CCQC 2- Hennessey

        In the second part of the book T.C. Boyle uses juxtaposition to demonstrate the differences in priorities between the families of Candido and Delaney. Delaney can only seem to complain about things that Candido would be more than gracious to have. For example his new car, it was not the most convenient thing to get your car stolen. All he could do was complain. He was not complaining about how inconvenient it was to go and get his new car, but how it was a slightly different model then his last and how he wasn't used to it. "Delaney sat there for a long while, getting used to the seats and new-car smell and the subtle difference between this model and the one he was familiar with. Little things, but they annoyed him out of proportion." (147). If Delaney were more similar to Candido he would have had more thank for having the opportunity to even have a car to drive and a house to live in because some people have neither, including Candido. For example all Candido wants is to be able to care for his wife and get a job so he can have money to support them. He doesn't care about possession, he just wants to live his life with his wife. "He didn't need a million dollars-he wasn't born for that, and if he was he would have won the lottery. No, all he needed was work, steady work, and this was the beginning." (167). Candido is great-ful every time he gets the slightest bit of luck so he can worker harder to stay alive. By switching off between Candido and Delaney it lays their two lives next to each other and emphasizes their differences.


     T.C. Boyle uses a series of traumatic events to portray the sense of confusion, vulnerability, and powerlessness. It starts off with when America gets raped in the first part if the book, her pain is then brought with her into the second part of the book. Being raped is one of the most vulnerable positions someone can be in. "She just sat there, hanging her head, her face hidden behind the curtain of her hair. It was then that he noticed the welts at the base of her neck, where the hair was parted to fall forward across the shoulders." (175). America was even too embarrassed to tell the only person that matters to her her, Candido. "'What else did they take? Quick, tell me. They didn't, they didn't try to -?' 'No,' she said. 'No.'"(176).  By lying to her husband it shows how powerless she was and how embarrassed she was to admit to it. This was only the start to their tragic events. Candido worked five days and got paid every day except the last day when he was promised to get paid the next day. He never did even though he worked for it, and needed the money more then the other guy. "On the fifth day, when work was finished, he didn't show them any money, but with gestures and a few garbled Spanish phrases he let them know that he was short and would pay them when he picked them up in the morning.---There wasn't at least not for Candido. He never saw the man again." (195.) Candido and America just keep loosing their money and get cheated and stolen from, even though they work as hard as they can to gain their money. If things keep going as bad as they are for them now they will just keep getting more and more confused, vulnerable, and powerless.