Past and present, sharply separated by the chapter structures, are fused in motifs and unstressed parallels" (DeMott 52). History's repeating itself is a dominant theme throughout T.C Boyle's novels. If people do not learn from past mistakes, they are likely to fail again. By revisiting history, Boyle teaches the importance of awareness and caution of an ever-changing society. In "The Tortilla Curtain" a specific migrant problem in the 1930s is modified to fit modern immigration. …showed first 75 words of 1724 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1724 total…Society misunderstands past blunders as something to emulate instead of something to avoid, and the choices made in the present affect future generations. As civilization moves into a new millenium, it is time to clean the slate. Society must face the future with confidence instead of nostalgia. The youth of the present will hopefully learn from his parent's mistakes, and he will contribute to the world ideas and revelations that his parents failed to realize.