How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
What is a paisano? He is a mixture of Spanish, Indian, Mexican, and assorted Caucasian bloods. His ancestors have lived in California for a hundred or two years [...] He is a paisano, and he lives in the uphill district above the town of Monterey called Tortilla Flat, although it isn't a flat at all. (Preface.5)
The word paisano has a few meanings, but Steinbeck is giving us a very specific definition of the term here, explaining what it means in Monterey, California. The paisanos in that part of the country, according to the novel, are the descendants of Spanish conquistadors and other immigrants. Their race is, then, what defines them, but their race itself is very hard to define.
Quote #2
Danny was a paisano, and he grew up in Tortilla Flat and everyone liked him, but he did not stand out particularly from the screeching children of Tortilla Flat. He was related to nearly everyone in the Flat by blood or romance. (Preface.6)
Danny is the perfect protagonist for the novel because he represents the community as a whole. He doesn't stand out much, so that means he has a lot in common with everyone—and since he's related to everyone, we can tell that he really belongs in Tortilla Flat and is an essential part of the community.
Quote #3
Pablo and Pilon in their blue jeans and blue shirts walked in comradeship into the gulch behind the house, and after a little time they returned to sit in the sun on the front porch, to listen to the fish horns on the streets of Monterey, to discuss in wandering, sleepy tones the doings of Tortilla Flat; for there are a thousand climaxes on Tortilla Flat for every day the world wheels through. (4.3)
You might wonder why in the world Steinbeck might have wanted to write a novel about a tiny district in a town in California. What's the big deal? Here he's giving you the clue. Even though Tortilla Flat is a sleepy place, Steinbeck's showing us—by referring to those "thousand climaxes"—that every person is important and has an interesting story. It may also be that Steinbeck thinks of Tortilla Flat as a microcosm for any American community.