Abstract This paper discusses the symbolism of the barriers in T.C. Boyle's 1995 novel, "Tortilla Curtain". It examines physical and invisible barriers, presents a summary of the story and looks at the parallels between the gated community of Arroyo Blaco and U.S. immigration policy.
From the Paper "One of the most difficult things in the world to do is to try to see the world from someone else's perspective. In order to truly understand the decisions other people make and the actions that they carry out however a person needs to see the world from ..."
Tags: Tortilla Curtain, T. C. Boyle, novel, symbolism, immigration
Abstract This paper discusses and analyzes Winston Churchill's famous 1946 speech referring to Russia's power and the Iron Curtain. The paper then goes on to analyze the Marshall Plan of 1947, in which George Marshall's primary intent (on behalf of Harry Truman) was economic in nature with the focus being on the restructuring and rebuilding of Europe by means of financial aid and assistance. The paper compares and contrasts the intent and outcome of the two speeches.
Table of Contents:
Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech, 1946
The Marshall Plan, 1947
Analysis and Contrast
From the Paper "Many analysts have viewed the Iron Curtain speech of Winston Churchill during post war era as an evident form of warmongering. He made assumptions and pre-conclusive statements about a cold war that might happen between the US and its allies against communist Russia and it did. Even at the time when he was no longer the Prime minister of the UK, Churchill is still being revered by nations as an influential figure in the post war era. His thoughts and presumptions were in his accustomed ruthless statement of reality. The "Iron Curtain" speech gave Stalin a pretext for mobilizing the Soviet people against their former allies (Vladislov Suvok, Inside Kremlin's Cold War). Churchill's statements in the Iron Curtain speech speaks of his influence among nations and must have preceded policies integrated in US' Marshall Plan in accordance to the containment of Russian power and Communism in Europe. Analyzing both circumstances, should there have been no Iron Curtain Speech lay the possibility that Russian people would still be induced to the idea that the US and other European countries, beyond the borders of communist ideology would still be considered an ally of Russia. And that the US with its initial reluctance to believe the conclusion of Churchill might still consider other means in resolving issues of power containment of Russia in Europe."
Abstract The paper highlights the contrast between the two couples in "The Tortilla Curtain;" the Mossbachers who are shining examples of how the American Dream is supposed to work and the Rincons, illegal immigrants who show how elusive that dream can be. The paper provides a synopsis of the novel and explores the history of illegal immigration in southern California. The paper presents the thesis that current concern over immigration is not really that different from the attitudes of earlier times and shows how the story told in "The Tortilla Curtain" is timely on many levels.
Outline:
Introduction
Synopsis of the Novel
Illegal Immigration in southern California
Thesis
Analysis
From the Paper "In this year's presidential campaign, the issue of illegal immigration is being used as a way to assert how dedicated a candidate is to protecting the public from terrorists, though the issue has much more to do with economic questions and changes in society than it does with terrorism. Some portray the illegal immigrant population as an invading horde and imply a nefarious purpose in their coming here, while others recognize that illegal immigrants are coming across the border, largely the southern border, looking for better economic conditions than they can find in their home country and not because they are terrorists. The issue is not as simple as much of this candidate posturing would make it seem. The immigrant experience can be analyzed in many ways, such as by looking to studies made by scholars, considering government statistics, reading news accounts of the issue, or reading a novel that delves into this territory and provides a fresh perspective. One such novel is The tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle."
Tags: borders, American, Dream, Mossbachers, Rincons, Mexico, southern, California
Abstract This paper introduces and discusses T.C. Boyle's "The Tortilla Curtain", a novel on the struggles of two couples as they try to achieve the American Dream; one already handed the chance on a silver platter and the other daring the impossible by crossing illegally into America. The paper shows that while Boyle shows off the endless possibilities of the cliched American Dream, his novel impresses on his readers only the futility of attempting to live it, rather than the success that countless of immigrants and Americans have found while fulfilling their dreams and destinies. The paper explores Boyle's use of imagery, including the image of the coyote which is present throughout the book.
