Carmen CCQC #2

In the novel Tortilla Curtain Boyle uses Juxtaposition to highlight how so much of mainstream America is materialistic. Delaney`s wife, Kyra, is a realtor who deals with around, “5 houses” that are worth millions while Candido and America live in a hut in the woods and hope for a, “decent apartment” (181).  Kyra is a upper middle class realtor who she is good at what she does and, “she knew it,” going on to say that because she paid attention to the, “little things, the courtesies and reminders, the birthday cards...and gifts,” that people would go to her for their realtor (156). Meanwhile Candido did back breaking labor, “repairing stucco on an apartment building,” and all he had made in three weeks was, “two hundred and fifty dollars” (180-181). Candido wants to, “have a roof over their heads,” so that America could, “have the baby,” in a home (181). Throughout the entire novel Candido`s objective is to earn enough money to afford a simple apartment while Kyra deals with many houses that remain vacant. Boyle uses this ironic twist to highlight how materialistic and unhappy the majority of America is despite their fortune and money.

In his novel Tortilla Curtain, T.C. Boyle uses diction and imagery to reveal the struggle that Candido is going through. Candido and his wife America fled from Mexico to America in an attempt to live a better life and to pursue the american dream. When they first got to America the couple camped out in, “a little nook in the woods,” while Candido looked for a job. One day on the trail to their nook, America was robbed of her money and raped by two men, however she only tells Candido that the money was, “all they took” (176). One night after Candido comes home drunk and upset he laments, “how could he pretend not to know what happened?” (181). He thinks about how he, “wanted to hurt her, wanted to hurt himself, twisting the knowledge round and round in his brain like a rotten tooth rotated in his socket” (181). The use of the words rotten and twisting highlight how dark Candido`s character is becoming and how his need to hurt gives the section a resentful tone.