In last month’s book club, we discussed The Tortilla Curtain by T.C Boyle.
The novel covered many themes including immigration, capitalism, racism, alienation and belonging.
Some thought that the novel was far too simplistic, providing only exaggerated characters for its own purpose. However, after much discussion we could pick out certain aspects of these characters and relate them to people in our everyday lives.
Others believed that the novel gave a fair, if not bleak, representation of the life of Mexican immigrants and the hardships they face.
All agreed that the text might have been more poignant if we ourselves were living in the States, which still experiences many of the problems faced within the novel. However, we could all draw some comparisons between American and British immigration issues.
One book club member provided helpful information which placed the novel in a better context, noting that the novel is taught on the school syllabus in the States. This inevitably helped us to view the novel as an allegorical tale of warning, intending to breed understanding and tolerance among younger generations.
Though the novel wasn’t necessarily the most uplifting read, it certainly provoked an animated discussion and caused to group to reflect upon how we view immigrants and the world we share as a whole.
The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 15th May at 7.00pm where we will discuss The Woman In Black, by Susan Hill.
All are welcome!
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