Tortilla Flat

Adopting the structure and themes of the Arthurian legend Steinbeck created a Camelot on a shabby hillside above the town of Monterey California and peopled it with a colorful band of knights. At the center of the tale is Danny whose house like Arthurs castle becomes a gathering place for men looking for adventure camaraderie and a sense of belongingmen who fiercely resist the corrupting tide of honest toil and civil rectitude. As Steinbeck chronicles their deedstheir multiple lovers their wonderful brawls their Rabelaisian wine-drinkinghe spins a tale as compelling and ultimately as touched by sorrow as the famous legends of the Round Table which inspired him.