Published in 1935,

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

,

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

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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 23 November 2024.]