DR. BRETT SCHMOLL
OFFICE: FACULTY TOWERS 201A
OFFICE HOURS: TUE AND THU 12-1
OFFICE PHONE: 661-654-6549
BASICS OF THE COURSE EACH WEEK
These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week. Furthermore, if you are in the habit of writing everything on Saturday you will not receive full credit. Why? There would be no time for others to interact with your writing. Write early; write often! Right? Right!
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.
Monday, October 27, 2014
WEEK SEVEN WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
As ou read, try to link the Tortilla Curtain to something that seems entirely unrelated. Is the book related to the World Series? To a movie you saw? To your favorite song? Just write imaginatively!
This book was like a gambling match in vegas. The story deals with risk on many levels. Candido and America faced higher levels of risk. They risked there lives to have a better one. They go hungry and a wrong turn could result in starvation or death. You could say, they are all in. In comparison, Delaney hits Candido with his car and pays him off. He bets that Candido is illegal but plays it safe and pays him off and fleas the scene just in case. Delaney does not take high levels of risk. He has already been dealt a good hand in life.He is fortunate in many ways that Candido is not. Delaney is privileged because he was born in a good country with an abundance of opportunities. He has wealth and a healthy family. t’s almost as if he has a full house. His problems are laughable when compared to Candido. The ending is sad. It’s disappointing that Candido was not able to bluff his way to the top.
The book does remind me of the Grapes of Wrath which most likely sounds kind of stupid with me stating that. The two are alike in that they deal with immigration, finding work, and fitting in. My uncle's family had actually been asked to play the parts of the family in the Grapes of Wrath film because they had moved across country to Bakersfield themselves, but they were too insulted by it and refused. To this day I still think it would have been amazing if they had been in the film adaption. Tortilla Curtain is filled with sorrow and loss and its really quite a downer.
This book makes me think of the world in general on how people always want to imagine certain things aren't happening or aren't there. I have noticed that many people who are wealthy in the novel seem to be astounded that there is crime in their area. It's like they don't know anything about the world unless it relates to them. This makes me think of the world now, when many people turn away from conflict or when people are faced with a crisis. They don't want to believe its there, so they choose to ignore it and act like it isn't there. I wonder what will happen if something crazy were to happen, like an alien attack. I wonder what people would do, or if they would just ignore what is right on their front yard. This is like Delaney getting mad at Jack for talking bad about the immigrants, but then the next second he hates them for dirtying his walking trail. He is always hot and cold with how he feels about immigrants.
Hi Katelyn. I was thinking the same thing when I first skimmed over the writing prompt for this week. I feel like Delany is representing the majority of the world while Candido and America are those people who are in need. Many people do not pay attention to the problems that other individuals may have or may be experiencing at the moment. I really like how you mentioned Delany getting mad at Jack for something that he is just as guilty of.
This book reminds me of a movie called, “El Norte” (The North). This movie is about two siblings a young man who is about 22 years-old whose name is Enrique Xuncax and his sister who is about 20-years-old whose name is Rosa Xuncax. They both desire to come to the United States crossing the Mexican border. They are both from Guatemala and their struggle is crossing all of Mexico in order to come to the United States. They speak Spanish with a Guatemalan accent and are afraid they will be spotted in Mexico because of the way they speak. They face many obstacles in Mexico like hunger and isolation. A man tries to take advantage sexually of the young girl, just like a man tries to take advantage of América. They have to camp out in the streets in order to keep moving north just like in “Tortilla Curtain” Cándido and América have to camp outside of the freeway. As they are both crossing the border through the water tubes, Rosa gets bitten by rats and becomes ill with typhus. (a disease that kills the immune system). They have to face struggles here in the United States as well, like discrimination and segregation. Enrique finds a job as a busboy at a restaurant but as he is ascending to become a waiter, a Chicano man who is jealous of him, calls immigration. This movie is just about the struggles illegal Hispanics face in the U.S. just like in “Tortilla Curtain”.
