The Tortilla Curtain By T. C. Boyle

In the Tortilla Curtain, T.C. Boyle uses the coyote as a symbol with two different meaning. The first one is a literal and refers to the animal which is stereotyped as a scavenging coward.The second one is a figurative meaning, Boyle define coyote as someone who profits from sneaking immigrants from mexico. Boyle uses the coyote throughout the novel to show parallels between literal coyote meaning and the figurative coyote. Boyle uses the way that coyote is treated as a metaphor for the way illegal immigrants are treated in the United States. He does this by comparing Candido to a coyote, then by comparing America to a coyote, and finally showing how delaney who represents the typical U.S citizen mentality on how they treats the coyote. Boyle

also uses Delaney and Kyra attitude toward the coyotes to both parallel and foreshadow his hatred toward the illegal immigrants. Finally, he uses coyote attacks as a metaphor for white insecurity. T.C. Boyle's message lies within the symbol of the coyote. It serves as an awakening to a serious problem that surrounds us. The coyote in this novel is symbolic towards the characters' actions and their way of life.
First Boyle shows Coyote as the real animal, when Delaney and kyra first come into contact with one of the coyote who “managed to get into the enclosure and seize one of the dogs” (p.

44, ll. 22-23), Kyra lived with for many years. The whole family is very shocked and they try to catch the coyote to save the dog’s life but he is too quick and clever. After they lose their first dog Sacheverell, the family is very angry and in order to prevent other wild coyote invade their house , they decide to put up a higher fence around their yard. However, even after they put up a higher fence, another coyote jumps over the fence again and eats their second dog, named Osbert. This incident makes it clear to Delaney that a fence is not effective at all and that there is not much else they can do against the coyotes. At the same time this incident shows that coyotes are willing to do anything to survive including entering unknown territory.That is a definite parallel to Candido, the illegal immigrant. Later on in the story, Candido does the very same thing as the coyote. In order to keep his family alive to continue fighting, Candido must compromise his values and must steal from the residents of Arroyo Blanco. He jumps the wall into the backyard of one of the Mossbacher's neighbors, and steals basic necessities such as water to support his family. It shows that the building of the wall was actually quite useless, just as the heightening of the Mossbachers' chain link fence was useless

against the coyotes. Which later Delaney found out and make his hatred toward the illegal mexican increases.
As the novel continues its becoming more obvious that coyote is representing the illegal immigrant in U.S, especially the protagonist of the novel Candido. More parallels between the way of life and the behavior of coyote and Candido which can be found in the story. Both Candido and coyotes live in the canyon near Arroyo Blanco and they have the strong will of survival they really need when they live out there without food and the basic necessities.