Good People in Cannery Row Essay

John Steinbecks Cannery Row, on its surface, is a very(prenominal) simple book in which its plot does not induce any significant impact on its universe, let al mavin its characters. However, if one(a) great power delve deeper into Steinbecks clever subtext and rich overtones, a manhood of bliss and beauty can be found. Cannery Row, is a book where its characters be self-described as Whores, Pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches and yet called Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men on the very uniform page (405).The point of these contradictions is to comment on societys assimilate of Morality. This is specifically noted when one of the main Characters, Doc, says It has invariably seemed strange to meThe things we adore in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, argon the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, self-importance and self-interest, atomic number 18 the traits of success. When referring a group of Former homeless men called mackintosh and the boys (505). mack and the boys are a group of bums that live in the row, and very much do nothing simply drink alcohol. These men never do anything necessarily heroic, or daring, or even Courageous, entirely these men are the well-nigh good individuals in the entirety of Cannery Row.Through the Scenes following mac and the Boys, John Steinbeck develops Idea that despite their wish of ambition, they are viewed as virtuously upstanding individuals, who have a positive impact on society. With their cheerful go lucky nature, and simple needs, these men can achieve the impossible. sensation index think that they are very unintelligent individuals due to their beat of living, tho that couldnt be farther than the truth. Time and time over again they prove themselves to be people that are not hardly capable, but show extraordinary prowess in certain fields. One of these men, for exe mplar was gay. When referring to his mechanical ability, Steinbeck narrates Indeed there are men near  Whom a car runs better. And such(prenominal) a one was gay.His fingers on a timepiece or a carburetor adjustment screw were gentle and quick-scented and sure. The way he listens to the ills of automatons, it is of no impossibility he could have turn over a wealthy mechanic, fixing cars in a garage of his owning. festive Instead enjoys his time at the flop house, drinking and talking the solar day away. All Gay really wants, is to have a soundly time, and for the others some him to do the same. This is a key component of why gay is a moral citizen of society. Gay is a great deal able to do wrong, but never is willing. Gay lives with an abusive Wife, which constantly beats him. He never wants to, but occasionally he has to return the favor.He used to cook impel into jail because of this, but that he liked the conditions in jail, so his wife beats him while he sleeps in stead/ Gay, specifically, is an interesting case, because he has a brio in which is deeper than one might believe. he is the only one to have a life of suburbia waiting for him. Gay lived a human beings in which he had a house and a winning wife. Through some other lens, Gay was trapped in a hencoop with a woman that beats him so much that being regularize in jail is sweet relief. Despite this, Gay eventually always choses to go back to his wife.He believes that he is wrong in the spot and returns to his wife trying to be a better man. That truly is the designer why he is an upstanding person. Hes a very humble and simple creature, who just wishes to enjoy life. Another Example of such ambition would the leader of the group, mac. mack is by far, is the flop houses driving force. When leading the group, he is a moral center, and the speaker of comprehension when alone, he is a very tragic man. Throughout the book, Mack and the boys only ambition was to throw a party for Do c, a local practised Samaritan. When this ambition ends in failure, he proclaimsIt beart do good to say Im sorry. Ive been sorry all my lifeI had a wifesame thing. Everthing I through turn sour. She couldnt stand it no more. If I done a good thing it got poisoned up some wayI dont do nothin but clown no more. gauge to make the boys laugh. (496) Mack seemingly is the only one who doesnt lack ambition by choice. Whilst in with the other, Mack often is the one to company goals, albeit small ones. This is where the true tragedy of his character comes in. No matter what he does, or hard he works, all of his plans inevitably turn to failure. Mack is a man of good intentions, and made of good morals, but he is seemingly cursed with bad luck, and the world reacts as such. One of Macks greatest qualities is his way with words.A lesser person might use his power of speech craft to control the populace, and shape the world in his image, but Mack just wants to have fun. Whenever he uses thi s kind of power, he is always talking about doing something for someone else. The adventures of Mack and the boys is alter with irony Gay having a wife that beats him, Hazel likes conversation, but hates talking, or having a party for someone who doesnt attend. Perhaps the most ironic of all is that despite their lack of ambition and lazy attitude, their actions becharm everyone around them. All throughout cannery row, people would look on to these men, and get inspired in some way.One of the greatest examples of such consumption is the aforementioned Doc. Even though Mack and the Boys destroyed his home by throwing a party for him, without him, he still holds them in high regard. The sales event of souls to gain the whole world is completely voluntary and almost upstandingbut not quiteYou know how they tried to give me a party and it went wrong. But they wanted to give me a party. That was their impulse. (505). What Doc is state here, is that he respects the lifestyle that M ack and the Boys have chosen, and thinks of them as moral even though things dont go their way. This is Implied in a number of ways. Initially, he denotes the idea of throwing the party was on a opinion of theirs. This is a Reference to the continuing notion of their lack of aspiration. Mack and the Boys dont do things for certain reasons, they just decide to act whence they get the inspiration.Furthermore, he begins with a metaphor comparing the Consumerist system, a repose where you have to work for a place you often hate, to selling your soul, liberal away your humanly essence and personality. This metaphor works well incompatible with the boys, to those who seemingly suffer from working into monotony. Doc is implicating that their way of spontaneity is a way wherein they have the capability to do good. Steinbeck often uses these sections with Doc to enlarge the importance of the boys actions. Whenever Doc speaks of them, he outlines how business men are sick men, and h ow the boys are healthy and strangely clean (504).Mack and the boys dont have that thirst that humans often have. That crave for Silver stitching and velvet bed sheets. Steinbeck uses a group of expert homeless men as a symbol for the importance of condole with for one another, while living in the moment. Mack and the boys outline how to do well in life, without selling ones soul for wealth and power. Morality is often a tricky subject to tackle and often when it is tackled, its not done wellBut Steinbeck has it pegged. One might think that things such as be considerate of one another and be humble would be simple Ideologies for a book to go behind, Steinbeck does it justice. Cannery Row Shows just how people react to good deeds, as ill-conceived as they are. John Steinbecks Cannery Row, on its surface, is a very simplistic book, but it is so much more.