When you turn on the television or open a magazine you are bound to see tons of ads. They promote everything from toys to commemorative trinkets. For many people, these ads show them what others are buying, convincing them they should buy them as well. Despite the fact these items may not have practical value, some pride themselves as important for owning the trinkets. In Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, the citizens of the town tend to view possessions as very important. Danny and his friends, the paisanos, do not feel the same way. Tortilla Flat’s message of the uselessness of materialism is represented by the story of the vacuum cleaner, the actions of Danny’s friends, and the actions of Danny himself. Danny and his friends are simple people living simple lives. Other residents of Tortilla Flat do not hold the same sentiment. Sweets Ramirez, for example, is very happy to receive a sleek vacuum cleaner from Danny. Though she is proud of the look and how it makes her feel, the lack of electricity in her house renders the machine useless. We, as readers, view this as ridiculous. Why would someone own something they …show more content…
Despite the fact his family owned two houses, a sign of wealth, he prefered to stay away and fend for himself. “If the growing Danny preferred to sleep in the forest, to work on ranches, and to wrest his food and wine from an unwilling world, it was not because he did not have influential relatives.”(6) Danny did not like to take advantage of his family station. When his friends needed a place to stay he let them stay in his second house without a lot of thought. Danny, for the most part, did not enjoy owning the houses because of the responsibility that came with them. Materials lead to a more complicated life. Danny owning the houses means he has to take care of them, something he does not want to have to worry