The poison/ dark parts in the book Cannery Row makes the novel a deep commentary on human society. It shows that, in the real world, these type of things and happen; Steinbeck does not sugarcoat human society. The poison in the creampuff acts to balance and anchor the rest of the novel to a more realistic world. The poison keeps the novel from being much like a fairytale where they live happily ever after at the end. It gives the novel a more realism and it is also use to balance some of the comical parts of the novel. Also, the poison in the creampuff is meant to showcase some the themes of the novel such as isolation and loneliness. The poison highlights the theme of isolation when the former bouncer of the Bear Flag Restaurant, William,