These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
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.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
WEEK FOUR WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
Choose one or two lines from Tortilla Curtain. Write the lines here and discuss why you think they stood out to you.
Throughout my reading of Tortilla Curtain, several lines stood out to me and made me want to read more. This book is very interesting and it is almost like a mystery that is unfolding chapter by chapter. One of the lines that stood to me is on page seventeen and it goes like this. “He stared stupidly round him—at the fine tracery of the brush, at the birds lighting in the branches and the treetops below him, at the vultures scrawling their ragged signatures in the sky.” This line does not fail to create the image of what is happening. This created the image of the setting in my head as I read it. The image of the birds in the sky was really creatively written as it created an image in my head of the beautiful birds. Another line that stood out to me was on page nineteen. “Birds called to one another.” This line is very well written because it made me picture that birds actually talking to one another which is very odd but it is very beautiful. It symbolizes how the birds are chirping or singing to one another. The line before this beautiful line also shows a great image of the setting. “The shadows deepened.” This line creates the lighting of the setting and creates this scary dark shadow. “Swish, swish, swish, the cars shot by, no more than ten feet away.” This line which is also in this paragraph creates this amazing image of the setting and does not fail to make this book more enjoyable to read. I hope the rest of the lines of the book will make it more and more enjoyable.
And then he noticed the man’s left arm, the torn shirtsleeve and the skin beneath it stippled with blood and bits of dirt and leaf mold, and the blood-slick hand that clutched a deflated paper bag to his chest. Silvers of glass tore through the bag like claws and orange soda soaked the man’s khaki shirt a plastic package, through which Delaney could make out a stack of tortillas (Como Hechas a Mano).
Both of these lines stood out to me because they were very descriptive. I could actually picture everything the author was describing. Writing like this makes it very interesting to read because it catches my attention quickly. I’m a visual learner and I like to imagine or see what is going on in order to have a better idea and understand the information being portrayed. I can picture this individual in some harsh conditions like being dirty, with blood all over and smelly. The second line stood out to me because I enjoy making these tortillas and I soon as I read this line I pictured myself making tortillas hechas a mano. When I can connect to the reading it definitely has a greater interested to me because I can not only picture what is going on in the story but I can put myself in the characters shoes. Another reason why they stood out to me is because the author does a great job by making us want to read the rest of the story because the language, similarities, details, and imagery makes us eager to read the rest of the story. I have not even read half of the book and I feel interested and eager to finish this book. I am not much of a book lover but this one seems to catch my attention. I feel as if books that can relate to you or books that leave you with suspense to what is happening next are the greatest books. Therefore I wouldn’t doubt if this book would be one of my favorite books.
In the book Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle there was a line that has stood out above all others for me so far. The line reads, "A gabacho sat on the sidewalk with hislong hair and begged for change and the sight of him struck her with unholy terror: if he had to beg in his own country, what chance was there for her?" To me this line shows the moment where America realizes that all the stories she heard while living in Mexico about everyone living in the United States was not all true. Not everyone owned a big white house, Not everyone owned a television. Not everyone owned a brand new car. this is where the harsh reality set in that people struggle in the United States as well even though it may not be as bad as it was in Mexico. This is the harsh reality for immigrants who have came to our country in the past and who are still coming today. I do not believe that they are expecting to just be handed everything but I don't think they know the struggles they are going to face. Fortunately, for the most part, immigrants do find their way in this country.
Oh, where to even start on this writing. While I was reading the book I held a highlighter to highlight anything that stood out to me. By the time I read a good amount, I went back to find a sentence that stood out the most. To my amazement, I had highlighted something in almost every other page. All these sentences made me feel a mixture of emotions. The sentences that stood out the most was on page 15. “He’s gone, he went away. I gave him twenty bucks.” “Twenty----? “I told you--- he was Mexican.” The amount of sadness in my heart was immense. The guy literally hit a person with a car and felt “okay” because the person was a Mexican. Like if the crime was any less now because of the person’s race. It was so disheartening to read. Delaney felt horrible that he had hit someone yet his emotions changed when he realized the guy he hit was a Mexican. What did that have to do with anything? He hit a person point and blank. Did it matter what race he was? Every person has thoughts and feelings, if they get a cut they bleed. If they get run over by a car they get hurt or even die. This is all so obvious. Yet, because of a different race a person is treated as if they are less or higher? It makes no sense, yet it is around and still around in society today.
While reading the book Tortilla Curtain, many lines caught my attention. For example, on page eleven, the line that stood out to me was, “There wasn’t a trial in the Santa Monica Mountains that didn’t have its crushed beer cans, its carpet of glass, its candy wrappers and cigarette buns, and it was people like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana”. This line caught my attention and made me realize how ignorant people can be. Delaney who just ran over an innocent man didn’t care for one moment about the man’s health and safety. He instead focused on how the man he hit turned out to be a Mexican. Of course at the beginning he was worried and scared for the consequences he was going to face for hitting an innocent person. However, once he found out that the man he hit was a Mexican, he forgot all about the consequences. In his mind, he realized that there wouldn’t be any penalties because the man had no rights based on his race. In addition, all he had to do was pay the man some money and he would leave him alone. Delaney then had the courage to blame Mexicans for the downfall of Los Angeles. The lines used in this book to express Delaney’s thoughts made me think of how many people I know have experienced similar situations. I believe this is why this line stood out to me the most.
