The Tortilla Curtain Symbolism Commenting on The American Dream
T.C. Boyle's The Tortilla Curtain is a novel dealing with thecontroversial subject of illegal immigration in America, specificallydealing with Mexicans crossing the border into California. While this isthe overall subject of the novel, there are various themes within the book. One of the most noticeable ones is that of the American dream, where thenovel deals with how it is obtained and how people act when they haveachieved the dream, and when they are trying to achieve the dream. Tocomment on this theme, Boyle includes a number of symbols in the novel.Four major symbols seen are the car crash incident, walls and borders,houses, and coyotes. Through the use of these symbols, Boyle shows howthose that have obtained the American dream become so busy protecting itthat they actually force out everyone else, while not even gaining real joyfrom having achieved it. Each of the four symbols will now be looked at inturn, while explaining how each contributes to the theme. One of the major events that is symbolic is when Delaney hits Candidowith his car. Hodgins (206) describes how events are symbolic because theyrepresent something larger than the single event. In this case, the single
Candido and America are then striving to reach that dream and make theirway into the exclusive state. The next important symbol seen in the novel is that of the house. In one way, this is a means by which thetwo characters stories become entwined. In contrast, the rich people areputting borders around their estate and have a gate at the front of theirestate, simply to remind them that they do live in an exclusive area. Boyle describes the meaning of the title in aninterview, saying, The title comes from a common phrase for the Mexican border, The Tortilla Curtain, and I envision it in this way. Firstly, it shows that none of the haves will stopand pay any attention to the have-nots unless they are forced to. Another animal image is used when Candido isdescribes as "an insect pinned to a mounting board" (Boyle). For the couple, theAmerican dream means having a simple cottage to raise their child in. For the reader, it can be seen that Candido and America are neitherdangerous nor unlawful. One sourcedescribes Candido and America "dreaming of the good life in their ownlittle house somewhere in California" (Farlex, Inc). The central question of this, and of the images of walls that appear throughout the book--the walls, the gates, walling people out, what do you wall in, all of that--has to do with us as a species and who owns what. Essentially, Delaney is too focused on his own needs and will not do theright thing by Candido when his own needs are involved. Candido is also only trying to survive. Delaney shows an understanding that the coyote isonly trying to survive. This passage shows that Delaney's concern for Candido is only a lastthought.
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Acceptance Essays
