Undignified Dignity The Great War left its mark on history as one of the bloodiest conflicts the world has ever seen, a war to end all wars. Returning vets came back to see an American society growing fat on the economic boom of the twenties; It is in this period of disillusioned grandeur that Steinbeck sets his novel, Tortilla Flat. In his story, a group of friends returning from war galavant through the town of Monterey, enjoying the simple pleasures of friendship and wine. However, these seemingly noble characters have inherent flaws that guide their judgements throughout the book. Steinbeck is a truly universal author due to his ability to demonstrate mankind’s effort to maintain an appearance of dignity despite being inherently selfish. …show more content…
These seemingly false justifications only serve to inflate their own sense of respectability in the community. Additionally, by contrasting the factual ethnic background of a paisano and their “indignant” reaction, Steinbeck creates a humorous tone that illustrates the lighthearted and upbeat atmosphere of both the town and the main characters themselves. Pilon illustrates this connection between setting and character during his fall from grace in chapter three. In an effort to repay Danny’s generosity for allowing him to stay in his second house, Pilon bought two gallons of wine as a gift. On his way back he stopped to take in the beauty of the late afternoon. As he watched the majestic sky full of seagulls “his thoughts were unstained with selfishness and lust… There was, nor is, nor has been a purer soul than Pilon’s at that moment” (18). However, as soon as he remembered that Mrs. Pastano used seagulls in her tamales, “hunger tumbled his soul out of the sky,” and Pilon was once more a “cunning mixture of good and evil” (19), and despite his best intentions, the wine never reached Danny. As Pilon witnesses beauty in his little town, it encapsulates him and for a brief instant, and transforms him into the purest form of himself. This drastic change can only be attributed to the epiphanic nature of Steinbeck’s …show more content…
“Wilt thou come in for a tiny glass of wine in friendship’s name?” (82-84)
The highly formal, and almost medieval tone, portrays Sweets as a character reminiscent of a cliche “damsel in distress.” Unfortunately, Sweets’ true intentions fall very short of pure and innocent. In reality, she is trying to seduce Danny because of his newfound wealth. Even her name hints at a short lived and ultimately gluttonous experience devoid of any real substance. Altogether, these instances of appearing dignified are tempered by an underlying selfishness that illustrates an inherent flaw in human nature.
Throughout the novel the characters are portrayed in a manner that inflates their dignity despite being selfish at heart. Through his use of setting and allusion, Steinbeck cleverly develops his main characters in a way that sets up a facade of dignity that is continuously undercut by the inherent selfishness and greed of