While reading this interesting book it had me wanting to read more and more. I was so intrigued in what comes next in every chapter. Two lines that stood out to me while reading was on page 11. This line states " People like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible,thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana..." To me this was technically stereotyping Mexicans like they say. Stereotyping is a huge issue today, because everyone punishes a certain culture, gender, race, age, and etc because of one person. A stereotype is using a image or and idea of a certain person or thing. This quote described that because it had been messy or dirty doesn't technically mean that it will turn or will be like Tijuana. Another line from this book that stood out to me was on page 27. Page 27 included a line that states, "Twice he's gotten work, at three dollars an hour, no questions asked." This line states it all many immigrants that come to the U.S. are going to satisifiy themselves with anything that is given to them. Three dollars an hour is not much compare to today's minimum wage. Three dollars back then wasn't as much either but it was manageable. This also states that this guy was very humble because he stood quiet and just went with the flow. This book is very interesting due to all the incidents that are given while the life of these individuals.
There were several lines that stood out to me but the first one that I could really understand. "He'd been in Los Angeles nearly two years now, and he'd never really thought about it before, but they were everywhere, theses men, ubiquitous, silently going about their business, whether it be mopping up 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..." This line stood out to me because this many lived somewhere for two years without noticing how many Hispanics he encountered on a daily basis. It is pretty crazy because there are a lot of Hispanics working and living everywhere, but what is sad is that this man didn't notice it until he hit the man on the road. It is such a natural thing to me to not judge people based on how they look. When I first look at a person, I don't think to myself "Oh they're Hispanic." I see each person for who they are and treat them like I would any other person regardless of what ethnicity they are. However in a sense what the man said was true. We have several Hispanics living everywhere in America, and they are employed in all different kinds of work. This man describes the Mexicans as working at McDonald's and working as gardeners which struck me kind of funny because most gardeners are Hispanic. I don't know if they are gardeners because they like to be or because they want to be, nevertheless the few jobs that the man mentioned hit very close to home. Yet again, I don't know why it took hitting a Mexican man for him to notice how many Mexicans lived in the town and performed their jobs on a daily basis without getting noticed.
"And then, before the words could turn to ash in his mouth, it was out: “I told you—he was Mexican.” Yikes. I was completely shocked reading this line. I have been in an accident before and know very well what kind of fees can rack up, but to leave a man that you had nearly dismembered with only 20 dollars? He didn't even see him as a fellow human being, but some how less than. Race is a socially constructed idea, one that doesn't even make much sense. There are more biological differences within one race of people than across the races. It just bewilders me that you could see an injured man, which you caused, and try to blame the victim. Human life is more valuable than any other thing. It never even occurred to me that people would think otherwise. I wonder how this scene would be different if he had hit a white man instead.
After reading the first half of the book, I noticed that a lot of the lines that stood out most to me came early on in the novel. The first and second chapters in particular discussed a lot about the tension between Americans and Mexicans. The first line that stood out to me was, "A gabacho sat on the sidewalk with his long hair and begged for change and the sight of him struck her with unholy terror; if he had to beg in his own country, what chance was there for her?" This got to me because I'm sure many illegal immigrants who come to America expect it to be easier, when in reality, it is not necessarily the case. Also, another line that made me feel empathy towards America was, "-and how long before one of them tore up the dirt in front of her and the police were standing there demanding her papers?...she ran the last hundred yards, ran for the cover of the brush while the cold beams of light hunted her down..." This made me think of how horrible it must be to have to go through such hardships, to have to always live in fear. The fact that she cannot walk in broad daylight for many to see because she might get caught and get deported is nerve-racking. This story so far has shown me how much one can suffer and want to work hard, but are treated differently because of their ethnicity. Delaney himself even stated that he didn't feel horrible for what he had done because of the fact that Candido was Mexican. The thought that Mexicans camping out in the ravine were responsible for trashing the area made Delaney infuriated. This story clearly shows how little both know of each other.
“I told you-he was Mexican” This is a part in chapter one where Delaney is shows his true colors by his predacious showing through. This is interesting because Delaney is a democrat and claims to be forward thinking. This shows that he does not practice what he preaches. The fact the he hit a Mexican with his car was a relief to him because there was no possible way that he was going to be sued. And with this he does not get an ambulance or medical attention because he is almost not worthy. "The ones coming in through the Tortilla Curtain down there, those are the ones that are killing us. They're peasants, my friend. No education, no resources, no skills - all they've got to offer is a strong back, and the irony is we need fewer and fewer strong backs every day because we've got robotics and computers and farm machinery that can do the labor of a hundred men at a fraction of the cost." Jack had just said this to Delaney, then after this statement Delaney called Jack a raciest. Jack retorts that he is not a raciest but that he is just stating a fact. This shows in the book that the Mexicans are not really human but less than the worth of a machine.
"The man was on his back, limbs dangling, as loose-jointed as a doll flung in the corner by an imperious little girl." "It was crazy to refuse treatment like that, just crazy. But he had. And that meant he was illegal-go to the doctor, get deported. " These two lines stood out to me, because they remind me of many conversations I've had with my mom. My mom has never made a secret of her childhood. Growing up, she was illegal. She's repeatedly told me stories of her family, specifically her mom, denying something they desperately need out of fear of deportation. It's a sad reality; to be denied of human necessities, like medical treatment. I feel like the first line, “The man was on his back, limbs dangling, as loose-jointed as a doll flung in the corner by an imperious little girl,” is a reflection of just how badly these people need help, but deny themselves, and are denied help. I honestly don't know much about the economics of our country, and I understand the country wants to put its' citizens first, however at the end of the day we are all people. We all share the same planet, and like on of Shakepseare's famouse lines, if you cut us we bleed. I just think we need to look past categories, and just help others in need. I feel like I can see a little of myself in every human I come into contact with, so why would I deny someone based on a title? It just doesn't make sense to me. The thought of someone denying me, If I weren't a citizen, deeply saddens me. I hope in the future we can get past these road blocks, and just let ourselves see situations and people for what they really are.
