In the novel Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, things that are said and done by the characters show us that materialistic and monetary possessions aren’t as important as our society would have us believe. Cannery Row in Monterey serves as a microcosm for our world today - and throughout it we see striking examples of strength of community and generosity. Today, money is the defining element of our lives; it is the way we define success, and, in many cases, our own happiness. However, the novel makes it clear to us that maybe money isn’t the key to bliss - maybe wealth isn’t required to be happy. Through the actions of Lee Chong, Mack and the boys and Doc, Steinbeck clues us in that money isn’t as intrinsic to happiness and success as we all think.
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Most businesses today regard profit as their only goal; they place huge importance on maximizing the amount of money they pull in. However, Lee Chong doesn’t focus solely on the profits. Lee is held by the “pull of Lao Tze and held away from Lao Tze by the centrifugality of abacus and cash register,” meaning that he is torn between the influences of Taoism and American capitalism (Steinbeck 14). Taoism strongly discourages selfish or greedy behavior and rejects all material goods and discredits them as meaningless, and all of “these principles are generally visible throughout Cannery Row,” according to Peter Lisca (Lisca 46). Lisca draws many parallels between Taoism and Cannery Row, the strongest of which can be seen through Lee Chong. His valuation of communal trust over money is the strongest tie within the novel. When Lee Chong acquires the Abbeville fish meal storage place, he has no real use for it. When Mack comes in and tries to get Lee to let him and and his friends live in the storage place, Lee makes him an offer. Lee “knew it didn’t matter what he charged. He wasn’t going to get it anyway,” so he gives Mack a sturdy …show more content…
Doc owns the Western Biological, a marine biology shop where one can purchase a number of different kinds of marine life. He is in no way in a bad situation financially, and is one of the most well off people in Cannery Row. He has the least troubles with money in the town, yet is one of the most unhappy. Throughout the novel, Doc shows an almost complete disregard for money and materialistic things in general. Doc performs a great deal of favors and good deeds for the people of Cannery Row, and, as a result, everyone in the town is deeply indebted to Doc, even “Lee was . . . deeply indebted to Doc,” (Steinbeck 117). Everyone in the town owes some sort of credit to Doc, yet the only form he is paid back in is through a surprise party Mack and the boys throw for him. Doc is constantly helping the people of Cannery Row and has next to nothing, monetarily speaking, to show for it. He isn’t a real doctor, yet people always run to him to ask for medical advice. Does he ask for anything in return? No, Doc always does his best to help them and asks nothing of them. Why does Doc do this? Doc is a character who is constantly “gnawed at by loneliness,” and wants to have meaningful connections with people (Heims 43). The reason why Doc does countless favors for people and works to make them happy lies in this loneliness. Doc wants to be around other people. As seen
Most businesses today regard profit as their only goal; they place huge importance on maximizing the amount of money they pull in. However, Lee Chong doesn’t focus solely on the profits. Lee is held by the “pull of Lao Tze and held away from Lao Tze by the centrifugality of abacus and cash register,” meaning that he is torn between the influences of Taoism and American capitalism (Steinbeck 14). Taoism strongly discourages selfish or greedy behavior and rejects all material goods and discredits them as meaningless, and all of “these principles are generally visible throughout Cannery Row,” according to Peter Lisca (Lisca 46). Lisca draws many parallels between Taoism and Cannery Row, the strongest of which can be seen through Lee Chong. His valuation of communal trust over money is the strongest tie within the novel. When Lee Chong acquires the Abbeville fish meal storage place, he has no real use for it. When Mack comes in and tries to get Lee to let him and and his friends live in the storage place, Lee makes him an offer. Lee “knew it didn’t matter what he charged. He wasn’t going to get it anyway,” so he gives Mack a sturdy …show more content…
Doc owns the Western Biological, a marine biology shop where one can purchase a number of different kinds of marine life. He is in no way in a bad situation financially, and is one of the most well off people in Cannery Row. He has the least troubles with money in the town, yet is one of the most unhappy. Throughout the novel, Doc shows an almost complete disregard for money and materialistic things in general. Doc performs a great deal of favors and good deeds for the people of Cannery Row, and, as a result, everyone in the town is deeply indebted to Doc, even “Lee was . . . deeply indebted to Doc,” (Steinbeck 117). Everyone in the town owes some sort of credit to Doc, yet the only form he is paid back in is through a surprise party Mack and the boys throw for him. Doc is constantly helping the people of Cannery Row and has next to nothing, monetarily speaking, to show for it. He isn’t a real doctor, yet people always run to him to ask for medical advice. Does he ask for anything in return? No, Doc always does his best to help them and asks nothing of them. Why does Doc do this? Doc is a character who is constantly “gnawed at by loneliness,” and wants to have meaningful connections with people (Heims 43). The reason why Doc does countless favors for people and works to make them happy lies in this loneliness. Doc wants to be around other people. As seen