From the Paper "There is a lot of emphasis on materialism in the idea of the American Dream, and the Mossbachers seem to be the epitome of both. Contrastingly, the Rincons are desperate to achieve this materialism, which forms the basis of their American Dream. Where there should be a stronger urge for freedom, the Rincons seek fortune in America.
Through materialism, Boyle shows another feature of the American Dream ? greed. Though it is not obvious, the people in Southern California may be driven by their desire for more as a reason to keep illegal immigrants out, knowing that they too are driven by a strong desire."
Abstract The paper describes "Tortilla Curtain" by T. Coraghessan Boyle, as a late 20th century novel that embodies many of the cultural conflicts occurring in 21st century America today between Caucasians and Hispanics. The paper then relates that these conflicts are embodied in the experience of two couples in the novel, Delaney Mossbacher and Kyra Menaker-Mossbacher, and Candido and America Rincon. The paper also relates that Boyle's novel conveys the hypocrisies of a nation that defines 'American' in a narrow way and claims to hate illegal immigration even while it depends upon the labor of Hispanic individuals, especially in the affluent yet economically and culturally divided California local where the novel is set.
From the Paper "The novel suggests that cultural interaction is impossible to avoid. The novel exposes liberal as well as conservative hypocrisies, particularly in the way that it shows that Delaney's supposed concern and compassion for the environment does not always translate into compassion for humanity, when he accidentally hits Candido with his car in Part I of the novel. By depicting the lives of two very different couples, living in close proximity to one another, Boyle's novel shows the great gulfs of prosperity that exist side-by side in America."
Abstract The paper discusses how Boyle's novel "Tortilla Curtain" evolves in a series of juxtapositions between two couples, one white, affluent, and jaded about the rewards of success (the Mossbachers) and the other poor, Spanish-speaking, yet filled with hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds (the Rincons). The paper analyzes the symbolism and irony present in the book and the focus on the American dream that turns out to be a lie. The paper comments that this work is both persuasive and sadly relevant to current immigration debates in America today.
From the Paper "T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel Tortilla Curtain depicts the growing embitterment of the protagonist Delaney Mossbacher with illegal immigrants and Mexicans over the course of three clearly divided sections with the Spanish names, "Arroyo Blanco", "El Tenksgeeve", and "Socorro." The novel begins with Mossbacher hitting an illegal immigrant named Candido. At first, Delaney thinks that Candido is a wild animal, a coyote. Then he realizes that Candido is a man."
Abstract This paper discusses how both the movie "Crash" and the novel "The Tortilla Curtain" deal with issues of racism and tolerance/intolerance. It looks at how both the film and the book show the lives of different individuals of different ethnicity and how their lives were intertwined with each other due to a specific incident at the start of the story. It also discusses how both are stories that deal with racism and racial prejudices and how both have a theme of cultural intersection and show how each race prejudices the other.
From the Paper "In the movie "Crash", the interweaving of the lives of the characters started when two African-American males decided to car nap an SUV owned by a white woman. Crash is a movie that depicts the lives of 8 main characters that get their lives intertwined with each other in different parts of the movie. To name a few characters, there is this white lady, Jean Cabot, who got her SUV stolen in the first part of the scene. Jean Cabot is afraid of people who are not of the same race as she is and has prejudices on all other races and became more paranoid because of the car napping incident. She had her locks replaced in their home but had them redone when she found out that the locksmith was Hispanic. There are the two African-Americans who talk about being stereotyped as criminals when in fact they really are criminals."
Abstract T. Coraghessan Boyle's novel, "The Tortilla Curtain", offers readers a close-up, graphically realistic view of the hardships that confront Mexican immigrants trying to find the American Dream, juxtaposed with the "good life" of an affluent family living behind stylish walls. This review of "The Tortilla Curtain" compares and contrasts the main characters in the novel, Delaney Mossbacker and his wife Kyra and Candido Rincon and his wife America, in order to come to a greater understanding of the social issues facing Mexican immigration. The report also incorporates the views of writers, critics, and scholars to understand the bigger picture of Chicano labor history and the deeper meaning behind Boyle's literary effort.
