Ellis Island, located in Upper New York Bay, was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States as the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954.

Latin American immigrants risk their lives to get to the USA in search of the American Dream.

Watch the video and do a background research on the situation.

Take notes of the main problems with regards to illegal immigration.

Analyze the tone, the content, the information and the atmosphere of the video. What effect is caused by these elements?

Have you heard of salad bowl and melting pot before? Write down what you think these concepts of multicultural living are metaphors for.

Then watch the video and write down the definitions.

Thanksgiving might be the most American of all holidays. What do you know about it?

Find out what it is.

It also plays an important role in "The Tortilla Curtain".

This video sums up the story. It is NOT A SUBSTITUTE for reading the novel! You should certainly do that. The voice sounds a little bit boring, maybe you can make a video that sounds a little bit more enthusiastic.

Nevertheless, this video is helpful if you want to revise the plot and if it helps you to hear a text instead of just read a summary.

Before you watch this: If you could interview the author, what would you ask him? Write down questions.

In this video T. C. Boyle discusses his novel "The Tortilla Curtain". Did your answers answer your questions?

If you find it difficult to understand: Switch on the subtitles (but careful: there are a few mistakes).

Listen to the first part of "The Tortilla Curtain" and find out if you prefer hearing the novel instead or in addition to reading.

Write down a few of Delaney's thoughts after the accident.

Write down examples for push and pull factors for migration.

Then, think about "The Tortilla Curtain". Which are the push and pull factors for América and Cándido?