One of the lines that stood out the most when reading Tortilla Curtains is “Delaney’s first thought was for the car . . . then for the insurance rates . . . and finally, belatedly, for the victim.” This quote comes early in the novel after Delaney hits, who he soon finds out to be Cándido, and surveys his car for damage. I chose this quote out of all the other really good descriptive quotes in Tortilla Curtains because to me, every American can relate to this event. I’m not saying everyone has hit a person, but almost everyone has been in, or been a part of a car accident and these exact lines go through most peoples heads. First, once most people find out they’re alive, they will first think about the car above everything else, including themselves, because we all know we spent way too much money on the vehicle we are driving and it’s our “baby.” Second, we think about the implications of what we have just done, such as if our insurance rate is going to sky rocket, if I am going to jail, how much time is this going to take out of our daily lives, and not one thought on if the other person is alright. Lastly, we think about the other person or “victim” we hit and if they are alright. To me, this quote is spot on to how society would react to any kind of accident today. Americans will think about themselves before they think about the well-being of anyone else.
The Tortilla Curtain is an interesting read that explains and describes many things in a detailed manner. “Delaney’s gaze jumped from the shopping cart to the path and then to the bush at his right, and there he was, the man with the red-flecked eyes and graying mustache, the daredevil, the suicide, the jack-in-the-box who’d popped up in front of his bumper and ruined his afternoon”. This phrase is detailed and precise when he describes exactly how he feels in a manner in which he expresses his ruined day by the “daredevil”. However he goes on and shows concern about the occurrence but at the same time thinks of individualistic consequences that can occur to him. For example earlier in the reading he demonstrated concern for his car, insurance rates, and lastly the victim which clearly underlines the above quote in which he describes his discontent. In addition “The man was Mexican, Hispanic, that’s what he was, and he was speaking Spanish, a hot crazed drumroll of a language to which Delaney’s four years of high-school French gave him little access”. This phrase made me think of the hard time he would have communicating with the victim. This is because he mentions that he has no clue on how to communicate in Spanish. This is because his 4 year high school experience did not prepare him for Spanish situations. All in all the reading is a good one and it gives a lot of descriptive detail that allows readers to think of different ways of describing different things.
There were two different sentences that directly stood out to me after reading the Tortilla Curtain. The first was: “But it was more than a murmur – it was a deep aching guttural moan that made something catch in his throat, an expression of the most primitive and elemental experience we know: pain.” And the second one being: “I told you – he was Mexican.” These two lines struck me because they depict what state the man was in when the car hit him. The imagery from the first line makes what the Mexican man is feeling relatable and makes the reader empathize with his pain. It’s a very raw description of the pain and injury that he felt after the car accident. The second line shows how upper class people actually view Mexicans. This is a really sad and unfortunate reality that many people who are illegal immigrants do have to refuse medical treatment because they are fearful that they will be deported. It think it also shows that illegal immigrants have to deal with a lot of derogatory actions from others. The reason that we know what Delaney meant when he said “he was Mexican” is because we have experienced some exchange where we have witnessed illegal immigrant discrimination. This man was willing to walk away and camp out in Topanga canyon with the injuries that he got during the accident. He was limping and his face was bleeding severely from the impact of the car and continued to deal with his pain. He accepted just twenty dollars from Delaney who felt that was sufficient compensation for a non-english speaking Mexican immigrant.
There is one line that really stood out to me after reading chapter one in Tortilla Curtain. "To his shame, Delaney's first thought was for the car (was it marred, scratched, dented?), and finally, belatedly, for the victim." This line stood out to me because it shows Delaney's character. Delaney was more worried about material things over the well being of another human being, which he was part of hurting. Unfortunately this is reality in some cases; even though, some people deny it. The good thing is that Delaney did not just leave the scene and did make sure the person was alive. I did not agree with his way of handling the situation, but it could have been worse. The more I read into it this novel the more I get into it. I think Kyra is going to have a really good talk with him after what he said over the phone too. "I told you - He was Mexican."
This book is very good in describing the surroundings and situations; it makes me feel that I can actually be there. There were many lines that stood out, but I need to say that when “Delaney’s first though was for the car (was it marred, scratch, dented?), and then for his insurance rates (what was this going to do to his good-driver discount?). This line gives me the impression that Delaney is very materialistic and selfish. You can always replace the material things, but never a life. It was not until the end that he began to think about the victim. He was looking for the victim because he was scared he was dead or he was going to sue. This is stated when “Delaney felt the relief wash over him-the man wasn’t going to die, he wasn’t going to sue him, he was alright and it was over.” I guess that when you are in that situation there is a battle of emotions going in your head. That is one of the reasons that there are a lot of hit and runs when accidents occur. It appears that during this process Delaney is going through a lot of emotions in some cases he is thinking what Candido was doing there. On the other hand, he jumps in to conclusions stereotyping. For example, he states “ it was people like this this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana…” Just like Donald Trump stereotyping the Mexicans.
