Student Question
In "Tangerine", when Paul confronts his brother about his eyes, what does he say?
Quick answer:
In Tangerine, Paul does not confront Erik about his eyes but instead confronts his parents for lying about how his eyesight deteriorated. After remembering that Erik and Vincent sprayed white paint into his eyes, Paul angrily questions his parents about their deceit. His mother admits she knew, and his father explains they wanted to prevent Paul from hating Erik, leading Paul to express his heartbreak.
In Tangerine, Paul confronts Erik (his brother) and Arthur about Luis Cruz's death; however, Paul doesn't confront Erik about his eyes. Instead, he confronts his parents for lying to him about how his eyesight deteriorated.
The two confrontations begin with Tino and Victor attacking Erik and Arthur in the gym (as revenge for Luis' death). During the fracas, Paul jumps on Coach Warner to give Tino a chance to get away. As a consequence, Paul is taken to Coach Warner's office to answer for his actions. However, he manages to give the coach the slip.Â
Paul runs all the way home and decides to scrutinize the wall behind his house again. Something about the wall has jogged his memories of a past event. When Erik and Arthur drive up, Paul fiercely confronts his older brother and Arthur about Luis Cruz. He tells Arthur that he saw him kill Luis.
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Paul runs all the way home and decides to scrutinize the wall behind his house again. Something about the wall has jogged his memories of a past event. When Erik and Arthur drive up, Paul fiercely confronts his older brother and Arthur about Luis Cruz. He tells Arthur that he saw him kill Luis.
"I've already been in the right place at the wrong time, you lowlife creeps...I was under the bleachers on Tuesday afternoon." I raised my finger like it was loaded and I pointed it at Arthur. "I saw you kill Luis Cruz."
When Arthur screams that no one else is going to believe a blind boy who can't see ten feet in front of him, Paul courageously refuses to back down from his accusation. He asserts that there are other witnesses. Meanwhile, Erik furiously yells out that Paul is lying. Eventually, Arthur manages to convince Erik to leave. It is right after the traumatic events of the evening and the confrontation with Erik (about Luis' death) that Paul finally remembers how his vision became impaired. In his recollection, he is four or five years old and Erik is prying his eyelids open while Vincent is spraying white paint into his (Paul's) eyes. Paul's mother had to take him to the hospital.
Paul loses no time in confronting his parents, who are seating on stools in the kitchen. His father tries to bluster his way out of the confrontation by trying to draw Paul's attention back to the events at the gym, but Paul presses ahead.
I yanked off my Coke-bottle glasses and shook them at him in a rage. "There are questions that need to be answered about these! Am I such a stupid idiot fool that I stared at a solar eclipse for an hour and blinded myself? Is that who I am? Am I that idiot?
Paul's mother eventually confesses that she knew about Erik's involvement in the spray painting incident. After all, she saw the white paint on Erik's hands after they returned from the hospital. Paul's father explains that they decided not to tell Paul the truth so that he would not hate his brother for the rest of his life. Paul's response is heart-breaking:
"So you figured it would be better if I just hated myself?"
After confronting his parents, Paul finally feels that he has laid some ghosts to rest and is relieved that he has received some sort of closure for his suffering.