Would Smell as Sour Sweet By Any Other Name?

I believe that the title Sour Sweet has a double meaning. On the simpler side its refers to the Chinese restaurant that the Chens run. Lily complains when Chen says that they will be serving sweat and sour pork as their staple dish because that is what the english like, but Lily complains about its authenticity to real Chinese foods. I believe this is a metaphor for their lives in England. They are having to learn how to adapt themselves and their cultures to fit into the society a little more.

I believe the second meaning of this title goes a little deeper than the food and talks about the ups and downs of the immigrant experience. They have particular highs when their business takes off or when Man Kee is going through school. However they struggle with how they fit in, and the authorities that they look up to. In particular they struggle with the triad and their authority. Right now Chen is potentially in a life threatening situation because he borrowed money from the Hung Family awhile back. This stems from the fact that Chen did not take a tradition english route like a loan to getting this money but instead trusted the other group from Hong Kong having more in common with them than anyone english person.

~Sahale