Before I begin, I must commend this writer on how descriptive he can be and making us readers feel as if we’re there in the moment. I, for one, am not a big fan of reading, but for me to be able to picture everything while reading word for word, makes me enjoy this book more than I thought I would. One of the lines that stood out to me and some of my fellow classmates was, “There wasn’t a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains that didn’t have its crushed beer cans, its carpet of glass, its candy wrappers and cigarette butts, and it was people like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dumb, a little Tijuana…” Before this line was introduced, Delaney was tremendously worried about what he had done, who he did it to, and how he could help this man out. Delaney was willing to do anything in order to make up for what he had done, even though he believed it wasn’t his fault. He felt the pain as he was examining the wounds that were apparent on the man’s body, and wanted to do anything to help this man. But as soon as things clicked to Delaney, that the man was an illegal immigrant, he immediately grew out of the sympathy and guilt for what he had done, and became angry as to why he had been camping out down there, leaving trash for Delaney and other volunteers to pick up. Which goes to support my perspective on how American’s treat immigrants. I feel as if people care for others equally, until they find out they’re known for someone else. In this instance, an illegal immigrant.
As I read Tortilla Curtain I was quick to realize the author’s fantastic descriptive capabilities which made the reading much more intriguing . As the first chapter unfolds within Delaney's point of view, we encounter the situation he is in. On his way to the recycling center, Delaney hits a man who we later recognize as Cándido. Delaney's world collapses before him and horrifying thoughts run through his head. Had he killed the man? Was his car okay? But most importantly who was the victim? When Delaney found the victim hurt, he offered treatment however, all Cándido asked for in exchange was money. Although Delaney was concerned about the man and his injuries, Delaney quickly handed him a $20 . Right away Delaney showed his true colors when he allowed the injured man leave with a small amount of cash. A line that stood out to me in regard to this situation was “ it was crazy to refuse treatment like that, just crazy. But he had and that meant he was illegal— go to the doctor, get deported”. I was in disbelief that this man who considered himself a liberal had instantly profiled Cándido as an immigrant because he had accepted the cash. I think situations like these are very heartbreaking were a immigrant is viewed as lesser person due to their status in this country. They come here to purse the American Dream, but on the rode to pursuing it others take advantage of them just how Delaney took advantage of Cándido for simply being just another Mexican immigrant.
Tortilla Curtain is a really good read. I feel as if I'm watching it from a movie screen because I can picture it as it's being said. "Money had changed hands, there were no witnesses, and the man was gone, out of his life forever." "And yet, no matter how hard he tried, Delaney couldn't shake the image of him." These two lines caught my attention because similar actions take place everywhere. For example, I knew of someone who caused an accident due to texting and driving. He hit a man and damaged the mans car, but the man didn't press any charges or report him due to the fact that he wasn't a citizen. So the guy that I knew got away with it. Things like that are not fair.
From what I have read so far in this book (I am now on part I, chapter 8), it seems as though Delaney is a very materialistic and conceited person. He seems to have more concern for his dead dog, and his car, than the man he ran over. I find it unbelievable that Delaney did not take Candido immediately to the hospital after the accident. He saw that one side of his face was bleeding and in shreds and that he was limping, too, yet he had the audacity to leave Candido in the middle of nowhere with such serious injuries. Delaney’s selfishness can instantly be seen through his thoughts at the beginning of the story when the accident had just occurred: “Delaney’s first thought was for the car . . . then for the insurance rates . . . and finally, belatedly, for the victim.” Another quote that stood out to me was what Delaney said when he tried to calm down Kyra about her worries of getting sued by Candido. After he told Kyra that he just gave Candido $20 and then left him there, he told her in order to calm her fears: “I told you- he was Mexican.” By Delaney saying that he was Mexican, he implied that there was no need to fear of getting sued because Mexicans are poor and ignorant. To Delaney, Mexicans do not have the same value of life as Caucasians do and therefore are also not worth the time to take to the hospital and can easily be forgotten with a $20 bill.
Before I dicuss the reading, I must say my first impression about the book was its title. "Tortilla Curtain" is quite bold, and I was a bit skeptical regarding stereotypes. I have a great dislike for stereotypes of any kind and did not want to find myself reading that type of content. While it does have a number of stereotypes or exaggerations, I must admit the book is filled with descriptive readings. The author really enables its readers to feel as though they are part of the plot. In a previous night, I found a very interesting passage that I could somewhat relate to. This passage can be found in page 40: " 'No one can tell me I can't feed my own wife'." This phrase really hit me as I work with a number of high school male students who feel entitled to this macho characteristics.
The lines I chose were “I am waiting for something, I don’t know what, but if I can filter out the glowing evidence of our omnipresent civilization…, I feel that all this is mine to have and to hold, for this night at least. And then I heard it, a high tenuous glissade of sound that I might almost have mistaken for a siren if I didn’t know better, and I realize that is what I’ve been waiting for all along; the coyote chorus.”(78-79) I picked these lines because I really liked how they described Delaney’s feelings. By reading them I feel like I got a good insight into how he was feeling. At first the quote starts by him explaining that he’s waiting for something he can’t explain, even though he doesn’t know what that is. He has hope that his life will be what he wants it to be someday. Then he hears the coyotes. Although he is afraid of the coyotes, he finds a certain ease in hearing their howl. The coyote is the animal that is associated with the Mexican immigrants. To me the fear that Delaney has towards the coyotes is similar to the fear Americans have to the Mexican immigrants. To me this quote serves as a cliff hanger and makes me want to keep reading.
