In the novel Tangerine, the protagonist, Paul Fisher, and his mother move to Tangerine, Florida to meet up with his father and older brother Erik at their new home. The family has moved due to Mr. Fisher’s work and expected their new home in Lake Windsor Downs to be perfect. However, the problems beneath the surface become apparent the longer they live there. Koi fish in the lake go missing, a sinkhole occurs at the local school, and termites eat away at neighborhood homes. Tangerine presents a perfect guise that conceals its ugly imperfections. Muck fires are significant, because they symbolize how some things are not what they always seem one looks beneath the surface and realizes the flaws. Some people cannot accept things the way they are …show more content…
The lignite is triggered by lightning and burns on the surface while also spreading underground. Even if the surface fire is extinguished, the fire underground can still spread, causing tree roots to become unstable and cause them to topple on unsuspecting people or property. This symbolizes that small seemingly insignificant actions can lead to huge consequences. Muck fires have been a persistent problem in the town of Tangerine, and the Homeowners’ Association unsuccessfully tries its best to combat the problem. In an attempt to extinguish the fires, they install water wells and sprinklers. However, it submerges the area in water and becomes a breeding ground for harmful mosquito species causing “two children [to die] in Tangerine last year after they were bitten by mosquitoes” (Bloor 158). At the beginning, the muck fire was more of a nuisance than a problem, but with the Homeowners’ Association’s involvement, it escalated to a problem that led to the death of two children. Arguably, Paul should’ve just left the situation with Vincent Castor alone even if it meant not doing the “right” thing since he suffered gravely for