Define the Character: Tortilla Curtain

The one character that represents our idea of “racism” is Delaney and Candido represents the idea of “immigrants”. Before this section Delaney didn’t label himself as a racist but whenever his friends, family, or neighbors discriminated Mexicans he never really stopped them or corrected their prejudice behavior, that alone tells me that he never actually cared that Mexicans were being oppressed it just made him uncomfortable with himself that he had these thoughts too. Candido is our idea of immigrants because Candido brought his wife to the U.S. for the same reason many immigrant families come, for the chance of a better life. Candido is the stereotypical machismo; he’s the breadwinner, provides and protects his family, and tries to keep his woman at home because she is so fragile and he isn’t so he should be working.

What makes them go is when Delaney is being blamed or in distress he blames the Mexicans that are in his community like his neighbors. Candido is set off by his misfortune, his bad luck frustrates him and makes him question why can’t he be cut a break?

The internal conflict with Candido is America blames him for bringing her here and how they are living which upsets Candido because he is so use to providing for his family.

The external  conflict with Delaney is everything going on around him and everything everyone is saying around him influences his beliefs and actions.