The Tortilla Curtain reminds me of the movie "The Help". It is a movie based in the 1960's during the civil rights movement era. I think this novel relates to this movie because in both there are characters who see themselves as a higher class than the others. In Tortilla Curtain Delany is the "higher class" and Candido is the "lower class" while in the help the white people are the "higher" while the African Americans are the "lower". Both the joie and the novel show how different the lives between the two groups are through the struggles the minority have and the regular daily lives that the majority half live. "The Help" and Tortilla Curtain also are about race differences and how diverse both cultures are in the way they live, work and care for each other.
This movie hit my emotions and made me think of how cruel life can be with people. This movie reminds me of a movie 7 soles (7 suns) where immigrants are trying to come to the United States and the coyotes leaves them in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Cándido and América live in a canyon where they do not have enough for survival. Tortilla Curtain deals with Delaney being the higher class, the class that thinks that are better than anybody else. Cándido gets hit by Delaney car and this causes him not being able to work. América decides to work and provide with food till he gets better. On the other hand, the movie 7 suns deal with immigrants crossing the border with nothing to eat or drink. The coyotes do not share their drinks and if they do, females have to pay them with sexual interactions. Both deal with immigrants being afraid to protest or seek help from authorities mainly because they are afraid of deportation. Cándido refuses to get medical treatment because of his legal status. They both have similarities they share how immigrants fight for survival every day. Tortilla curtain gives a different approach on how they both stay together no matter what the circumstances
This book reminds me of how the daily necessaries are a real struggle. For example, just finding shelter is a struggle for the finding food. The disadvantage when she got rape she could not tell anybody that had happen. America did not have a voice because she is illegal. Just like in real life the illegal work in the fields and don’t own and house. When Candido gets hurt in book struggle like when Americans lose their jobs they could no longer provide for their family. Therefore, Candido struggles in life because he can’t work. We take many things for gradate and we don’t realize it. Just like the food and shelter we always have and we don’t realize how important it is. The illegal struggle a lot when they cross over the border.
We as a people are made to either survive or wither and die. "Tortilla Curtains," falls right along those terms. As a human being growing up we find ourselves in many trials and tribulations; the impulse of success weighs heavy upon our shoulders, in order to make our families proud. With those burdens of personal extrapolations, we hold ourselves accountable of many things that may or may not be extremely difficult. A strapping gentleman, a dreamer, a hard worker, and a lover of life builds up the courage to face the world for his family - a nobleman true and true. This young man heads off on a journey to better his families situation back home. He sets off to chase a dream; the dream that everyone dreams about - where all is well, the wells of golden honey fall down an people's feet and grants a better life. He is an educated man, and man of morals and faith. Along his travels he comes to a roadblock, standing there between his path to success and his dreams is - a coyote. The young man had saved lots of his money to hold him up within his travels, he managed to save enough for what was needed to live and pay this coyote; however, the coyote stands stall and proud. He isn't a proud man that hold achievements or certificates of superbness. This was a man that stood proud with arrogance and smell of dis-loyalty for gain. The young man was able to smell the coyotes stench a mile a way. He thought to himself he must be very careful and watch his back. The young man approached the coyote as careful as he could without spewing a sent of fear; however, the problem became that the coyote saw the young mans approach as a timid, uneducated, and saw him as a dumb Mexican he could take advantage of. It wasn't because the young mans was those things the coyote thought, rather that the coyote was an arrogant piece of shit and proud of taking advantage of situation such as this to better his gain. The young man reaches the coyote and explains his plan - the coyote listened with content and cracked a smile. A strapping fellow was this coyote, not would one would imagine him to be. If this young man were to meet him in the street, he would have never known what type of occupation, this coyote, would be in. Well, it makes sense that a trusting looking gentleman as he looked would be a great front for someone to take advantage of another in niceties. As the coyote smile at the young man, he whispered "where do you want to go?" The young felt a quiver run down his spine and replied, " America." The coyote simply nods his head and asks the young man, "How much dinero do you have, you know it's a big place - America?" The young man, proud to go to America lets slip out the total amount he was caring with out a thought. Those coyote was keen, sneaky, and as sure enough as the name coyote fits, he smoothly gets the young man to feel comfortable enough to give him all the information he needs to pounce on an opportunity and swindle the young man from all his belongings. Without thought to the matter, the young man gives the coyote all he has, trusting that that is what the custom of the business is. He then arrives to America, broke, no one to call, no where to go, but he is there and proud to have made it safe as he could. The coyote drops them off at a farm miles away from civilization - where they are promised work and shelter, but you can only image the work that was promised, and the shelter that was given; nevertheless, the wages that were promised. Bound by the illegal status of the young man he is forced to live in these conditions, or he would be sent back to where he came from...
