Essay Questions

What is the role of family as illustrated in the novel I Hotel ?

Family has been shown as to either be a nuclear family, or an extended family or long life friends. Family is shown to be very important in the novel to an individual. The story is set in Chinatown where the importance of family is emphasized. The role of family is to provide companionship, a sense of belonging and assistance in times of need to an individual.

In the book, Paul’s father dies and he is left with the feeling of sudden loss, burial arrangements to make and questions about his purpose or the route he will take in life now that his father had died. His extended family comprised of his aunt and her children invited him for family dinners and helped him make funeral arrangements. A long-life friend of his father’s named Chen became Paul’s mentor in the place of his father. Chen provided guidance and motivation to Paul.

Describe culture in the book I Hotel.

I Hotel is set in Chinatown where most people are immigrants from Asia and is mostly comprised of people of color. Paul and his family who consisted of his aunt and her children are staunch followers of Asian culture.

The culture is more visible during the burial ceremony of Paul’s father.There are several customs that had to be followed when a person died. These are that Paul had to wear a black waistband because he was the only child of the deceased. Several blankets were placed on the body of the deceased to send him up on his journey to the other world. These were a red blanket that signified life, a gold blanket that signified spirituality and a white blanket to signify heaven.

What are the societal issues addressed in the book I Hotel ?

The book I Hotel the narrator sheds light on many societal issues that plague America. The setting of the book is in America during the time of Martin Luther King Junior. Most of the characters are activists that fight for equality. Some of the issues in society that are illustrated in the book include equality of the races and sexes, undocumented immigrants and education.

The narrator brings about the issue of inequality of the races. People of color who include black, brown and yellow people are often mistreated because of the color of their skin. In the book, when Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated, many of the characters did not go work as a sign of mourning and activism. The issue of undocumented immigrants is also illustrated. Many people who were undocumented could only use their real names after their death. Their real names were written on their tombstones and when they were alive they used ‘paper names’.