Jack Kolb; Underlying Memorandums

The purpose of this novel was not to tell a story, not to write a dramatic and well-developed plot, but rather to show the reader, through countless images of juxtaposition, of the hardships Latin American immigrants endure compared to the relatively easy lifestyles of the majority of Whites. While of course a loose plot is followed (for without one the book would be more of an essay, not a novel), the real messages lie in the juxtaposition of the characters: Cándido and America live in a canyon, a sandbar, and then a bush, each getting vandalized or ruined after the other, while Delaney and Kyra live in a fancy neighborhood with walls and town meetings, their largest concern being the safety of their pets. Cándido and America live forgotten lives, filled with false promises, dashed hopes, and shattered dreams. At the end of the novel, Cándido reflects on his life in America: "All he wanted was work, and this was his fate, this was his stinking pinche luck, a violated wife and a blind baby and a crazy white man with a gun, and even that wasn’t enough to satisfy an insatiable God: no they’ll all had to drown like rats in a bargain." (Page 353). He came to America with hopes of "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." (Page 29) but instead ultimately found himself in a crude garden shed where "The nights were cold. And where was his son going to be born—in a hut with the rain driving down and nobody there but Cándido with a pot of water and a rusty knife” (Page 249). Meanwhile, Delaney lives his life of upper-middle class luxury: "Delaney made his home in one of these Spanish Mission houses (floor plan #A227C, Rancho White with Navajo Trim), along with his second wife, Kyra, her son, Jordan, her matching Dandie Dinmont terriers, Osbert and Sacheverell, and her Siamese cat, Dame Edith." (Page 30).  The two live very close together, however their lifestyles are made exponentially more different when placed next to one another, and Boyle effectively did.  Had the book simply been about one family, the Rincons or the Mossbachers, our perceptions on social racism and the immigrants' quality of life would be quite different, however Boyle's use of juxtaposition hits us strong with a feeling of injustice, inequality, and hatred towards our sense of indifference.

Delaney's rapid transformation from a person with mild interest towards immigration to someone with complete racist intentions was the result of him recognizing and losing control of his power over immigrants. Before Delaney's encounter with Candido, he had little cares in the world, enjoying his nature walks and newspaper column writing, however only a week after the incident he has developed extreme maliciousness towards Candido, America, and illegal immigrants in general, until he finally decides to end the treachery and misery that had been cursing him ever since the accident. Shortly beforehand, Jack Jardin Sr. had convinced Delaney to purchase a handgun, "for home-protection", and while at first Delaney was scared to death of the thing -so much he had locked it in a garage- he soon recognized the power it held and knew that while wielding the gun he could scare Candido and America back to wherever they came from. He quickly became overcome with this sense of finally ridding himself of Candido, and the mental curse Candido had set upon him, so he went for it. A short while later, Candido remembers: "Something fell against the side of the shack, something considerable, something animate, and then the flap was wrenched from the doorway and flung away into the night and there was a face there, peering in. A gabacho face, as startling and unexpected and horrible as any face leaping out of a dark corner on the Day of the Dead. And the shock of that was nothing, because there was a hand attached to that face and the hand held a gun." (Page 351). This novel is an attribute to the corruption that follows in the wake of power, of superiority. It is a dangerous thing, power, and should be regarded but not abused.. used only with extreme caution and moderation. Delaney is a wimpy character, who would never hurt anyone nor consider such an act, however his stable life and a weapon of great power made him forget his humble persona, for all it takes is a small lapse in self-control for the power-hungry beast in all of us to come forth, especially when we take everything we have for granted.