"Bound by the Illegal Status of the people," those words alone degrade the value of a person's integrity, education, family status, or morals.
This book makes me think about celebrities. I think about how their lives seem to be care free and with no worries. I think about how Candido and America feel like they don't even have anything to call garbage because they have nothing. I think about how people in the world are so unfortunate and how celebrities and people like the rich people in Tortilla Curtain have so much and think nothing of it. This is evident when Kyra told Jordan that some kids don't have food to eat and he made a joke that they could send the food to the starving kids. In our society we are still going though that problem which is why there is always commercials about sponsoring a child in Africa. America, our home, is dreamland for people of all kinds. Our celebrities are known worldwide, from tours and publicity. People with hopes of making a better life for themselves are given false hope because they do see celebrities with anything they could ever dream of. Multiple houses, the most expensive cars, and loads of cash is portrayed. People like Candido and America would be satisfied with a a very small portion of what today's celebrities have.
The book reminds me of a genera Avant-garde film. In one of my film classes we studied a variety of film genres. The story in Tortilla Curtain opposes mainstream American films. American film genera usually includes an actor that has a series of obstacles in his or her way that must be overcome to archive their goals. In the end of most American films the actor achieves his or her goals and everybody lives happily ever after. Avant-garde films are opposed to most American films styles. Candido the protagonist in Tortilla Curtain, in mainstream media, would of ended up with a home for his family and a good job. The story would’ve ended with him being a hero. Americas’ baby would have ended up healthy, not dead under a mudslide. If this book were a film it would have had a very dark ending. Delany’s wife and stepson may have also died in the landslide. Delany also lost every thing. This book takes the reader through a series of failures in each of the characters lives. Whenever things seemed to get better Boyle would then knock characters down. Candido’s story starts as a tragedy and then gets better. Then his wife is ravaged. What a twisted roller-coaster ride. It would be interesting to see a film rendition of Tortilla Curtain.
This book reminds me of a book I read as a child, A Series of Unfortunate Events, I think is what is was called. It was just about these children who start off with an average life and are just thrown into some tough situations. They try to be optimistic and some situations are almost comical but at the same time sad. they try and try to stick together as a family and remain positive but there was never a happy ending. It was really interesting to read but sort of depressing. It reminded me of Tortilla Curtain and the hard times within the book. I didn't feel there was a super happy or positive ending to it as well.
When I read this topic and thinking about connecting the story to something unrelated the first thing that came to mind was the movie The Color Purple. Much like the book the movie tells a story of how hard people have it in our country; not only when they are not born in this country but also when and if they are considered by others to not be the right color. That in both of these situations they have a hard time figuring out how to fit in to society with the little that they have when society does not accept the little that they have. That there is no guide to life and that people just have to work hard to get to where they want to be in life. And sometimes when a person does work really hard unfortunately they do not always get to be where they want to end up because of their background.
I just started reading a book called, "The New Jim Crow," the book is about the mass incarceration of black men. I haven't gotten to far into the book but as I read it talks about the unequal treatment of minorities when dealing with crime. It also talks about how the crime rate has decreased but somehow the population of prisoners has increased. Ultimately the theme of the book explains how the justice system and those in power, make it impossible for blacks and Hispanics to become equals with the dominant group. The book, "Tortilla Curtain," is about foreigners trying to make a better life in American and running into countless obstacle. The two books are different but also alike when thinking about obstacles. There are obstacles portrayed in both books which prevent the less powerful from achieving success. There are laws that benefit some and place others at a disadvantage. For example, Candido and America are criminals in the eyes of many, "illegal immigrants," guiltily of breaking the law but I am not comfortable labeling an immigrant who is desperately seeking work in another country, as a law breaker. "The New Jim Crow," explains how a felon even after serving their sentence, continues to be excluded from mainstream America by laws and rules set in place such as no voting, no financial aid, no public assistance and a big button which says,"I'm a felon" please hire me for work. Both books are disturbing when thinking about how much effort is put into ensuring those in power remain on top.
