even in the face of adversity. Courage is demonstrated and celebrated in the novel when Henry hides Keiko's family photographs for her, Henry's mother secretly delivers Keiko's letters to Henry, and Henry visits Keiko at the resettlement camp. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Henry shows courage gradually throughout the book. One of the ways he shows courage is by hiding Keiko's family photos from her. Keiko asks Henry to keep his family photos so they don't have to burn them. She hopes to get them back after the war and Henry won't let her down. He takes the photos and hides them in a secluded area of ​​his room, hoping that he will be the only one to know where they are. But one day he arrives home and sees his parents in the living room with the family photos on the table. Henry knew the consequences if his parents found out even before Keiko gave him the photos. His parents are appalled by his actions and Henry's relationship and trust with his father ends. But those are just the consequences if his parents find out. His father says on page 183: “If the FBI finds this here – in our house, our Chinese-American house – they can arrest us. Take it all. They can throw us in jail and fine us five thousand dollars for helping the enemy. Even with the added consequences, Henry remains unfazed and continues his pilgrimage of recklessness. His belief in justice, even though it affects his family, never strays from his course. Henry's mother also shows how courage is a main theme of the novel. Due to Keiko's race, she and her family are sent to an internment camp. But Henry and Keiko continue to communicate with each other through the letters they write to each other. When Keiko's letters arrive, Henry's mother takes the letters and places them under her pillow instead of revealing her secret. Although she is a devoted wife, she is also a fearless mother. In the novel it says: “But somehow Henry's mother, sorting the mail first, found the letter every week and slipped it under her pillow. She did her best to be an obedient wife, to honor her husband's wishes, but also to watch over her son" (211.) Henry's mother knew the great consequences if Henry's father found out about her help . Her husband has a deep hatred for all Japanese people because of what they did to his people in his homeland. He considers all Japanese to be as bad as those who destroyed his native land. But she continues without hesitation to deliver her subversive acts of justice. She never expects a reward or even recognition, she simply does what is right. Another way Henry shows how?