The Story
The book revolves around Danny and his friends. All of them eccentric, all of them alcoholic. Homeless, jobless, penniless and with no future prospects. Whenever they come to find a bit of money, they buy wine. For a drop of liquor, they’re ready to sell any of their possessions. Yes, they are what you’d call a bunch of losers. But that wouldn’t do them justice for there are much more to them than meets the eye.
Things take a turn when Danny inherits two houses after his grandfather dies. One by one his friends come to stay with him. As Danny is a free soul in heart, he actually sees his new possessions as burdens. Thus, he happily takes in all of his friends with one simple rule, no one else can sleep on his bed. All of his friends together decide to show their gratitude by taking a vow—Danny won’t ever go hungry.
Days go by, there’s little to do other than drinking and lying all day. But exciting things happen among them and all over Tortilla Flat.
Characters I will remember
From a social eye, these drunkards will be judged under the same light. However, the way Steinbeck wrote them—Danny, Pilon, Pablo, Jesus Maria, Joe Portagee, Pirate—all of them are so distinct to one another, it’s a wonder they came together, formed friendships.
One of them has 5 dogs, one is brilliant at coming up with absurd, justifiable, amusing excuses. One can sleep through anything. One has a strong moral sense. Another one feels home locked up in a cell.
No matter how far down they are in social status, all of them are capable of basic human compassion, charity, goodwill and will to work toward a common goal.
Steinbeck took some of the most mundane characters and made them interesting with his words.
I've lived in Tortilla Flat
Through the book, I did. The daily lives of many habitants of Tortilla Flat are portrayed vividly. The family which sells liquor, the town sweetheart who often causes more trouble than, well, being the sweetheart. The local law enforcement and it's similarly eccentric jailer. A widow with a fortune. A virgin Mary with nine kids.
Tortilla Flat appears to be a real, living, breathing place and I’m a spectator with curious eyes.
Steinbeck’s writing itself was a delight to read. I think he became more colloquial later on. So I’ve enjoyed the prose more than that of ‘Of mice and men’.
The book has a laid back style of storytelling, musing and somewhat exaggerating in it’s expressions. That was intentional, I have to remind myself—as it is an allegory of the king Arthur and his round table. Danny, his friends and their endeavours can be viewed parallely with the Arthurian tale. Steinbeck kept a few dialogues in archaic style as well, to make the connection more noticeable perhaps.
It’s with me and around me
This is one of those books that only inspires an ending and as a reader, you know it’s the end but it feels like a continuation. As it was, so it will be. I sit and wonder about the story itself, I go over my mind and speculate what is to come. I feel nostalgia for the things that went by and the unforeseeable future that won’t be written.
The book is very quotable but I cannot help myself from sharing two of them.
What pillow can one have like a good conscience?
A man may be loved, hated, mourned, missed; but once dead he becomes the chief ornament of a complicated and formal social celebration.
I can relate with these very much. Specially the second one, that practice bugs me a lot. Dying doesn’t exonerate anyone.
My rating - 4/5
This book was suggested to me by @bigtom13. Thanks a bunch! If you haven’t read already, I think you’d love ‘Baron in the Trees’ by Italo Calvino.
About Me
On hive, I mostly review books and films that I love and care about.
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Thanks for a great review. As you know, I've just read it again-after 55 years. I believe I'll write a review, but I had forgotten, or never realized the prose. It is just exquisite.
I also have to say that there were things here that the 15 year old me didn't know or realize.
Again, thanks. I've ordered Baron in the Trees.
Thanks for reading!
I will look forward to reading your review. It's always a charm seeing through another's viewpoint for I always find something I missed or interpreted differently.
As the great Tarkovsky once said,
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