Some critics have chastised Steinbeck’s representation of Mexican-Americans in California after the first world war. He describes adventurous episodes with Danny, Steinbeck’s Arthur, Pilon, Pablo, Jesus Maria, Pirate and Joe Portagee – his knights. Where Malory chose to title his work by referencing one person, Steinbeck references an entire community thus entangling his idea of an organic world with the ideas presented by Malory. With his chapter epigraphs and little mini-stories expounding the adventures of Danny and his knights, he mirrors Malory’s work – but not in title. Nor did he hide his partiality toward an idea which describes a community as an organism. He never hid his infatuation with the stories of King Arthur and his knights. Steinbeck obviously models his tale of Danny and his comrades in Tortilla Flat after Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. See how thy friends suffer! Spring to life, Danny, that thy friends may live again! Thy life is not thine own to govern, Danny, for it controls other lives.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |