Emma Sebastian
Tortilla Curtain CCQC #1
November 17,2014
In chapter three of The Tortilla Curtain, T.C Boyl shows
what it is like to live in Arroyo Blanco compared to how Ameríca and Cándido live in a camp. Arroyo Blanco and
Marin County share many similarities, not only is the view of how Kyra and
almost every Marin county mother view how there child should be taken care of
with the best of everything, but even the Estates it's self seams as if it was
a bit of a above average neighborhood and average country club, in
Marin County. "It was a private community, comprising of a golf
course, ten tennis courts, a community center and some two-hundred and fifty
homes, each set on one-point-five acres and strictly conforming to the
covenants, conditions and restrictions, set forth in the 1973 articles of incorporation
(31)." Very much like people in Marin County, the Mossbacher's do not know
how fortunate they have it, America and Candido's problems consist of trying
not to starve, or get beaten or raped. While the Kyra's serious problem is not
being able to buy more Papaya Coconut fiber bars because she bought
them all yesterday." 'Why can't I have Sugar Pops or Honey Nut
Cheerios like other kids? Or bacon and eggs?' Jordan pinched his voice, 'Mom?
Why can'y I (35)?" Although Jordan is only a child and does not understand
how grateful that his family can even afford a breakfast, Kyra relates
to the Marin family's where they just through the healthy organic food in the
shopping cart and most of the time not even taking a glance and the price.
People come to American
in search of the American Dream. The American dream, is a belief that
if someone works hard enough, they will turn out successful, rich, and
happy with a family. The American dream is very hard to achieve, although
Kyra, Jordan, Delaney, and the other people in Arroyo Blanco
Estates had already fulfilled the dream. America and Candido move to
America from Mexico in search of this dream. In order to fulfill this
dream, you must struggle, because life is not easy which is what America
and Candido noticed because of how hard it was to get a job. But, people did
not make it easy for them to keep there job, America has already been beaten
and raped, and Delaney comments “I told you-he was Mexican(15)."
As his excuse for hitting Candido by his car. America and Candido are
struggling to just get by in America, leaving everything they had for a better
life, so they set off for the American dream but it was much harder then they
both had thought. “She
wanted. Of course she wanted… A house, a yard, maybe a TV and a car too -
nothing fancy, no palaces like the gringos built - just four walls and a roof.
Was that so much to ask? He’d promised. Sure he had. He’d held up the lure of
all those things, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, the glitter of the North
like a second Eden (19)." America clearly states that she doesn't wan't to
be rich or famous, but just to have a nice little house with Candido.
I completely agree with both your statements, people here in Marin are often so used to living in this poverty-free bubble that its hard to drill into their heads that people are out there living like Ameríca and Cándido. I like the satirical way you talked about Kyra's biggest concern at the time: Papaya Coconut fiber bars. Another thing that relates to this can be found on page 71, "ever since she had her nose modified when she was fourteen, it had a tendency to embarrass her in times of stress." Kyra is worried that the way her nose looks will affect her ability to sell property. Compare this to Ameríca and Cándido being unable to feed themselves and Kyra looks pretty stupid. Her irrelevant struggle is seen as pointless when you compare her dreams to buy a house like the Da Ros property to the dreams you talk about in your 2nd ccqc.
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