TC Boyle, author of The Tortilla Curtain, said in defense of its harsh portrayal of Kyra and Delaney Mossbacher's characters: " If it's satire, it has to bite someone, it has to have teeth, otherwise it's useless" (Penguin Group). This comes in response to critics who argue that Mossbacher's characterizations are a flat caricature and that Boyle's tone is not one of bold satire but of hollow contempt and sarcasm. The reason Boyle describes Mossbacher's characters as extremely tough is so that they stand out. If they didn't stand out, they wouldn't serve their purpose in helping the overall satire expose the main theme. Therefore, critiques of Boyle's text only support Boyle's view of good satire. Recognizing how the characters stand out proves how effective Boyle's strategies are. Additionally, critics recognize that Boyle uses sarcasm, which is an element of satire that aims to reveal the main theme. Therefore, the harsh and critical portrayal of certain characters and the sarcasm used are the reasons why The Tortilla Curtain is actually an effective satire, revealing the hypocrisy and racism in our society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay Before we delve deeper into the main theme of The Tortilla Curtain and how it is exposed through satirical writing, we need to d First explore the argument that the work is not satire. The Tortilla Curtain is a work that addresses the controversial issue of illegal immigration by depicting two families: the Mossbachers, a wealthy couple living in a gated community, and the Rincons, illegal immigrants who camp in a ravine near the Tortilla Curtain. Mossbacher. One could say that Boyle is attacking those who are racist and insensitive to illegal immigrants by portraying the Mossbachers in such a harsh light. However, a post is not satire just because it attacks something or highlights the negative aspects of a society. Additionally, as noted, the Mossbachers are seen as insensitive and ignorant and their hypocrisy can be satirical. However, a work containing satirical elements does not necessarily declare that it is satire. How then can we argue that The Tortilla Curtain is not just satire, but effective satire? The answer can be found in the previous argument that the work is not satire. Let's first look at the initial description of the dictionary definition. Webster's reads that a satire is "a literary work ridiculing or scorning human vices and follies" (Agnes 551). Couldn't we consider that ridiculing and scorning is an attack on something? There are many examples in The Tortilla Curtain in which the author attacks racism and opposition to immigration. He does this by portraying the Mossbachers in a harsh and critical light, with many follies such as callousness. For example, when Delaney Mossbacher hits Candido Rincon with his car, he does not find a doctor or call for help. No medical care, or any kind of attention for that matter, was given to Candido. No, all Delaney does is give Candido twenty dollars. It's true that Delaney felt some guilt, but only for a brief moment. Soon, “he felt his guilt turn to anger, to indignation” (Boyle 11). Why was he angry? It automatically assumes that Candido is illegal, a "criminal”, who pollutes the environment, and believes that he has no place in this ravine or on this road in the first place. These are not the thoughts of anyone who is not insensitive or discriminatory after brutally hitting a man with his car. A sensitive person would feel sadness and guilt and would do anything to help the poor person. Therefore, because the novel uses Delaney's character flaw, namely his insensitivity to illegal immigrants, to attack racism, it can be considered satire. Another human folly highlighted in Tortilla Curtain that ridicules and scorns those who discriminate is ignorance. For the sake of consistency, let's continue to examine Delaney's character. An example of Delaney's ignorance occurs when graffiti appears on the wall surrounding Mossbacher's neighborhood. Delaney automatically believes the Mexicans did it. When he sets up a video camera to catch offenders, he expects to help the police capture them and give them "a one-way ticket to Tijuana" (Boyle 320). However, Delaney has never seen anyone deface the property with his own eyes. He is unaware that all Mexicans are criminals and, since he saw Mexicans in the area, it was Mexicans who committed the crime. Once again, this illustrates folly on Delaney's part, criticizing discrimination in our society. Here we see that to create satirical effect and fully illustrate a major social problem, Boyle's choice of character traits for Delaney is exceptionally powerful. Now consider the second definition given for “satire” in Webster’s dictionary: “A cutting wit.” , irony or sarcasm used to denounce and discredit vice or madness” (Agnès 551). To explore this further, we need to understand the last part of the definition. What vice or folly is exposed and discredited? Boyle attempts to expose and discredit the theme of hypocrisy and racism, which are vices and follies, in our society. We can now consider how irony and sarcasm relate to Boyle's theme. Boyle uses his characters, Delaney in particular, to add irony to his novel. Isn't it ironic that Delaney writes for a nature column and is a member of a wildlife foundation, but on the other hand, he wants to venture directly into the space where animals live? This form of irony portrays Delaney as a hypocrite. Another example of Delaney's ironic thoughts and behaviors is evident with the issue of the new gate around the community. Delaney was opposed to a closed community and felt that there was no justification for “closing oneself off from the rest of society” (Boyle 101). Still, it's ironic that he then gave in to his neighbors' plans to build a wall around the neighborhood. Finally, consider how strongly Delaney believes in his liberal humanist ideals, as evidenced by his weekly environmentalist column. He argues that “immigrants are the lifeblood of this country” and that everyone has a duty to respect the dignity of others who wish to enter the country (Boyle 101). However, paradoxically, he believes that Mexicans pose a threat, assumes that Mexicans caused the fire and graffiti, and ultimately seeks to send Candido to prison, based on the fact that he is Mexican, when he takes a gun and follows Candido to his home. his shelter. All of these examples of irony are used by Boyle to expose the theme of hypocrisy. Having studied examples of how the novel is a satire that effectively exposes the theme of hypocrisy and racism, we must consider the opinion of critics according to, 1996.