From the Paper "To Candido (49) that very canyon, with its ?little clearing by the stream,? its "leaves" and "rocks" all seemed ?unchanging, eternal, as dead as a photograph.? And, living there in the canyon, Candido saw it as ?a jail cell and he was a prisoner, incarcerated in his thoughts.? In fact, Boyle continues, at least prisoners had an opportunity to read something, listen to a radio, a place to sit and "take a contemplative crap" ? while for Candido, his prison was unchanging, and all he did was doze, wake up, and sleep again. There were no license plates to make, or rocks to break. Just a sun that was always "in the same place in the sky" (50)."
Abstract This research paper discusses the collapse of the Soviet Union and its empire in 1989-91 and the future of Eastern Europe after Soviet domination. The paper concludes that the events of 1989 marked the end of the communist revolution. For more than forty years, the West had contained the Soviet Union behind the Iron Curtain, while the inherent faults of Soviet communism, embodied in the flawed policies of its leadership, brought about the inevitable collapse of the Soviet empire. The author discusses the fall of communism which presented humanity with a historic chance to progress a few feet forward. The author argues that only when democracy and capitalism reach the roots of society, however, can these ideas blossom into true positive change in the post-communist world.
From the paper:
"What happened in 1989 was not a revolution itself, but actually the final nail in the coffin of a revolution. The fall of the Soviet Union represented the end of a forty-year challenge to democracy and market capitalism, both of which had already been established as the status quo (at least of Europe, the main "battlefield" of the Cold War). The revolution of western democracy and capitalism began in 1642 in England where the first popular rebellion against a monarchy brought about the execution of King Charles I. Less than a decade later, Thomas Hobbes, at least partially inspired by the upheaval in England, published his famous work Leviathan. Although he advocated submission to the absolute supremacy of the state, Hobbes was not concerned whether that state was ruled by a king or a parliament, and this non-commitment to monarchy laid the intellectual foundations for the development of democratic political theory. John Locke soon bridged the gap between Hobbes? realism and what would become liberalism with the ideas of majority rule, natural rights, property rights, and the responsibility of the state to uphold these ideals. Montesquieu added the issues of separated and balanced governmental powers, and Rousseau defended self-determination and civil liberty. Adam Smith introduced the world to comparative advantage and put forth the belief that the ability of every citizen to make his own economic choices created the most prosperous economy. The ideas of these philosophers, along with Madison, Jefferson, Ricardo, and ?the rest,? inspired more revolutions in America in 1776, France in 1789, across Europe in 1848, and again in American in 1860."
A paper which compares the issue of communication in ?American Son,? by Brian Ascalon Roley, ?Tortilla Curtain,? by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and ?Day of the Locust,? by Nathanael West.
Abstract This paper introduces discusses, and compares communication, miscommunication, and dysfunctional communication in ?American Son,? by Brian Ascalon Roley, ?Tortilla Curtain,? by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and ?Day of the Locust,? by Nathanael West. The paper touches on the issue of cultural differences as a cause of miscommunication.
From the Paper "While all the stories have different themes, they all share a common thread, and this thread is the lack of communication of the characters, along with a tendency to miscommunicate who they really are. Each story deals with its own miscommunication, in that the characters in effect lie about who they are, they miscommunicate about who they are to observers. Tomas appears to be Mexican, and does not deny it. Mossbacher appears to be a "do-gooder" left-wing nature freak, but in reality, he is a racist snob who buys off a Mexican because he can. In "Day of the Locust" everyone is someone they are not, they all pretend to be important, prominent people when they are not."
