Published in 1935, Tortilla Flat was the first of John Steinbeck’s works to receive critical attention and acclaim. Written in a warm, conversational, storytelling voice that would characterize many other works of Steinbeck including The Pearl, Tortilla Flat provides a vivid, vignette-laden portrait of the paisanos, who sport “a mixture of Spanish, Indian, Mexican, and assorted Caucasian bloods” (2), as they navigate through life in the multicultural town of Monterey, California, a frequent setting of the author’s writings.
Tortilla Flat’s narrative is centred on two male characters. Upon his return to post-World War I America, Danny learns that he has inherited two houses from his “viejo” (grandfather), and the plot of the book focuses on the colorful characters who take up residence in the two domiciles. Danny shares the novel’s spotlight with his “amigo” Pilon,...
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Citation: Donohue, Cecilia. "Tortilla Flat". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 October 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8402, accessed 09 June 2026.]
