Literature analysis 5.

Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read.
    -The novel, "Tortilla Curtain" the autor distinctly descibes the two different situations between an American and a Mexican. The American is named Delaney Mossbacher and is a middle-class man. The Mexican is a thirty-three year old man named Candido Rincon who is an illegal immigrant. The novel begins with Delaney's point of view of hitting Candido with his car. When Delaney goes to look, he sees that Candido is hurt badly and offers him help, but the first things on his mind was about the damage to his car and the insurance. Candido does not take the offer of going to the hospital, but takes twenty dollars from the American. Candido returns back home and his wife uses those twenty dollars to buy medical items to help her husband. Delaney on the other hand calls his wife and tells her about the accident and says that it is no big deal becaue it was a Mexican. Throughout the novel, Delaney expresses his thoughts and shows how selfish and careless he can be. With Candido's point of view the author shows his struggles in his life and the situations he must encounter to get by. At the end of the novel Candido goes to look for a job during a flood and his wife dies. His daughter was drowing when Delaney saved her.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
    - Some may live the American dream while others are in hope of it.

3. Describe the author's tone.  Include three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
    - The author's tone is sympathetic. The author expresses sympathy in the car accident, the different situations in Candido's life, and at the end of the novel when Candido's wife passes away.

4. Describe five literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the theme and/or your sense of the tone.  Include three excerpts that will help your reader understand each one.
    -Imagery: Delaney's description of Candido which he explains as, "red-flecked eyes, the rictus of the mouth, the rotten teeth and incongruous shock of grey in the heavy black brush of the mustache." This gives the reader a good description of how the character looks and foreshadows his type of life.
    -Diction: This helps give the reader an idea of each characters thoughts. This is shown a lot in Candido's thoughts of his struggles and this contributes greatly in giving the theme of the novel.
    -Protagonist: Candido is a major protagonist in this novel in which his thoughts and his life situations show his hope for living the American dream.
    -Atmosphere: The living situations and the weather at the end of the novel show the different variety of struggles the characters have.
    -Tone: Shows sympathy in the different struggles of the characters.