The beauty of John Steinbeck’s writing is in its simplicity. Stories are told and pictures are painted without the use of pretentious words which have you thumbing through a dictionary. Since Steinbeck is my favorite author I am going to do a quick review of several of his shorts. Let’s start with Tortilla Flat.
Most of Steinbeck’s yarns deal with the poverty stricken disenfranchised during the early 20th century and take place in Monterey, California. Danny, the protagonist of Flats, has returned from the Great War (World War 1) without a penny in pocket and after an episode of drunkenness (in which he is arrested), he learns that he has inherited two houses from his grandfather. Danny’s status is immediately raised in the eyes of his “paisano” friends (an errant group of countrymen, who especially enjoy their wine) and soon has them living in one of the homesteads as tenants; under the impression that they will pay rent. Unfortunately, the “paisanos” only have money for wine, which they generously share with Danny.
Pilon, who is Danny’s best friend, is the first to live in the house. The philosopher and fellow drunk then invites another drunken colleague, Jesus Maria Corcoran into the habitation, with the stipulation that he will pay Pilon rent money. But Corcoran, who is a pea-brained aficionado of wine and women, has better things to spend his money on. When Corcoran defaults on the rent, Pilon recruits another traveling imbiber known as “The Pirate,” and he and his five dogs are invited into the residence with hope that the new lodger will provide the rent for Danny.
Eventually the “paisanos” accidentally burn down Danny’s house with a candle during one of their drunken slumber parties; but Danny finds relief in the incident. Owning a home is a burden to him and he yearns for the times when he could travel from place to place and pass out under any tree that he would like to. Danny abandons his house and roams Monterey in a state of virtual mental illness looking for answers.
Tortilla Flat is an expose′ on materialism, poverty, alcoholism, and mental illness that especially hits home in relation to our current economic woes. Steinbeck hits his niche right on target.
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