Elizabeth Woolford

I.D. 19996543

Writing 39 A

Professor Terra Keeperman

The struggle of good and evil

Duality, when a place, object, or person has two major and opposing themes. In John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row this ideal is a continuous theme. In particular the duality of good and evil. This theme of duality can be seen through the numerous characters, like Doc and Mack, and also in the description of the town of Cannery Row itself.

Doc is a prime example of duality, as it can not only be seen through his actions, but through the description of his face as well. "He wears a beard and his face is half Christ and half satyr”(Steinbeck 25). In this quote Doc is being compared to both a god and one of the devil's creations, meaning that he could change personalities in a flip of a switch. This theme is also seen through his personality and actions. For example the narrator described Doc as very good and depicts him with a godly tone, as can be seen through the quote "He can kill anything for need but he could not even hurt a feeling for pleasure” (Steinbeck 25). This statement gives the reader the ideal that Doc is capable and has the resources to be evil, but being evil and hurting others isn't in his nature. An additional quote that shows Doc's good nature is when Mack says ""He'll give you a quarter any time. When I cut myself he put on a new bandage every day. A hell of a nice fella” (Steinbeck 39). This quote also exemplified the good nature of Doc as he had to pay for the band aids that he gave Mack. Also because he gave these bandaids knowing that Mack most likely wouldn’t be able to pay him back. Although Doc’s good actions seem to outshine the bad, he also has some evil sides to him as well. “It is said that he has helped many girls out of one trouble and into another” (Steinbeck 25). This quote is evil because it suggests him helping the girls at the whore house out by giving them an abortion, but then having sex with them and putting them in the previous predicament. Another quote that shows an evil side to doc is “ before the combination could be sent by the maker of the lock, there was trouble in the safe. It was then that Doc devised a method for getting revenge on a bank if anyone should ever want to.”Rent a safety deposit box… then deposit in it one whole fresh salmon and go away for six months””(Steinbeck 24).  Through this quote it shows Doc’s evil and vengeful side towards the banks, as he comes up with a foolproof plan if he should ever have to get revenge on the banks. Additionally, an evil side is shown in the passage when Doc is driving down to Southern California to collect octopi, and asks the hitchhiker he picked up if he wants beer. “” No” said the hitchhiker “And I don’t... think... it's a very good idea to drive under the influence...you’ve got an automobile and that can be a murderous weapon…” “Get out of the car… I’m going to punch you in the nose,” said Doc” (Steinbeck 97). Doc’s anger and evilness is proved by how he is so quick to throw the hitchhiker out of his moving vehicle just because he suggested that driving while drinking is dangerous. The hitchhiker is clearly being cautious about other’s  safety, but Doc is indifferent to that.

Another character that has a strong relationship with duality is Mack. Mack’s personality and his actions show that he tends to help people only if there’s something in it for him, and if there isn’t he’ll manipulate the situation so that he gets some type of reward. For example when the captain offers to give Mack “the pick of the litter” (Steinbeck 86) after Mack and the boys get him drunk on whiskey and take advantage of his loneliness. “Mack said ”He gave me that jug of whiskey, didn’t he?” “Sure he did” said Eddie ‘I heard him” “and he gave me the pup?” “sure pick of the litter… why?” “I never did roll a drunk and I aint gonna start now” said Mack “We got to get out of here. He’s gonna wake up feeling’ lousy and it’s gonna be all our fault” (Steinbeck 86). In this quote Mack shows how he takes advantage of a drunk man, although he claims he never would. In doing so he justifies what he did because the captain told him he could take the dog and whiskey. Mack also knows what he did was wrong, because of how he wants to leave before the captain wakes up. Mack again shows his evil side when talking to Lee about into the Palace Flophouse,  “I and my friends thought we’d at least ast you if we could move in there. We’ll keep your property… wouldn’t want anyone to break in or hurt anything...place might burn down if someone doesn’t keep an eye on it” (Steinbeck 10). In saying so to Lee, Mack threatens to destroy the place if he doesn’t get his way, thus showing his manipulative and evil side. Although Mack does help others for a reward, one might wonder if another reason he helps others is out of the goodness of his heart. ““I been wondering for a long time,” Mack continued, “what we could do for him (Doc)  - something nice. Something he’d like”” (Steinbeck 39). In this quote Mack genuinely seems to want to help Doc and thank him for all he has helped him with. An additional example of Mack’s goodness is in the quote ““Here we are,” he (Mack) said earnestly….”We worked it out that we wanted to give doc a party… there's five of us so we’ drink five times more liquor than Doc. And I ain't sure we ain't doin’ it for ourselves… Doc is the nicest fella I ever knew. I don't want to be the kind of guy that would take advantage of him”” (Steinbeck 73). This quote shows how Mack is able to realize his selfishness and try to fix it so that he is actually doing good.

Additionally, Cannery Row is depicted through its duality of good and evil. This is exemplified as the town is first depicted in the book as “a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream” (Steinbeck 1). Steinbeck gives this effect by using contrasting words like poem and stink to describe the overall feel of the town. Another quote that embodies the ideal of duality in the quote is when the Narrator explains the two extreme views in which visitors might view the town.“Its inhabitants are, as the man once said, “whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches,” by which he meant Everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, “Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men,” and he would have meant the same thing” (Steinbeck 1). Although the inhabitants give an overall feeling of warmth to Cannery Row, it also has numerous negative and evil undertones. For example “Western medical sells bugs… Then there are little unborn humans, some whole, and others sliced thin and mounted on sides” (Steinbeck 23). Despite the fact that the baby bodies are used for research it still leaves an eerie and mysterious feeling about the medical store. Another underlying tone is the feeling of survival, and the hunt that results from this survivalist mode.“The anemones expand like soft and brilliant flowers, inviting any tired… animal to lie for a moment in their arms, and when some small crab… accepts… the invitation, the petals whip in,... the prey… grows weak… while the searing caustic digestive acids melt its body down” (Steinbeck 28). This survivalist feeling is again seen through the quote “The rooster who had challenged the sunrise of this very day lay dismembered and clean in water in the five gallon can...” (Steinbeck 69). In using this quote, Steinbeck gives us the feeling of a beautiful creature being taken from earth too early.

Lastly, steinbeck uses his writing to depict the feeling of good and evil and how it is seen through not only every person, but every animal and place. Although, I do feel he also points out that it's not the place that makes itself good or evil, but its inhabitants.