As I was reading the book, Tortilla Curtain I began to get a little bother on Delaney anger feelings towards the man he hit. I couldn’t believe what I was reading of how be-little he viewed Mexicans, as if we were all the same or lower than any other ethnicity. Which also made me find similarity in one of my favorite films “Instructions Not Included”, with Eugenio Derves. I think that this movie relates to this book, because it is also about an immigrant individual and his struggles to become someone better. The movie is about a man who is surprised one day, by his ex-lover at his door step with a nine month old child that she stated was his daughter. After the mother left unannounced leaving the daughter behind with him, he decided to go running to find his ex-lover to the United States to return her the baby, because he count afford to raise the baby nor did he know how to. After not finding a single trace of the baby’s mother, he decided to raise the baby, after all, it was stated she was his daughter. He struggled immensely to support and raise his daughter; years past and on his way to the top the child’s mother decides to show up and take her daughter away from him. He was defenseless without have legal documents in the United States and had no choice but to let her go. After him not being able to live without his daughter, he decided to fight for his daughter but he lost the battle for the fact that he was an illegal. Since the little girl was already attached to her father she decides to run away with her dad to Mexico because she knew they wouldn’t find them and her dad did not need papers to live there.
As odd as it may sound, I am able to relate this story with what is going on at my house. During the summer two stray cats had two litters, one out at the far end of the backyard and one in a cooking pot in the garage. When I found the ones in the garage, I put them in a box and they were gone the next morning. So later on in the summer I found they were still lurking around in the backyard and decided to leave some cat food out sometimes, and since I have my own cat I have a big bag of food. Even as I am writing this the ten stray cats are meowing outside my door. The reason this reminds me of the story is because of the small arguments me and my mom have about these cats. In the book, it is mentioned that illegal immigrants take jobs that most people don’t want to do and will, unfortunately, do it for cheap wages. Delaney and Jake were talking at the grocery store about border security, machines being made to take care of many jobs quickly cheaper and how illegal immigrants negatively affect the economy and society. About the cats, I don’t mind having them around because my neighbors have chickens and horses and because of that the mice population increases during the summer. And thanks to the cats they control the mice population and I don’t have to give them as much food during that season. My mom does not want to have them around because of the poop in the yard, the meowing and scratching on the door at night and the possible flees they could have. But during the winter season, there are not many mice around, so the cats want more food. I only buy enough food for my cat and any food that I give the strays are whatever my cat does not eat or the scraps of food that we leave. The strays could also have worms or diseases that can be passed on to my cat or my family. What I have just mentioned are similar to those that Jake told Delaney, and is why this situation with the stray cats reminds me about the story.
When I was reading the book “Tortilla Curtain” something that came to mind was the American Dream. I was thinking about how people always seem to have some kind of dream that want to withhold here but when it comes to the sad truth is that many do not reach their dream. I think that’s a widely made up myth that most people think. But what they leave out is that not everyone who comes in rags becomes rich. In the story it speaks a lot about how they crossed the border to make a better life but end up empty handed. They were working so hard to not ever have enough money to buy food. Most people that come here are just full of illusions not realizing that it’s not as sweet as everyone makes it seem.
This book can be related to the way people regard the homeless population. Most people are like Delaney, financially stable. The homeless are like Candido and America, struggling out on the street suffering. Most people treat or careless about the homeless. They see the homeless as lower class citizens without knowing them. Most people feel homeless people should just disappear, but most homeless don’t have a home or shelter just like Candido and America didn’t either. On the other hand, most people are like Delaney, they have a home to go to at the end of the day and don’t have to worry.
This story reminds me a lot of a movie called, "The Color of Friendship". I tried to think of something completely unrelated, but this movie popped into my mind when I considered a few options to talk about. The movie does deal with racism but tells a story of two girls that become the best of friends despite their skin color. A lot like the book, no matter where you are from, you will always face trials and tribulations of life. The struggle is so real for everyone. Even the richest person has their share of problems. I think that what the book and movie demonstrate that anything is possible when you can count on someone to be there for you.
