Tangerine: Themes | SparkNotes

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

Discrimination as a Divider

In Tangerine, one of the most prevalent themes come from the disparity that exists between the poor community of Tangerine and the wealthier community of Lake Windsor. Joey is one of the first characters to reveal the prejudice that runs through Lake Windsor. When he transfers to Tangerine County Middle School to follow Paul and escape the kids at Lake Windsor, who make fun of him over the death of his brother, he tries to adjust but struggles. He refers to Theresa as a “guide dog,” and questions Paul over whether he finds her attractive. Joey refers to the school as the “Amazon” and to his and Paul’s attending it as an exercise in trying to mix in with the “natives.” Erik’s treatment of Luis is partially racially motivated as well. He makes fun of Luis’s siblings, Tino and Theresa, for being farm workers.

The scandal with Antoine reveals how players from Tangerine County fake their address to play on the Lake Windsor team because college scouts never visit the schools in the less affluent Tangerine County. Paul is also subject to discrimination when his motives are questioned by the kids in Tangerine County. The kids there feel they cannot completely trust him simply because he’s from Lake Windsor. Discrimination has a huge effect on both communities, creating a deep rift between them and fueling highly charged, racially motivated acts that divide the people even more. Paul feels stuck in the middle, trying to live in both worlds and come to an understanding of his place in each of them.

The Values of Communities

The question of what constitutes a strong community versus one built on lies, fear, and ego echoes throughout the novel. The type of community that exists in Lake Windsor is, on the surface, strong. The school plants a huge laurel tree in memory of Mike Costello, but administrators don’t care enough to cancel football practice the day after he dies. Mrs. Fisher is a model citizen of the community, fighting to move football practice to a safer time, while her son Erik is out stealing from their neighbors’ homes. In Tangerine County, Paul is exposed to a much deeper sense of community. The middle school’s soccer team, the War Eagles, consider each other “brothers” and are rallied by Victor’s war cry, “We are Eagles,” each time they play. They also play as a team, as opposed to the Lake Windsor Seagulls, which is a team of competing egos fighting for spots in the local newspapers and exposure to college team scouts.

The Cruz family is another example of a healthy, strong “community” built on loyalty, dedication, and care. They are a deeply committed and tight-knit family that work and sacrifice together for the good of the whole family. As do other families in the area, the Cruzes must work together to keep their plants alive during the frost. Many students are absent from school when the frost hits to help their families. The Fisher family, in contrast, have trouble connecting and tend to prioritize Erik and his future before Paul or anything else.

Memory and Denial

Memory and denial play a key role in Paul’s life. Much of the novel recounts Paul’s struggle to remember what happened to damage his vision as a young child. Paul’s family has told him that he lost his sight when he looked at the sun too long during an eclipse, but he can’t personally recall the event, and this lack of memory haunts him. Eventually, Paul’s memory is unlocked and he finally is able to recall the event in full: that his parents deliberately tried to cover up the fact that it was Erik and Erik’s friend who blinded Paul. Mrs. Fisher in particular is in denial about the ruthless streak in her son Erik until she is forced to face Erik’s true colors when she discovers he is the one behind the neighborhood robberies. Matters are made even worse when she and Mr. Fisher find out Erik is behind Luis’s murder. Truth generally finds a way to reveal itself over the course of time, just as Erik’s true nature surfaces years after he injures Paul. Mrs. Fisher prefers to live in denial, to create a facade that paints a picture of a well-adjusted, healthy family. To shield herself from the pain the truth would bring, Mrs. Fisher bases her family’s unity on lies, much like the Lake Windsor development community and its foundation.

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