Wildvine CCQCs #1

Topic: Does any passage sound like a description of Marin culture to you?

 

The culture in Arroyo Blanco is similar to the culture of Marin in the sense that Hispanic workers are ignored, forgotten, and treated without respect in both Arroyo Blanco and Marin. The book Tortilla Curtain, by T.C. Boyle, begins with one of the main characters, Delaney, a  wealthy, white man, almost killing a Hispanic man by accidently hitting him in his car. He claimed not to see him, explaining that the man jumped out in front of him out of no where. I believe that this is a metaphor stating that Hispanics are ignored, invisible to the wealthy, white class inhabiting Arroyo Blanco, similar to those in Marin. When Delaney is getting his car fixed, after leaving the wounded man with twenty dollars and no further help, he lies to Kenny, the man fixing his car. “So what’d you hit-a deer? Coyote?’ Delaney shrugged, already reaching for the phone. “A dog, I think it was”(13). This quote could possibly be another metaphor, symbolizing that wealthy, white men subconsciously think of the Mexican immigrants as “dogs”, which is similar to how many Marin upper class whites think as well. As Delany entered the recycling center, he realized that the majority of the workers there were Hispanic.  Boyle states, “He’d been in Los Angeles nearly two years now, and he’d never really thought about it before, but they were everywhere, these men, ubiquitous, silently going about their business, whether it be mopping up the floors at McDonald’s. inverting trash cans in the alley out back of Emilio’s or moving purposively behind the rakes and blowers that combed the pristine lawns of Arroyo Blanco Estates twice a week. Where did they all come from? What did they want?” (12). This quote shows that he had never acknowledged the existence of the growing population of Hispanics. This is similar to the opinions of whites in Marin. We don't notice or acknowledge the maids waiting at the Hub, or the gardeners that come weekly, or the dishwashers at restaurants, as one of us. We see them as someone below us, as thieves of our culture, like the opinions of Delany. Or worse, we don't see them at all.  

 

 

Topic: What is Boyle saying about the American Dream?

 

Boyle paints the picture of the American Dream that Mexicans travel to America in hopes to fulfill their dreams of economic success, and a new life, however when they reach America they are greeted with racism, and little hope of success. Candido and his wife América are an example of this situation that many Mexicans face. Throughout the novel, Boyle describes the suffering of Hispanic immigrants using Candido and America as examples.  He shows that many Mexicans lose hope after several attempts at making money, starting a fresh life, and going after the “American Dream,” through the suffering and thoughts of Candido and his wife, who ironically is named América. While Candido is injured from being hit from a car, América insists that she goes to the Labor Exchange in order to find work. With protests from her husband, she leaves everyday to go to the labor exchange.  She meets a white, drunken women named Mary at the Labor Exchange who is also looking for work.  The appearance of Mary shows the reader that America must have lost even more hope when she meets Mary, thinking that if a white women can’t get a job in the US, then how can she, a Mexican immigrant who speaks no English, manage to survive?  Boyle also shows that the immigrants are not looking for a fancy, extravagant new life in América. The author represents this through America, a modest character who the reader pities.  Mary does not live in the wealthiest of neighborhoods, but América finds it "charming" and would long to have a little cottage like hers. This shows that América is not looking for a fancy house like those in Arroyo Blanco. As América is waiting in their campsite for Candido to come, she daydreams about what might become of her and Candido. “Maybe they’d have a picnic here someday, with their son and maybe a daughter too. She was holding that picture in her head, the picnic basket, one of those portable radios playing, a little boy in short pants and a girl with ribbons in her hair, as she worked her way down the trail with her brown plastic bag” (139). This quote shows that América longs for not an outrageously expensive life, but a simple, peaceful life in which she can live happily with her family. Boyle uses this to symbolize the simple dreams of the Mexican immigrants, and using the struggling and suffering of América and Candido to symbolize how false the “American Dream” is presented.