Topic Submission Questions
Based upon what you have read in Tortilla Curtain thus far, how does the book depict the American Dream? Is the American Dream becoming a myth or reality?
Realizing the American Dream (From American Memory at the Library of Congress)
The term was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931. He states: “The American Dream is “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”
Background (from “The American Dream: Fact or Fiction?” by Jennifer A. Howell)
Our country is founded on our forefathers’ dreams of freedom and material prosperity. Many early American colonists believed that with hard work any individual could succeed and attain the “American dream.” This dream included owning both home and land, living a comfortable lifestyle, and having the opportunity to attend universities. Indeed, the American dream was not out-of-reach for colonists because our country was new and there were jobs for all who wished to work. Most of the people who lived here were of the same race and ethnic background, so there was no discrimination on those counts. Not every colonist, however, had an easy life or attained the American dream. The concept of the American dream evolved and became widespread because the people who had money to publish their own stories chronicled rags-to-riches accounts of their lives. One example of this is Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography.
Unfortunately, the American dream eludes most citizens who live in the United States today. This fact does not stop people from immigrating to the United States because conditions are frequently worse in their native countries, and the images of America—as “a land full of milk and honey whose streets are paved with gold”—persists.
Overview of Tortilla Curtain
The Tortilla Curtain delves into middle class values and their relation to the issues of illegal immigration, xenophobia, poverty, and the American dream. The novel’s structure, placing the stories and events of the immigrants, Cándido and América Rincón, and the middle class citizens, Delaney Mossbacher and his family and friends, back to back, makes the realities and ironies of the two families’ ways of life very apparent. There is also a strong environmental thread throughout the novel, with animals and nature playing major parts in the story.
The book was released during a time when the issue of illegal immigration was in the public limelight. The novel came out after California’s vote on and rejection of Proposition 187, a bill which would restrict illegal immigrants from using certain public resources, such as health care and public education. The issues raised by the book remain a prominent feature of today’s political scene. Consider the controversy created by Arizona’s new immigration bill in the summer of 2010. The question of how best to deal with immigration is indeed a fundamental one: it cuts to the root of America’s vision of itself as a nation, right down to the words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, from the pen of Emma Lazarus: “Give me your tired, your poor./Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
Assignment
A major part of our cultural identity as Americans has to do with what is known as “The American Dream.” Despite the fact that we may have varying definitions of what this dream might entail, it is an undoubtedly important part of life in America.
For this paper, you will use The Tortilla Curtain and its focus on “The American Dream” as the central theme. You will need to do the following:
Sources
At least 6 sources are required
Length
2100 words
Grading Rubric