Tags: Mexican, gangsters, Tomas, Gabe, Mossbachers, Candido, America
Abstract A paper that will explain the theme of loneliness in the A Curtain of Green by Eudora Welty and Everything that Rises Must Converge" by Flannery O'Connor. By observing some of the short stories in these books, we can learn how loneliness plays a large part of the character's relationships within them.
Abstract This paper looks at Newell-Rubbermaid, a leading manufacturer of a variety of quality and affordable consumer products. It examines how the company started out as a curtain rod manufacturer and has since acquired several other companies, expanding its product line and brand reputation. It also explores how the primary success of Newell-Rubbermaid is due to its commitment to increasing productivity and operations goals, which include a commitment to JIT delivery and training for employees and staff. Although Newell-Rubbermaid is faced with new forms of competition, the company is likely to continue to succeed due to its commitment to optimal service and new productivity strategies.
Outline
Internal/External Environment
Swot Analysis
Key Issues
Alternative Strategies
Recommended Strategies
Implementation of Strategies
Evaluation and Measures of Success
Conclusion
From the Paper "Corporate governance at Newell-Rubbermaid is focused on building the long-term success of the company as consistent with the fiduciary duty to shareholders (Newell-Rubbermaid, 2004). The company is committed to establishing broad corporate policies and holding quarterly meeting in an effort to ensure that the duties of the Board of Directors and are followed (Newell-Rubbermaid, 2004). Newell-Rubbermaid is also committed to overseeing the integrity of financial statements and complying with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as performing annual audits that help develop corporate governance guidelines (Newell-Rubbermaid, 2004)."
Abstract Marilyn Curtain-Phillips' article, "The Causes and Prevention of Math Anxiety" attempts to explain the causes of math anxiety among students young and old alike. This paper shows how the
article suggests that while math anxiety is something that is tangible and real, it is also something that can be conquered when it is approached from the right perspective.
From the Paper "Curtain-Phillips then goes on to suggest that teachers should alter the manner in which they teach math in order to help students feel more successful and realize higher levels of achievement in the classroom and out. The authors cites research conducted by Spikell in 1993 which suggests that students are more able to comprehensively learn actively rather than passively, meaning lessons should be presented in a manner that engages students actively. The article points out that lessons in math should be taught from a visual and special, logical and mathematical, body and kinesthetic, musical as well as verbal and linguistic perspective so that everyone is able to grasp information based on the manner in which they learn best."
Abstract The paper analyzes the character of Delaney Mossbacher, a white, upper-middle-class, naturalist writer who becomes increasingly prejudiced and violent toward Mexicans in T. Coraghessan Boyle's novel, "The Tortilla Curtain."
From the Paper "Delaney Mossbacher is a nature writer whose life changes dramatically after he hits the car of Candido Rincon, an illegal Mexican immigrant. Mossbacher's character is significant to the story in a number of ways but Boyle uses his character primarily to demonstrate that nature will ultimately withstand no artificially constructed categories of race and ethnicity. Delaney Mossbacher is a white male living in the comfort of upper-middle-class Arroyo Blanco Estates."
Abstract The paper paints a picture of a white, privileged individual who is compassionate about the environment but is utterly insensitive to the implications of his lifestyle upon the lives of others. The paper highlights the contrast between Delaney Mossbacher's liberal, environmental and humanist ideals and his actions and lifestyle. The paper shows how he is fanatical about recycling, yet essentially treats another human life like a piece of trash.
From the Paper "White, privileged, compassionate about the environment--and utterly insensitive to the implications of his lifestyle upon the lives of others. All of this is embodied in the first actions of Delaney Mossbacher in T. Coraghessan Boyle's 1995 novel Tortilla Curtain. At the beginning of the book, Delaney accidently hits an illegal immigrant and injures him. He offers Candido money in compensation, only 20 dollars, and because Candido cannot go to the hospital for fear of being discovered by the authorities, the man accepts the offering. Candido's wife is pregnant, and now that Candido is injured, he will be unable to earn money to support America."