This book was like a gambling match in vegas. The story deals with risk on many levels. Candido and America faced higher levels of risk. They risked there lives to have a better one. They go hungry and a wrong turn could result in starvation or death. You could say, they are all in. In comparison, Delaney hits Candido with his car and pays him off. He bets that Candido is illegal but plays it safe and pays him off and fleas the scene just in case. Delaney does not take high levels of risk. He has already been dealt a good hand in life.He is fortunate in many ways that Candido is not. Delaney is privileged because he was born in a good country with an abundance of opportunities. He has wealth and a healthy family. t’s almost as if he has a full house. His problems are laughable when compared to Candido. The ending is sad. It’s disappointing that Candido was not able to bluff his way to the top.
ReplyDeleteThe book does remind me of the Grapes of Wrath which most likely sounds kind of stupid with me stating that. The two are alike in that they deal with immigration, finding work, and fitting in. My uncle's family had actually been asked to play the parts of the family in the Grapes of Wrath film because they had moved across country to Bakersfield themselves, but they were too insulted by it and refused. To this day I still think it would have been amazing if they had been in the film adaption. Tortilla Curtain is filled with sorrow and loss and its really quite a downer.
ReplyDeleteThis book makes me think of the world in general on how people always want to imagine certain things aren't happening or aren't there. I have noticed that many people who are wealthy in the novel seem to be astounded that there is crime in their area. It's like they don't know anything about the world unless it relates to them. This makes me think of the world now, when many people turn away from conflict or when people are faced with a crisis. They don't want to believe its there, so they choose to ignore it and act like it isn't there. I wonder what will happen if something crazy were to happen, like an alien attack. I wonder what people would do, or if they would just ignore what is right on their front yard. This is like Delaney getting mad at Jack for talking bad about the immigrants, but then the next second he hates them for dirtying his walking trail. He is always hot and cold with how he feels about immigrants.
ReplyDeleteHi Katelyn. I was thinking the same thing when I first skimmed over the writing prompt for this week. I feel like Delany is representing the majority of the world while Candido and America are those people who are in need. Many people do not pay attention to the problems that other individuals may have or may be experiencing at the moment. I really like how you mentioned Delany getting mad at Jack for something that he is just as guilty of.
DeleteThis book reminds me of a movie called, “El Norte” (The North). This movie is about two siblings a young man who is about 22 years-old whose name is Enrique Xuncax and his sister who is about 20-years-old whose name is Rosa Xuncax. They both desire to come to the United States crossing the Mexican border. They are both from Guatemala and their struggle is crossing all of Mexico in order to come to the United States. They speak Spanish with a Guatemalan accent and are afraid they will be spotted in Mexico because of the way they speak. They face many obstacles in Mexico like hunger and isolation. A man tries to take advantage sexually of the young girl, just like a man tries to take advantage of América. They have to camp out in the streets in order to keep moving north just like in “Tortilla Curtain” Cándido and América have to camp outside of the freeway. As they are both crossing the border through the water tubes, Rosa gets bitten by rats and becomes ill with typhus. (a disease that kills the immune system). They have to face struggles here in the United States as well, like discrimination and segregation. Enrique finds a job as a busboy at a restaurant but as he is ascending to become a waiter, a Chicano man who is jealous of him, calls immigration. This movie is just about the struggles illegal Hispanics face in the U.S. just like in “Tortilla Curtain”.
ReplyDeleteThe Tortilla Curtain reminds me of the movie "The Help". It is a movie based in the 1960's during the civil rights movement era. I think this novel relates to this movie because in both there are characters who see themselves as a higher class than the others. In Tortilla Curtain Delany is the "higher class" and Candido is the "lower class" while in the help the white people are the "higher" while the African Americans are the "lower". Both the joie and the novel show how different the lives between the two groups are through the struggles the minority have and the regular daily lives that the majority half live. "The Help" and Tortilla Curtain also are about race differences and how diverse both cultures are in the way they live, work and care for each other.
