Tortilla Flat
 

 
Printing History
First published in the United States of America by Covici, Friede, Inc., 1935
Published by Viking Penguin Inc. 1938
First published in Penguin Books 1977
Reissued in Penguin Books 1986
Copyright John Steinbeck, 1935
Copyright renewed John Steinbeck, 1963

Main Characters

1  Danny
twenty-five when WWI was declared, returns to inherit two houses in Tortilla Flat

Tito Ralph
jailer in Monterey

Mr. Torelli
purveyor of wine in Tortilla Flat

Pilon
Danny's old friend from Tortilla Flat

2  Mrs. Morales
Danny's neighbor over the fence

3  Mrs. Soto
Pilon's neighbor over the fence

Chin Kee
owner of a squid yard at China Point

Pablo Sanches
drunk in a ditch who moves in with Pilon

4  Jesus Maria Corcoran
red-bearded drunk in a ditch

5  Mrs. Torelli
called "Butter Duck" by Pablo and Pilon

6  Arabella Gross
cannery worker

7  Pirate
big black-bearded man whose head has not grown with his body

Pirate's dogs:
 
Enrique
described as houndish

Pajarito
brown, curly

Rudolph
an American dog

Fluff
a pug

Señor Alec Thompson
Airedale like

8  Big Joe Portagee
friend of Danny's from before the war

9  Dolores Engracia Ramirez
"Sweets" who asks passing men a'onde vas?

Mr. Simon
owners of Simon's Investment, Jewelry, and Loan Company

Johnny Pom-Pom
brings news of Torelli's anger over the vacuum

10  Señor Capor´l
young solder from Chihuahua

Manuel
the caporál's baby

11  Tia Ignacia
45-year-old widow, mostly Indian

Jake Lake
a Monterey motorcycle policeman

12  Father Ramon
pastor of San Carlos Church

13  Teresina Cortez
thirty-year-old mother of eight

Angelica
fifty-year-old mother of Teresina

Teresina's children:  

Alfredo, Ernie, Panchito, five others

14  Cornelia Ruiz
knows only loving and fighting

Emilio
gives a little pig to Cornelia

Tall Bob Smoke
wants to be admired, is laughed at

Charlie Meeler
grabbed the gun which blew Bob's nose off

Petey Ravanno
childhood friend of Jesus Maria

Mr. Ravanno
Petey's father

Susy
Petey's sister, now in Old Jenny's house in Salinas

Gracie Montez
first baby at twelve, when the fleet came in

'Tonia Montez
Gracie's sister

Book Blurb — Penguin 1986

A California Camelot created by a raffish band of ne'er-do-wells and dreamers
Above the town of Monterey on the California coast lies the shabby district of Tortilla Flat, inhabited by a colorful gang whose revels recall the exploits of King Arthur's knights. Soft-hearted, unquestioningly loyal to one another, and in complete disregard of social conventions and expectations, the gutsy denizens of Tortilla Flat cheerfully reside in a world of idyllic poverty.

"The extraordinary humors of these curiously childlike natives are presented with a masterly touch."

— William Rose Benét


Giotto, 13th Cent, Francis Preaches to the Birds
source: The Vatican Library

 

 

detail from large satellite map from Sony Corp
China Point is now called Cabrillo Point.

 

detail from large Monterey Peninsula map from Sony Corp
Alvarado Street is shown near Fisherman's Wharf;
"Munroe St." could be Munras Avenue.

 
Stephan Steinbeck