Throughout my reading of Tortilla Curtain, several lines stood out to me and made me want to read more. This book is very interesting and it is almost like a mystery that is unfolding chapter by chapter. One of the lines that stood to me is on page seventeen and it goes like this. “He stared stupidly round him—at the fine tracery of the brush, at the birds lighting in the branches and the treetops below him, at the vultures scrawling their ragged signatures in the sky.” This line does not fail to create the image of what is happening. This created the image of the setting in my head as I read it. The image of the birds in the sky was really creatively written as it created an image in my head of the beautiful birds. Another line that stood out to me was on page nineteen. “Birds called to one another.” This line is very well written because it made me picture that birds actually talking to one another which is very odd but it is very beautiful. It symbolizes how the birds are chirping or singing to one another. The line before this beautiful line also shows a great image of the setting. “The shadows deepened.” This line creates the lighting of the setting and creates this scary dark shadow. “Swish, swish, swish, the cars shot by, no more than ten feet away.” This line which is also in this paragraph creates this amazing image of the setting and does not fail to make this book more enjoyable to read. I hope the rest of the lines of the book will make it more and more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteAnd then he noticed the man’s left arm, the torn shirtsleeve and the skin beneath it stippled with blood and bits of dirt and leaf mold, and the blood-slick hand that clutched a deflated paper bag to his chest. Silvers of glass tore through the bag like claws and orange soda soaked the man’s khaki shirt a plastic package, through which Delaney could make out a stack of tortillas (Como Hechas a Mano).
ReplyDeleteBoth of these lines stood out to me because they were very descriptive. I could actually picture everything the author was describing. Writing like this makes it very interesting to read because it catches my attention quickly. I’m a visual learner and I like to imagine or see what is going on in order to have a better idea and understand the information being portrayed. I can picture this individual in some harsh conditions like being dirty, with blood all over and smelly. The second line stood out to me because I enjoy making these tortillas and I soon as I read this line I pictured myself making tortillas hechas a mano. When I can connect to the reading it definitely has a greater interested to me because I can not only picture what is going on in the story but I can put myself in the characters shoes. Another reason why they stood out to me is because the author does a great job by making us want to read the rest of the story because the language, similarities, details, and imagery makes us eager to read the rest of the story. I have not even read half of the book and I feel interested and eager to finish this book. I am not much of a book lover but this one seems to catch my attention. I feel as if books that can relate to you or books that leave you with suspense to what is happening next are the greatest books. Therefore I wouldn’t doubt if this book would be one of my favorite books.
In the book Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle there was a line that has stood out above all others for me so far. The line reads, "A gabacho sat on the sidewalk with hislong hair and begged for change and the sight of him struck her with unholy terror: if he had to beg in his own country, what chance was there for her?" To me this line shows the moment where America realizes that all the stories she heard while living in Mexico about everyone living in the United States was not all true. Not everyone owned a big white house, Not everyone owned a television. Not everyone owned a brand new car. this is where the harsh reality set in that people struggle in the United States as well even though it may not be as bad as it was in Mexico. This is the harsh reality for immigrants who have came to our country in the past and who are still coming today. I do not believe that they are expecting to just be handed everything but I don't think they know the struggles they are going to face. Fortunately, for the most part, immigrants do find their way in this country.
ReplyDeleteOh, where to even start on this writing. While I was reading the book I held a highlighter to highlight anything that stood out to me. By the time I read a good amount, I went back to find a sentence that stood out the most. To my amazement, I had highlighted something in almost every other page. All these sentences made me feel a mixture of emotions. The sentences that stood out the most was on page 15. “He’s gone, he went away. I gave him twenty bucks.”
ReplyDelete“Twenty----?
“I told you--- he was Mexican.”
The amount of sadness in my heart was immense. The guy literally hit a person with a car and felt “okay” because the person was a Mexican. Like if the crime was any less now because of the person’s race. It was so disheartening to read. Delaney felt horrible that he had hit someone yet his emotions changed when he realized the guy he hit was a Mexican. What did that have to do with anything? He hit a person point and blank. Did it matter what race he was? Every person has thoughts and feelings, if they get a cut they bleed. If they get run over by a car they get hurt or even die. This is all so obvious. Yet, because of a different race a person is treated as if they are less or higher? It makes no sense, yet it is around and still around in society today.
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ReplyDeleteWhile reading the book Tortilla Curtain, many lines caught my attention. For example, on page eleven, the line that stood out to me was, “There wasn’t a trial in the Santa Monica Mountains that didn’t have its crushed beer cans, its carpet of glass, its candy wrappers and cigarette buns, and it was people like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana”. This line caught my attention and made me realize how ignorant people can be. Delaney who just ran over an innocent man didn’t care for one moment about the man’s health and safety. He instead focused on how the man he hit turned out to be a Mexican. Of course at the beginning he was worried and scared for the consequences he was going to face for hitting an innocent person. However, once he found out that the man he hit was a Mexican, he forgot all about the consequences. In his mind, he realized that there wouldn’t be any penalties because the man had no rights based on his race. In addition, all he had to do was pay the man some money and he would leave him alone. Delaney then had the courage to blame Mexicans for the downfall of Los Angeles. The lines used in this book to express Delaney’s thoughts made me think of how many people I know have experienced similar situations. I believe this is why this line stood out to me the most.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this interesting book it had me wanting to read more and more. I was so intrigued in what comes next in every chapter. Two lines that stood out to me while reading was on page 11. This line states " People like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible,thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana..." To me this was technically stereotyping Mexicans like they say. Stereotyping is a huge issue today, because everyone punishes a certain culture, gender, race, age, and etc because of one person. A stereotype is using a image or and idea of a certain person or thing. This quote described that because it had been messy or dirty doesn't technically mean that it will turn or will be like Tijuana. Another line from this book that stood out to me was on page 27. Page 27 included a line that states, "Twice he's gotten work, at three dollars an hour, no questions asked." This line states it all many immigrants that come to the U.S. are going to satisifiy themselves with anything that is given to them. Three dollars an hour is not much compare to today's minimum wage. Three dollars back then wasn't as much either but it was manageable. This also states that this guy was very humble because he stood quiet and just went with the flow. This book is very interesting due to all the incidents that are given while the life of these individuals.
