Tortilla Flat: Analysis of Major Characters
"Tortilla Flat" is a novel by John Steinbeck that explores the lives of a group of paisanos in Monterey, California, particularly through the lens of its major characters. The protagonist, Danny, inherits two houses and embodies a mix of cultural heritages, though he identifies purely as Spanish. He is portrayed as intelligent but lacks conventional ambition, finding himself restless and bored with the responsibilities that come with property ownership. Supporting characters include Pilon, a clever yet unambitious thief, and Big Joe Portagee, who struggles with morality and often falls asleep at inconvenient times. Jesus Maria Corcoran, known for his good heart, compassionately cares for strays, while the Pirate, a slow-witted man, dreams of a candlestick for Saint Francis. Female characters like "Sweets" Ramirez and Cornelia Ruiz add complexity, navigating their desires and relationships with the paisano men, often in humorous or poignant ways. The narrative captures the vibrant, interconnected lives of these characters, reflecting themes of community, identity, and the human condition within a culturally rich setting.
Tortilla Flat: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: John Steinbeck
First published: 1935
Genre: Novel
Locale: Tortilla Flat, a section of Monterey, California
Plot: Naturalism
Time: The early 1920's
Danny, a paisano in his early thirties. His heritage is a mixture of Spanish, Indian, Mexican, and Caucasian, but, like all paisanos, he claims to be purely Spanish. He is small, dark, and compact in build. Danny is without conventional ambition but is intelligent and capable. He broke mules for the army in Texas during World War I. After his return from the war, Danny inherits two wooden houses from his grandfather, but property brings responsibility and worry, and security brings boredom, brooding, and restlessness: Danny likes women and fighting. He is the King Arthur of the round table of paisanos of Monterey.
Pilon (pee-LOHN), a paisano who is a tenant in one of Danny's houses. Smarter than most of the others, Pilon is a sentimentalist, though utterly without ambition. He is a cunning thief and rationalizer. Pilon also served in World War I.
Big Joe Portagee, another paisano tenant in one of Danny's houses. He had joined the infantry in World War I but spent eighteen of twenty-nine months in jail. He loves women, drinking, and brawling, and he is less intelligent than his friends. He has trouble concentrating and often falls asleep at inopportune times. He is nearly without morality because he has trouble remembering right from wrong.
Jesus Maria Corcoran (heh-SEWS mah-REE-ah kohKOH-rahn), a paisano. Jesus is good-hearted and always tries to relieve suffering whenever he hears of it. He lives in Danny's house and brings home the needy strays he finds.
The Pirate, a huge, broad, slow-witted man with five dogs who cuts twenty-five cents worth of kindling each day and saves the quarters to buy a silver candlestick for Saint Francis. He lives in an abandoned chicken house until taken in by the paisanos.
Delores Engracia “Sweets” Ramirez (deh-LOH-rehs ehn-GRAH-see-ah rrah-MEE-rehs), a paisana who belongs to the Native Daughters of the Golden West. “Sweets” is given to fits of lust once or twice a week. Then, her figure has voluptuousness of movement and her voice has a certain throatiness, though she is lean-faced, lumpy, and not considered pretty most of the time. Sweets desires Danny and is catapulted to the top of the social heap when Danny, a property owner, gives her a vacuum cleaner, though she has no electricity in her house.
Torelli the wine-seller, a man much put upon by the paisanos, who try to cheat him as he seeks to take advantage of them. He can be miserly and foul-tempered.
Mrs. Torelli, his wife, a woman with a gentle nature, susceptible to flattery. She is seduced occasionally by one of the paisanos.
Señora Teresina Cortez (teh-reh-SEE-nah kohr-TEHS), who is nearing thirty years of age and is the mother of at least nine children. Her own mother is only in her late forties. The Cortez children live exclusively on tortillas and beans, a diet on which, to the astonishment of all, they thrive. The paisanos generously provide this family with a year's supply of beans. Señora Cortez becomes pregnant once again and wonders which of them is responsible.
Cornelia Ruiz (kohr-NEH-lee-ah rrew-EES), a woman famous for her love of men and fighting. She is a favorite of the paisanos, although she is known to take money from men's pockets while they sleep.
The corporal from Torreón,Mexico,amanwhosewifeleft him for a captain. He hopes his infant son will rise to be a general so that his son can steal some enlisted man's attractive young wife.