ReplyDeleteThis movie hit my emotions and made me think of how cruel life can be with people. This movie reminds me of a movie 7 soles (7 suns) where immigrants are trying to come to the United States and the coyotes leaves them in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Cándido and América live in a canyon where they do not have enough for survival. Tortilla Curtain deals with Delaney being the higher class, the class that thinks that are better than anybody else. Cándido gets hit by Delaney car and this causes him not being able to work. América decides to work and provide with food till he gets better. On the other hand, the movie 7 suns deal with immigrants crossing the border with nothing to eat or drink. The coyotes do not share their drinks and if they do, females have to pay them with sexual interactions. Both deal with immigrants being afraid to protest or seek help from authorities mainly because they are afraid of deportation. Cándido refuses to get medical treatment because of his legal status. They both have similarities they share how immigrants fight for survival every day. Tortilla curtain gives a different approach on how they both stay together no matter what the circumstances
ReplyDeleteThis book reminds me of how the daily necessaries are a real struggle. For example, just finding shelter is a struggle for the finding food. The disadvantage when she got rape she could not tell anybody that had happen. America did not have a voice because she is illegal. Just like in real life the illegal work in the fields and don’t own and house. When Candido gets hurt in book struggle like when Americans lose their jobs they could no longer provide for their family. Therefore, Candido struggles in life because he can’t work. We take many things for gradate and we don’t realize it. Just like the food and shelter we always have and we don’t realize how important it is. The illegal struggle a lot when they cross over the border.
ReplyDeleteWe as a people are made to either survive or wither and die. "Tortilla Curtains," falls right along those terms. As a human being growing up we find ourselves in many trials and tribulations; the impulse of success weighs heavy upon our shoulders, in order to make our families proud. With those burdens of personal extrapolations, we hold ourselves accountable of many things that may or may not be extremely difficult. A strapping gentleman, a dreamer, a hard worker, and a lover of life builds up the courage to face the world for his family - a nobleman true and true. This young man heads off on a journey to better his families situation back home. He sets off to chase a dream; the dream that everyone dreams about - where all is well, the wells of golden honey fall down an people's feet and grants a better life. He is an educated man, and man of morals and faith. Along his travels he comes to a roadblock, standing there between his path to success and his dreams is - a coyote. The young man had saved lots of his money to hold him up within his travels, he managed to save enough for what was needed to live and pay this coyote; however, the coyote stands stall and proud. He isn't a proud man that hold achievements or certificates of superbness. This was a man that stood proud with arrogance and smell of dis-loyalty for gain. The young man was able to smell the coyotes stench a mile a way. He thought to himself he must be very careful and watch his back. The young man approached the coyote as careful as he could without spewing a sent of fear; however, the problem became that the coyote saw the young mans approach as a timid, uneducated, and saw him as a dumb Mexican he could take advantage of. It wasn't because the young mans was those things the coyote thought, rather that the coyote was an arrogant piece of shit and proud of taking advantage of situation such as this to better his gain. The young man reaches the coyote and explains his plan - the coyote listened with content and cracked a smile. A strapping fellow was this coyote, not would one would imagine him to be. If this young man were to meet him in the street, he would have never known what type of occupation, this coyote, would be in. Well, it makes sense that a trusting looking gentleman as he looked would be a great front for someone to take advantage of another in niceties. As the coyote smile at the young man, he whispered "where do you want to go?" The young felt a quiver run down his spine and replied, " America." The coyote simply nods his head and asks the young man, "How much dinero do you have, you know it's a big place - America?" The young man, proud to go to America lets slip out the total amount he was caring with out a thought. Those coyote was keen, sneaky, and as sure enough as the name coyote fits, he smoothly gets the young man to feel comfortable enough to give him all the information he needs to pounce on an opportunity and swindle the young man from all his belongings. Without thought to the matter, the young man gives the coyote all he has, trusting that that is what the custom of the business is. He then arrives to America, broke, no one to call, no where to go, but he is there and proud to have made it safe as he could. The coyote drops them off at a farm miles away from civilization - where they are promised work and shelter, but you can only image the work that was promised, and the shelter that was given; nevertheless, the wages that were promised. Bound by the illegal status of the young man he is forced to live in these conditions, or he would be sent back to where he came from...
