Tortilla Flat Essay

Drunkenness is a topic that is relayed all throughout the novel Tortilla Flat on many occasions. Drunkenness can be seen through the works of the characters, the characters themselves, or in all the settings of the major events that took place. Many of the instances negative influences of drunkenness are in plain sight but the effect alcohol has justifies the actions as though they were indeed good. In the novel Tortilla Flat, it is shown how drunkenness is able to corrupt even the purest of minds and can negatively impact a person’s morality and judgement while under the influence and even while sober. Morals are a major aspect of a human being’s life, morals are what help in making sound judgement. Therefore, when alcohol enters a certain

Alcohol being a major theme in the story is present in almost every chapter. In one instance we are able to see the toll that alcohol takes upon the characters. On page 34 of The Conflict of Form in Tortilla Flat Alexander Stanley says, “ Steinbeck portrays the characters as knights in armor with alcohol being the center of their motivation.” This shows that the characters are attempting to do good but considering their lack of motivation they turn to alcohol as their form of motivation. Therefore, it shows that their morality has been damaged because instead of doing good in the name of doing good they do it in order to have the opportunity to gain alcohol. For example allowing Jesus Maria to live in the house with them was not because they cared about him but because Pilon knew he had money and they wished to spend the money he had on alcohol. “It is sleeping in the night air” (Steinbeck 34). Pilon states this in order to scare Jesus Maria into thinking that he will die and his only option was to sleep at pilons house. In doing so Pilon charges Jesus the same amount that Danny charges himself for rent and immediately uses the money he received in order to purchase