Mrs. Beatty Character Analysis in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

The manager of Rainier Elementary School’s cafeteria. Mrs. Beatty is a gruff, no-nonsense woman but she has a kind and generous heart. Mrs. Beatty stands up to Henry’s school bullies and offers him the chance to work with her in Camp Harmony’s mess hall, which allows Henry to reunite with Keiko. Mrs. Beatty grew up helping her father aboard the ship he served on, and she considers her father’s best friend from that time, a Chinese man and fellow Merchant Marine, her uncle.

Mrs. Beatty Character Timeline in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Beatty appears in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Belonging, Bigotry, and Identity Theme Icon

...he will spend his lunch period working in the cafeteria under the grouchy eye of Mrs. Beatty , the cafeteria manager. As always, he will miss recess to eat canned peaches for... (full context)

Family Dynamics and Inheritance Theme Icon

Henry arrives in the school kitchen to find a girl his age washing lunch trays. Mrs. Beatty introduces the girl as a new transfer student named Keiko. When Mrs. Beatty leaves the... (full context)

...the school. Chaz threatens to beat Henry, calling him “Jap lover.” Before Chaz can act, Mrs. Beatty arrives and assures Chaz that if he hurts Henry, he’ll be expected to perform Henry’s... (full context)

After Keiko helps him up, Henry turns to thank Mrs. Beatty , but she has already left. Keiko asks how long Henry has attended Rainier, and... (full context)

At lunch, Henry heads to the cafeteria but Keiko isn’t there. Instead, Mrs. Beatty tells him, he’ll be working alongside Denny Brown, who was caught stealing from the school’s... (full context)

At school, Henry thinks that Mrs. Beatty seems “genuinely annoyed that Keiko [is] gone.” Instead of the usual unappetizing meals she serves,... (full context)

...away?” he asks. “Dirty, backstabbing Jap—she probably was poisoning our food.” Before Henry can react, Mrs. Beatty appears and insists that “there’s not enough food left.” “Kitchen’s closed to you today,” she... (full context)

On Saturday, Henry meets Mrs. Beatty at school; he’s told his parents he’ll be helping her in the school kitchen. Henry... (full context)

Mrs. Beatty and Henry arrive at Camp Harmony, on the site of the Washington State Fairgrounds. Henry... (full context)

The soldier who checks Mrs. Beatty and Henry into the camp is suspicious of Henry, but Mrs. Beatty provides his school... (full context)

Eventually, Mrs. Beatty tells Henry they need to leave to set up dinner in another section of the... (full context)

The following Saturday, Henry again accompanies Mrs. Beatty to Camp Harmony. Henry’s parents are pleased that he is being paid for working extra,... (full context)

...prison camp either.” Henry and Keiko touch palms through the barbed wire fence, but soon Mrs. Beatty arrives to drive Henry home. Henry again promises Keiko he’ll be back the following week.... (full context)

While out shopping, Henry decides to use the money he’s saved working with Mrs. Beatty in the camp to buy a new sketchbook and some art supplies for Keiko’s birthday.... (full context)

...playing at the Black Elks Club, which has finally reopened. On the way to camp, Mrs. Beatty cautions Henry that the gifts he’s brought for Keiko won’t be allowed through—they’ll be opened... (full context)

On the outskirts of Camp Harmony, Mrs. Beatty pulls over at a gas station and buries Henry’s presents in a bag of rice.... (full context)

...every week, and Keiko promises to write to him. As Henry leaves the camp with Mrs. Beatty , he hears Oscar Holden’s “Alley Cat Strut” record playing over the storm. (full context)

Mrs. Beatty drops Henry off at home and tells him, “Don’t go changing schools on me now.... (full context)