ReplyDeleteThere were several lines that stood out to me but the first one that I could really understand.
ReplyDelete"He'd been in Los Angeles nearly two years now, and he'd never really thought about it before, but they were everywhere, theses men, ubiquitous, silently going about their business, whether it be mopping up 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..."
This line stood out to me because this many lived somewhere for two years without noticing how many Hispanics he encountered on a daily basis. It is pretty crazy because there are a lot of Hispanics working and living everywhere, but what is sad is that this man didn't notice it until he hit the man on the road. It is such a natural thing to me to not judge people based on how they look. When I first look at a person, I don't think to myself "Oh they're Hispanic." I see each person for who they are and treat them like I would any other person regardless of what ethnicity they are. However in a sense what the man said was true. We have several Hispanics living everywhere in America, and they are employed in all different kinds of work. This man describes the Mexicans as working at McDonald's and working as gardeners which struck me kind of funny because most gardeners are Hispanic. I don't know if they are gardeners because they like to be or because they want to be, nevertheless the few jobs that the man mentioned hit very close to home. Yet again, I don't know why it took hitting a Mexican man for him to notice how many Mexicans lived in the town and performed their jobs on a daily basis without getting noticed.
"And then, before the words could turn to ash in his mouth, it was out: “I told you—he was Mexican.” Yikes. I was completely shocked reading this line. I have been in an accident before and know very well what kind of fees can rack up, but to leave a man that you had nearly dismembered with only 20 dollars? He didn't even see him as a fellow human being, but some how less than. Race is a socially constructed idea, one that doesn't even make much sense. There are more biological differences within one race of people than across the races. It just bewilders me that you could see an injured man, which you caused, and try to blame the victim. Human life is more valuable than any other thing. It never even occurred to me that people would think otherwise. I wonder how this scene would be different if he had hit a white man instead.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first half of the book, I noticed that a lot of the lines that stood out most to me came early on in the novel. The first and second chapters in particular discussed a lot about the tension between Americans and Mexicans. The first line that stood out to me was, "A gabacho sat on the sidewalk with his long hair and begged for change and the sight of him struck her with unholy terror; if he had to beg in his own country, what chance was there for her?" This got to me because I'm sure many illegal immigrants who come to America expect it to be easier, when in reality, it is not necessarily the case. Also, another line that made me feel empathy towards America was, "-and how long before one of them tore up the dirt in front of her and the police were standing there demanding her papers?...she ran the last hundred yards, ran for the cover of the brush while the cold beams of light hunted her down..." This made me think of how horrible it must be to have to go through such hardships, to have to always live in fear. The fact that she cannot walk in broad daylight for many to see because she might get caught and get deported is nerve-racking. This story so far has shown me how much one can suffer and want to work hard, but are treated differently because of their ethnicity. Delaney himself even stated that he didn't feel horrible for what he had done because of the fact that Candido was Mexican. The thought that Mexicans camping out in the ravine were responsible for trashing the area made Delaney infuriated. This story clearly shows how little both know of each other.
ReplyDelete“I told you-he was Mexican” This is a part in chapter one where Delaney is shows his true colors by his predacious showing through. This is interesting because Delaney is a democrat and claims to be forward thinking. This shows that he does not practice what he preaches. The fact the he hit a Mexican with his car was a relief to him because there was no possible way that he was going to be sued. And with this he does not get an ambulance or medical attention because he is almost not worthy. "The ones coming in through the Tortilla Curtain down there, those are the ones that are killing us. They're peasants, my friend. No education, no resources, no skills - all they've got to offer is a strong back, and the irony is we need fewer and fewer strong backs every day because we've got robotics and computers and farm machinery that can do the labor of a hundred men at a fraction of the cost." Jack had just said this to Delaney, then after this statement Delaney called Jack a raciest. Jack retorts that he is not a raciest but that he is just stating a fact. This shows in the book that the Mexicans are not really human but less than the worth of a machine.
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ReplyDelete"The man was on his back, limbs dangling, as loose-jointed as a doll flung in the corner by an imperious little girl."
"It was crazy to refuse treatment like that, just crazy. But he had. And that meant he was illegal-go to the doctor, get deported. "
These two lines stood out to me, because they remind me of many conversations I've had with my mom. My mom has never made a secret of her childhood. Growing up, she was illegal. She's repeatedly told me stories of her family, specifically her mom, denying something they desperately need out of fear of deportation. It's a sad reality; to be denied of human necessities, like medical treatment. I feel like the first line, “The man was on his back, limbs dangling, as loose-jointed as a doll flung in the corner by an imperious little girl,” is a reflection of just how badly these people need help, but deny themselves, and are denied help. I honestly don't know much about the economics of our country, and I understand the country wants to put its' citizens first, however at the end of the day we are all people. We all share the same planet, and like on of Shakepseare's famouse lines, if you cut us we bleed. I just think we need to look past categories, and just help others in need. I feel like I can see a little of myself in every human I come into contact with, so why would I deny someone based on a title? It just doesn't make sense to me. The thought of someone denying me, If I weren't a citizen, deeply saddens me. I hope in the future we can get past these road blocks, and just let ourselves see situations and people for what they really are.
