Tangerine is an important part of the book Tangerine. That shouldn't come as a surprise, since the author chose to title the book after the setting rather than the protagonist or use some kind of attention grabbing phrase.
Because this question asks about Paul's first impression of Tangerine, a reader should look in part 1, chapter 1. Paul's dad and brother are already at the new house in Tangerine, so Paul and his mother are making the drive together. Paul's mother at least engages Paul in discussions, so this car ride is somewhat nice for Paul, and he feels free to express some of his thoughts. His first impression of Florida isn't good. He is very surprised at how agricultural it is, and Paul's mom asks him what he thought Florida would be like. Paul's response is a typical image of Miami:
"I don't know. A beach with a fifty-story...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
condo on it."
Paul is also somewhat shocked that growing citrus trees doesn't seem to be a thing; however, he is elated by the sight of citrus trees once he officially enters Tangerine:
But once we got farther south and crossed into Tangerine County, we did start to see groves of citrus trees, and they were an amazing sight. They were perfect. Thousands upon thousands of trees in the red glow of sundown, perfectly shaped and perfectly
aligned, vertically and horizontally, like squares in a million square grid.
That excitement is quickly destroyed as Paul sees multiple fires that are burning to intentionally burn down the trees in order to make room for more fancy house developments like the one his family is moving to.
Paul's family has moved to the Lake Windsor Downs development, and it is just like the previous neighborhoods. It's big, grand, imposing, fancy, and expensive looking. A lot of kids might be excited by that, but Paul isn't excited. He learns that the place as a whole is hiding a lot of ugliness, like the muck fires.
Paul's impression of Tangerine changes as he meets people from the different areas of Tangerine. Everything about the Lake Windsor Downs part is negative for Paul. The fanciness covers up the ugliness of the people. This contrasts with Paul's experiences once he transfers to Tangerine Middle School. The families are not as rich, and they seem to have found a way to live in harmony with Florida's nature rather than trying to tear it down and suppress it. Lake Windsor Downs doesn't necessarily feel like home to Paul, but Tangerine as a whole eventually does.