Introduction
Society is cruel and there is no need to find any evidences of this, just the examples of people’s careless attitude to others may be introduced. The novel Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle is a good representation of well-to-do people’s insensitive to the needs and feelings of poor people. The values of middle-class, poverty, illegal immigration, and xenophobia are discussed in the story. The story under consideration depicts the external conflict between Rincon and Mossbacher families, who belong to different social groups, whose income differs so much that they are unable to understand each other, but at the same time their destinies are influenced by each other.
Main body
Starting with the description of the both sides of the conflict it should be mentioned that Candido Rincon and America, his couple, were Mexican, who illegally came to United States, looking for a better life. The situation was such that they could not find good job legally, and had to search for some dangerous income illegally. The situation was complicated by America pregnancy and Candido’s constant feeling of guilt, who could not feed his family. Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher were people from the other social side, they went to Topanga to be closer to nature and at the same time not so far from the city. Living in welfare, these people also faced with the problems of the life on the nature, and considered these problems much more significant than the problems of some Mexicans.
The reason of the conflict between Rincon and Mossbacher was rather unpleasant for the both sides, which led to the internal development of it in future. Delaney Mossbacher hit Candido Rincon by his car, but neither ambulance nor police was called for in reference to different considerations. Mossbacher was guilty in the accident and did not want to be convinced by police, and Rincon did not want to be departed to his country. So, the accident concluded by Mossbacher’s “relieve to buy him off with his twenty dollars’ blood money” (Boyle 13) because, as he later told to his wife, he was just a Mexican (Boyle 15). This phrase characterizes in detail disregard to people of other country and to those who belong to lower social position than he is.
The problems did not finish with the car accident, furthermore, that was just the beginning of the calamities, which took place in the first part of the description of situation development. Being presented with the turkey on the Thanksgiving Day, Candido wanted to make a surprise to America and prepare a holiday dinner, which finished pitifully, as Candido created a fire when tried to roast the bird’s back. The fire spread so quickly, that people had to be evacuated, including Mossbachers, who lived apart from the other inhabitants. This was the situation, when internal conflict shifted into external and mutual disregard and offends became visible.
The protagonist of the story is Delaney Mossbacher, who was lucky to be born in a good family, to receive a good education and to life a successful life with his wife. The significant feature of this man may be provided by two facts, the first his attitude to the person, he had hit by his car and the attitude to pet dog, which was killed by coyote. The love to favorite animal is easily explained and understood, but the attitude to the person, such cruel and careless may never be explained. Delaney Mossbacher treats Mexicans worse than animals just because they are poor and lead terrible lives in terrible conditions, he does not like them just because they were illegal immigrants and considered it as their fault that they were born in such conditions.
The antagonist of the story is Candido Rincon, who is one other side of life. He is an illegal immigrant, who just wants to feed his family, to give them house and to protect. His vision of the life is absolutely different, as he treats people according to their actions, not just by their social position. Being illegal immigrant, poor and unprotected, Candido Rincon tries to do all depend from him to remain the country he had chosen and not to create difficulties to other people, who surround him. The conflicts, which were created between him and Mossbacher family, were not because of his fault (how may appear from the first sight), but the main idea of the author to show the differences not just out, which are seen, but also inner, which may be considered just in the conflict situations.
Conclusion
So, the novel Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle depicts the external conflict between Rincon and Mossbacher families, who belong to different social groups, whose income differs so much that they are unable to understand each other, but at the same time their destinies are influenced by each other and this influence shows the crucial differences of these couples, the nature of their conflict and disability to solve it, as different social belonging and financial position does not allow them to understand each other.
Reference
Boyle, T. Coraghessan. The Tortilla Curtain. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.