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The Tortilla Curtain
T.C. Boyle. Penguin Books: 1996 (paperback). ISBN: 014023828X. 355 pages.
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About the Author
A page of detailed biographical information on T.C. Boyle, including excerpts from interviews in which Boyle interprets his own work.
If you get the sense from this novel that T.C. Boyle doesn’t exactly have a rosy-colored view of human progress, you may be right. In fact, he once said “I think we’re all doomed.” To find out why, according to Boyle, and to learn about his life and work, see this section.
All in the Family
A synopsis of the literary traditions and genres with which The Tortilla Curtain is affiliated and a brief explanation of these connections, giving your book group the opportunity to understand Boyle’s novel in a larger literary perspective.
In order to enjoy an extra feisty discussion on this extra feisty novel, you may want to brush up on your understanding of the concepts of satire, fable, and parable. Flip to this section, and you can do just that.
Character Tree
A list of major characters and their dominant characteristics and values, showing characters’ relationships to each other.
The characters in Boyle’s novel are very strictly divided between those on the inside and those on the outside of Arroyo Blanco. In fact, as you can see when you examine this section, each character on one side plays against an almost parallel or mirror character on the other.
Streams of Themes
A breakdown of potential major discussion themes in The Tortilla Curtain, including ways these themes are interconnected.
The Tortilla Curtain, in both real life and this novel, represents an established but vulnerable border. Of course, like most things in both life and the novel, that’s one thing in theory but quite another in reality. To get started thinking about borders in the novel, as well as about other important thematic ideas, move to this section.
Talk Back to the Critics
Excerpts of some major critical reviews of The Tortilla Curtain from authoritative journals, newspapers, and magazines. We encourage your book group to enjoy the opportunity to argue with expert opinion.
They love it, they hate it, but they all stop to rate it. In this section, you’ll get to look over the major points of argument in the critical debate over T.C. Boyle’s inflammatory novel. We have a feeling that this section will get you all fired up as well.
Doorways to Discussion
A chronologically and thematically organized list of discussion questions, which function to explore, in a logical and thoughtful manner, the questions and possibilities that Boyles’ novel evokes.
Many readers and critics have noted an imbalance in the characterization of the Mexican and the American characters in The Tortilla Curtain. Do you agree? C
heck out this section for a meaty list of similar discussion-starters.
Taste Test
A selection of other books on subjects similar to those in The Tortilla Curtain to consider for future book group meetings or for private reading.
T.C. Boyle got you thinking about immigration issues in fiction or life? Want to pick up another novel that deals with personal family issues set against a larger social problem? Find a new book to make you think by perusing our suggestions.
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