Monday: Chapters 1 and 2 Summary

Tropic of Orange tells the story of seven different major characters and how their lives all connect through personal relationships and through shared experiences of external events. The story begins in both Mazatlan, Mexico and Los Angeles, California.

In Chapter 1, Rafaela Cortez begins the morning by sweeping out the house. Every morning the house is full of dust and animals that have wandered into the house. Some of the animals are alive, and some of them are dead. Previously Rafaela had used a vacuum cleaner for the task, but it broke and now she uses a broom.

When Rafaela speaks to Gabriel, a journalist, on the telephone, she tells him of the broken vacuum cleaner. He tells her not to worry, and the two discuss whether Rodriguez has begun work on the house. Gabriel spent his entire life savings...