ReplyDelete"Bound by the Illegal Status of the people," those words alone degrade the value of a person's integrity, education, family status, or morals.
The excuse to devalue a human being for personal gain.
DeleteThis book makes me think about celebrities. I think about how their lives seem to be care free and with no worries. I think about how Candido and America feel like they don't even have anything to call garbage because they have nothing. I think about how people in the world are so unfortunate and how celebrities and people like the rich people in Tortilla Curtain have so much and think nothing of it. This is evident when Kyra told Jordan that some kids don't have food to eat and he made a joke that they could send the food to the starving kids. In our society we are still going though that problem which is why there is always commercials about sponsoring a child in Africa. America, our home, is dreamland for people of all kinds. Our celebrities are known worldwide, from tours and publicity. People with hopes of making a better life for themselves are given false hope because they do see celebrities with anything they could ever dream of. Multiple houses, the most expensive cars, and loads of cash is portrayed. People like Candido and America would be satisfied with a a very small portion of what today's celebrities have.
ReplyDeleteThe book reminds me of a genera Avant-garde film. In one of my film classes we studied a variety of film genres. The story in Tortilla Curtain opposes mainstream American films. American film genera usually includes an actor that has a series of obstacles in his or her way that must be overcome to archive their goals. In the end of most American films the actor achieves his or her goals and everybody lives happily ever after. Avant-garde films are opposed to most American films styles. Candido the protagonist in Tortilla Curtain, in mainstream media, would of ended up with a home for his family and a good job. The story would’ve ended with him being a hero. Americas’ baby would have ended up healthy, not dead under a mudslide. If this book were a film it would have had a very dark ending. Delany’s wife and stepson may have also died in the landslide. Delany also lost every thing. This book takes the reader through a series of failures in each of the characters lives. Whenever things seemed to get better Boyle would then knock characters down. Candido’s story starts as a tragedy and then gets better. Then his wife is ravaged. What a twisted roller-coaster ride. It would be interesting to see a film rendition of Tortilla Curtain.
ReplyDeleteThis book reminds me of a book I read as a child, A Series of Unfortunate Events, I think is what is was called. It was just about these children who start off with an average life and are just thrown into some tough situations. They try to be optimistic and some situations are almost comical but at the same time sad. they try and try to stick together as a family and remain positive but there was never a happy ending. It was really interesting to read but sort of depressing. It reminded me of Tortilla Curtain and the hard times within the book. I didn't feel there was a super happy or positive ending to it as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this topic and thinking about connecting the story to something unrelated the first thing that came to mind was the movie The Color Purple. Much like the book the movie tells a story of how hard people have it in our country; not only when they are not born in this country but also when and if they are considered by others to not be the right color. That in both of these situations they have a hard time figuring out how to fit in to society with the little that they have when society does not accept the little that they have. That there is no guide to life and that people just have to work hard to get to where they want to be in life. And sometimes when a person does work really hard unfortunately they do not always get to be where they want to end up because of their background.
