The Tortilla Curtain

by

T. Coraghessan Boyle

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Tortilla Curtain makes teaching easy.

The Tortilla Curtain Symbols

The Wall

The wall around Arroyo Blanco Estates is erected nearly two thirds of the way into the novel, and is a powerful symbol of the racist fear and resentment that permeates the entire book. The wall…

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The Canyon Road

Many key plot points in the novel occur on or near the canyon road, most notably the car accident in which Delaney hits Cándido. However, the road is most important for the emotional impact…

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Coyotes

Characters like Delaney and Kyra repeatedly cite the local coyote population around Arroyo Blanco as reason the community should be gated or walled. By the time the Mossbachers’ second dog, Osbert, is killed by…

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