The American Nightmare
...dirty and miserable." A quote from John Steinbeck's book The Grapes of Wrath, perfectly words the reaction to the life that Candido and America Rincon live. Illegal immigrants, Candido and America live a life of poverty and destitute in America . Their lack of luxuries and even bare necessities, bring to light their struggle to reach the American Dream. Living in a canyon not to far from the rich suburbs, the couple is forced to live like animals in order to survive, to find work, and to make a better life for their unborn child. Writer Delaney and his realtor wife Kyra Mossenbacher, and their son Jordan, live in Arroyo Blanco Estates, a housing development only a walk away from Candido and America's camp, in which they live comfortable lives and have an abundance of what Candido and his wife lack. Living in a gated community with extravagant vehicles and fabulous lives, their living conditions are constantly compared to the living conditions of Candido and America . . These two parallel lives meet in a car accident situation where Delaney accidentally hits Candido and apologetically hands him 20 dollars to help his level of guilt. In a chain of shattering and unlucky events, Candido and Delaney meet once again in a tragic incident that proves that no matter how hard you work in this life success is not always attainable through hard work and misery. Wealth and dreams do not become real life just because one summons to work from dusk until dawn or because one is willing to break his/her back doing filthy work, this does not equal success, nor riches, and certainly not happiness. T.C Boyle makes it unclear as to what his book The Tortilla Curtain, stands on, on illegal immigration. It is not obvious what opinion it accords with. T.C. Boyle lets the reader decide what argument wins in his tragic comedy. This book conveys ideas and stories of two families and one...
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