One of the lines that stood out the most when reading Tortilla Curtains is “Delaney’s first thought was for the car . . . then for the insurance rates . . . and finally, belatedly, for the victim.” This quote comes early in the novel after Delaney hits, who he soon finds out to be Cándido, and surveys his car for damage. I chose this quote out of all the other really good descriptive quotes in Tortilla Curtains because to me, every American can relate to this event. I’m not saying everyone has hit a person, but almost everyone has been in, or been a part of a car accident and these exact lines go through most peoples heads. First, once most people find out they’re alive, they will first think about the car above everything else, including themselves, because we all know we spent way too much money on the vehicle we are driving and it’s our “baby.” Second, we think about the implications of what we have just done, such as if our insurance rate is going to sky rocket, if I am going to jail, how much time is this going to take out of our daily lives, and not one thought on if the other person is alright. Lastly, we think about the other person or “victim” we hit and if they are alright. To me, this quote is spot on to how society would react to any kind of accident today. Americans will think about themselves before they think about the well-being of anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe Tortilla Curtain is an interesting read that explains and describes many things in a detailed manner. “Delaney’s gaze jumped from the shopping cart to the path and then to the bush at his right, and there he was, the man with the red-flecked eyes and graying mustache, the daredevil, the suicide, the jack-in-the-box who’d popped up in front of his bumper and ruined his afternoon”. This phrase is detailed and precise when he describes exactly how he feels in a manner in which he expresses his ruined day by the “daredevil”. However he goes on and shows concern about the occurrence but at the same time thinks of individualistic consequences that can occur to him. For example earlier in the reading he demonstrated concern for his car, insurance rates, and lastly the victim which clearly underlines the above quote in which he describes his discontent. In addition “The man was Mexican, Hispanic, that’s what he was, and he was speaking Spanish, a hot crazed drumroll of a language to which Delaney’s four years of high-school French gave him little access”. This phrase made me think of the hard time he would have communicating with the victim. This is because he mentions that he has no clue on how to communicate in Spanish. This is because his 4 year high school experience did not prepare him for Spanish situations. All in all the reading is a good one and it gives a lot of descriptive detail that allows readers to think of different ways of describing different things.
ReplyDeleteThere were two different sentences that directly stood out to me after reading the Tortilla Curtain. The first was: “But it was more than a murmur – it was a deep aching guttural moan that made something catch in his throat, an expression of the most primitive and elemental experience we know: pain.” And the second one being: “I told you – he was Mexican.” These two lines struck me because they depict what state the man was in when the car hit him. The imagery from the first line makes what the Mexican man is feeling relatable and makes the reader empathize with his pain. It’s a very raw description of the pain and injury that he felt after the car accident.
ReplyDeleteThe second line shows how upper class people actually view Mexicans. This is a really sad and unfortunate reality that many people who are illegal immigrants do have to refuse medical treatment because they are fearful that they will be deported. It think it also shows that illegal immigrants have to deal with a lot of derogatory actions from others. The reason that we know what Delaney meant when he said “he was Mexican” is because we have experienced some exchange where we have witnessed illegal immigrant discrimination. This man was willing to walk away and camp out in Topanga canyon with the injuries that he got during the accident. He was limping and his face was bleeding severely from the impact of the car and continued to deal with his pain. He accepted just twenty dollars from Delaney who felt that was sufficient compensation for a non-english speaking Mexican immigrant.
There is one line that really stood out to me after reading chapter one in Tortilla Curtain. "To his shame, Delaney's first thought was for the car (was it marred, scratched, dented?), and finally, belatedly, for the victim." This line stood out to me because it shows Delaney's character. Delaney was more worried about material things over the well being of another human being, which he was part of hurting. Unfortunately this is reality in some cases; even though, some people deny it. The good thing is that Delaney did not just leave the scene and did make sure the person was alive. I did not agree with his way of handling the situation, but it could have been worse. The more I read into it this novel the more I get into it. I think Kyra is going to have a really good talk with him after what he said over the phone too. "I told you - He was Mexican."
ReplyDeleteThis book is very good in describing the surroundings and situations; it makes me feel that I can actually be there. There were many lines that stood out, but I need to say that when “Delaney’s first though was for the car (was it marred, scratch, dented?), and then for his insurance rates (what was this going to do to his good-driver discount?). This line gives me the impression that Delaney is very materialistic and selfish. You can always replace the material things, but never a life. It was not until the end that he began to think about the victim. He was looking for the victim because he was scared he was dead or he was going to sue. This is stated when “Delaney felt the relief wash over him-the man wasn’t going to die, he wasn’t going to sue him, he was alright and it was over.” I guess that when you are in that situation there is a battle of emotions going in your head. That is one of the reasons that there are a lot of hit and runs when accidents occur. It appears that during this process Delaney is going through a lot of emotions in some cases he is thinking what Candido was doing there. On the other hand, he jumps in to conclusions stereotyping. For example, he states “ it was people like this this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dump, a little Tijuana…” Just like Donald Trump stereotyping the Mexicans.