ReplyDeleteI just started reading a book called, "The New Jim Crow," the book is about the mass incarceration of black men. I haven't gotten to far into the book but as I read it talks about the unequal treatment of minorities when dealing with crime. It also talks about how the crime rate has decreased but somehow the population of prisoners has increased. Ultimately the theme of the book explains how the justice system and those in power, make it impossible for blacks and Hispanics to become equals with the dominant group. The book, "Tortilla Curtain," is about foreigners trying to make a better life in American and running into countless obstacle. The two books are different but also alike when thinking about obstacles. There are obstacles portrayed in both books which prevent the less powerful from achieving success. There are laws that benefit some and place others at a disadvantage. For example, Candido and America are criminals in the eyes of many, "illegal immigrants," guiltily of breaking the law but I am not comfortable labeling an immigrant who is desperately seeking work in another country, as a law breaker. "The New Jim Crow," explains how a felon even after serving their sentence, continues to be excluded from mainstream America by laws and rules set in place such as no voting, no financial aid, no public assistance and a big button which says,"I'm a felon" please hire me for work. Both books are disturbing when thinking about how much effort is put into ensuring those in power remain on top.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the book, Tortilla Curtain I began to get a little bother on Delaney anger feelings towards the man he hit. I couldn’t believe what I was reading of how be-little he viewed Mexicans, as if we were all the same or lower than any other ethnicity. Which also made me find similarity in one of my favorite films “Instructions Not Included”, with Eugenio Derves. I think that this movie relates to this book, because it is also about an immigrant individual and his struggles to become someone better. The movie is about a man who is surprised one day, by his ex-lover at his door step with a nine month old child that she stated was his daughter. After the mother left unannounced leaving the daughter behind with him, he decided to go running to find his ex-lover to the United States to return her the baby, because he count afford to raise the baby nor did he know how to. After not finding a single trace of the baby’s mother, he decided to raise the baby, after all, it was stated she was his daughter. He struggled immensely to support and raise his daughter; years past and on his way to the top the child’s mother decides to show up and take her daughter away from him. He was defenseless without have legal documents in the United States and had no choice but to let her go. After him not being able to live without his daughter, he decided to fight for his daughter but he lost the battle for the fact that he was an illegal. Since the little girl was already attached to her father she decides to run away with her dad to Mexico because she knew they wouldn’t find them and her dad did not need papers to live there.
ReplyDeleteAs odd as it may sound, I am able to relate this story with what is going on at my house. During the summer two stray cats had two litters, one out at the far end of the backyard and one in a cooking pot in the garage. When I found the ones in the garage, I put them in a box and they were gone the next morning. So later on in the summer I found they were still lurking around in the backyard and decided to leave some cat food out sometimes, and since I have my own cat I have a big bag of food. Even as I am writing this the ten stray cats are meowing outside my door. The reason this reminds me of the story is because of the small arguments me and my mom have about these cats. In the book, it is mentioned that illegal immigrants take jobs that most people don’t want to do and will, unfortunately, do it for cheap wages. Delaney and Jake were talking at the grocery store about border security, machines being made to take care of many jobs quickly cheaper and how illegal immigrants negatively affect the economy and society. About the cats, I don’t mind having them around because my neighbors have chickens and horses and because of that the mice population increases during the summer. And thanks to the cats they control the mice population and I don’t have to give them as much food during that season. My mom does not want to have them around because of the poop in the yard, the meowing and scratching on the door at night and the possible flees they could have. But during the winter season, there are not many mice around, so the cats want more food. I only buy enough food for my cat and any food that I give the strays are whatever my cat does not eat or the scraps of food that we leave. The strays could also have worms or diseases that can be passed on to my cat or my family. What I have just mentioned are similar to those that Jake told Delaney, and is why this situation with the stray cats reminds me about the story.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading the book “Tortilla Curtain” something that came to mind was the American Dream. I was thinking about how people always seem to have some kind of dream that want to withhold here but when it comes to the sad truth is that many do not reach their dream. I think that’s a widely made up myth that most people think. But what they leave out is that not everyone who comes in rags becomes rich. In the story it speaks a lot about how they crossed the border to make a better life but end up empty handed. They were working so hard to not ever have enough money to buy food. Most people that come here are just full of illusions not realizing that it’s not as sweet as everyone makes it seem.
ReplyDeleteThis book can be related to the way people regard the homeless population. Most people are like Delaney, financially stable. The homeless are like Candido and America, struggling out on the street suffering. Most people treat or careless about the homeless. They see the homeless as lower class citizens without knowing them. Most people feel homeless people should just disappear, but most homeless don’t have a home or shelter just like Candido and America didn’t either. On the other hand, most people are like Delaney, they have a home to go to at the end of the day and don’t have to worry.
ReplyDeleteThis story reminds me a lot of a movie called, "The Color of Friendship". I tried to think of something completely unrelated, but this movie popped into my mind when I considered a few options to talk about. The movie does deal with racism but tells a story of two girls that become the best of friends despite their skin color. A lot like the book, no matter where you are from, you will always face trials and tribulations of life. The struggle is so real for everyone. Even the richest person has their share of problems. I think that what the book and movie demonstrate that anything is possible when you can count on someone to be there for you.
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