Innocent Bystander

Innocent Bystander In the novel "The Tortilla Curtain", by T.C Boyle, it tells a story about two completely different families; one family who is quite wealthy and the other who had illegally crossed the border and is barely making ends meet. In the story, a young lady by the name of America is taken to California by her husband, only to be victimized. Although she may not be the only victim in the book, she has been through a great ordeal of pain and suffering. America is a victim of immigration, racism, the American dream, and bad luck. America has left Mexico, with her husband Candido, to start a better life for not only themselves, but there unborn child as well. Immigration and racism has been a big issue for them throughout the story, even more so with America. Within the first few days upon arrival they both find themselves cornered by a couple of boys. These boys find whatever belongings both America and Candido had and when they realize there is a female present they say "fucking beaners, rip it up, man. Destroy it" (Boyle 62). Migrating to California illegally was difficult because in a situation like this, there could have been nothing done to stop them. All America wanted was to find work to help support her family. The struggle bore on from "dawn till noon and she didn't get work" (Boyle 57). America has risked it all mad no matter how hard she tries she cannot seem to find work. America had left everything behind in search of this American dream she had played over and over in her head. She had been told, by her husband Candido, she was going to live a wonderful life and he had promised her nothing but the best. America didn't need the finer things in life, all she desired was "a house, a yard, maybe a TV and a car too" (Boyle 29). She didn't need too much to satisfy her, but being that America and Candido started from the bottom, it was more than what he had to offer. As they walk further into the land which