ReplyDeleteBefore I begin, I must commend this writer on how descriptive he can be and making us readers feel as if we’re there in the moment. I, for one, am not a big fan of reading, but for me to be able to picture everything while reading word for word, makes me enjoy this book more than I thought I would. One of the lines that stood out to me and some of my fellow classmates was, “There wasn’t a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains that didn’t have its crushed beer cans, its carpet of glass, its candy wrappers and cigarette butts, and it was people like this Mexican or whatever he was who were responsible, thoughtless people, stupid people, people who wanted to turn the whole world into a garbage dumb, a little Tijuana…” Before this line was introduced, Delaney was tremendously worried about what he had done, who he did it to, and how he could help this man out. Delaney was willing to do anything in order to make up for what he had done, even though he believed it wasn’t his fault. He felt the pain as he was examining the wounds that were apparent on the man’s body, and wanted to do anything to help this man. But as soon as things clicked to Delaney, that the man was an illegal immigrant, he immediately grew out of the sympathy and guilt for what he had done, and became angry as to why he had been camping out down there, leaving trash for Delaney and other volunteers to pick up. Which goes to support my perspective on how American’s treat immigrants. I feel as if people care for others equally, until they find out they’re known for someone else. In this instance, an illegal immigrant.
ReplyDeleteAs I read Tortilla Curtain I was quick to realize the author’s fantastic descriptive capabilities which made the reading much more intriguing . As the first chapter unfolds within Delaney's point of view, we encounter the situation he is in. On his way to the recycling center, Delaney hits a man who we later recognize as Cándido. Delaney's world collapses before him and horrifying thoughts run through his head. Had he killed the man? Was his car okay? But most importantly who was the victim? When Delaney found the victim hurt, he offered treatment however, all Cándido asked for in exchange was money. Although Delaney was concerned about the man and his injuries, Delaney quickly handed him a $20 . Right away Delaney showed his true colors when he allowed the injured man leave with a small amount of cash. A line that stood out to me in regard to this situation was “ it was crazy to refuse treatment like that, just crazy. But he had and that meant he was illegal— go to the doctor, get deported”. I was in disbelief that this man who considered himself a liberal had instantly profiled Cándido as an immigrant because he had accepted the cash. I think situations like these are very heartbreaking were a immigrant is viewed as lesser person due to their status in this country. They come here to purse the American Dream, but on the rode to pursuing it others take advantage of them just how Delaney took advantage of Cándido for simply being just another Mexican immigrant.
ReplyDeleteTortilla Curtain is a really good read. I feel as if I'm watching it from a movie screen because I can picture it as it's being said. "Money had changed hands, there were no witnesses, and the man was gone, out of his life forever." "And yet, no matter how hard he tried, Delaney couldn't shake the image of him." These two lines caught my attention because similar actions take place everywhere. For example, I knew of someone who caused an accident due to texting and driving. He hit a man and damaged the mans car, but the man didn't press any charges or report him due to the fact that he wasn't a citizen. So the guy that I knew got away with it. Things like that are not fair.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have read so far in this book (I am now on part I, chapter 8), it seems as though Delaney is a very materialistic and conceited person. He seems to have more concern for his dead dog, and his car, than the man he ran over. I find it unbelievable that Delaney did not take Candido immediately to the hospital after the accident. He saw that one side of his face was bleeding and in shreds and that he was limping, too, yet he had the audacity to leave Candido in the middle of nowhere with such serious injuries. Delaney’s selfishness can instantly be seen through his thoughts at the beginning of the story when the accident had just occurred: “Delaney’s first thought was for the car . . . then for the insurance rates . . . and finally, belatedly, for the victim.”
ReplyDeleteAnother quote that stood out to me was what Delaney said when he tried to calm down Kyra about her worries of getting sued by Candido. After he told Kyra that he just gave Candido $20 and then left him there, he told her in order to calm her fears: “I told you- he was Mexican.” By Delaney saying that he was Mexican, he implied that there was no need to fear of getting sued because Mexicans are poor and ignorant. To Delaney, Mexicans do not have the same value of life as Caucasians do and therefore are also not worth the time to take to the hospital and can easily be forgotten with a $20 bill.
Before I dicuss the reading, I must say my first impression about the book was its title. "Tortilla Curtain" is quite bold, and I was a bit skeptical regarding stereotypes. I have a great dislike for stereotypes of any kind and did not want to find myself reading that type of content. While it does have a number of stereotypes or exaggerations, I must admit the book is filled with descriptive readings. The author really enables its readers to feel as though they are part of the plot. In a previous night, I found a very interesting passage that I could somewhat relate to. This passage can be found in page 40: " 'No one can tell me I can't feed my own wife'." This phrase really hit me as I work with a number of high school male students who feel entitled to this macho characteristics.
ReplyDeleteThe lines I chose were “I am waiting for something, I don’t know what, but if I can filter out the glowing evidence of our omnipresent civilization…, I feel that all this is mine to have and to hold, for this night at least. And then I heard it, a high tenuous glissade of sound that I might almost have mistaken for a siren if I didn’t know better, and I realize that is what I’ve been waiting for all along; the coyote chorus.”(78-79) I picked these lines because I really liked how they described Delaney’s feelings. By reading them I feel like I got a good insight into how he was feeling. At first the quote starts by him explaining that he’s waiting for something he can’t explain, even though he doesn’t know what that is. He has hope that his life will be what he wants it to be someday. Then he hears the coyotes. Although he is afraid of the coyotes, he finds a certain ease in hearing their howl. The coyote is the animal that is associated with the Mexican immigrants. To me the fear that Delaney has towards the coyotes is similar to the fear Americans have to the Mexican immigrants. To me this quote serves as a cliff hanger and makes me want to keep reading.
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