Questions About The Tortilla Curtain

by T. Coraghessan Boyle (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (8)

As I was reading this, I could not find a place where the tone was positive. It was very negative throughout the whole book. Does the tone change anywhere?

Gae Broadwater Sadly, that is the reality for too many people. I wanted to quit listening to it and had to tell myself that many people cannot walk away so I made my…moreSadly, that is the reality for too many people. I wanted to quit listening to it and had to tell myself that many people cannot walk away so I made myself finish this tragic story.(less)

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I'd like to read about the immigrant story in another state other than California. Can anyone recommend a story about Mexican/Hispanic immigrants in other parts of the United States? Thanks in advance.

Umberto Tosi People in California are not much difference than in any other states. Boyle's narrative applies and the characters have a very human appeal. This is …morePeople in California are not much difference than in any other states. Boyle's narrative applies and the characters have a very human appeal. This is not a polemical book by any stretch. It's an artfully written satires about the contradictions and hypocrisy in our cultural attitudes about compassion and strangers, going back to biblical times.(less)

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How can an author spend so much time on character development and still manage to have 2D characters?

Patrice Showers Corneli Boyle is presenting exactly the 2D personalities we reveal when we think we know "the other" and hate him because of the assumed "otherness".

It is cle…moreBoyle is presenting exactly the 2D personalities we reveal when we think we know "the other" and hate him because of the assumed "otherness".

It is clear that neither Delaney nor Candido knew their enemy but, nevertheless, judged them and attributed evil acts to each of them instead of finding the real culprits who had done the deeds (in two cases the teenage son).

The bitterness each conjured up about the other led them to assume the worst of each other. Gotta have someone to look down on.(less)

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This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

cindy kaufman Yes. The rapist(s) most likely would have given her gonorrhea. In my experience as a maternity nurse, I know that it is common practice to treat the e…moreYes. The rapist(s) most likely would have given her gonorrhea. In my experience as a maternity nurse, I know that it is common practice to treat the eyes of newborn babies with medication to prevent transmission of gonorrhea to the eyes, as it is known to cause blindness.(less)

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TC Boyle satire captures the ironies of the American schizophrenia over immigration perfectly, set in California, but universally applicable. He does it with heart a well as mind, teasing out ethical and economic issues with a contrapuntal stories of characters that Boyle draws vividly and with compassion. Does the Trump regime's anti-immigrant xenophobia give Boyle's 90s novel more or less relevance?

Patrice Showers Corneli Absolutely. More relevant today than ever. Heartbreakingly so.
…moreAbsolutely. More relevant today than ever. Heartbreakingly so.
(less)

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Unanswered Questions (2)

Is it a novel? If so, is there a likeness to the subject matter available in a non-fiction book?

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