Tortilla Flat Society and Class Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Danny became a great man, having a house to rent, and Pilon went up the social scale by renting a house. (3.2)

One thing that Danny and Pilon hadn't counted on was the way that, if one peg in the social class grid is moved, all the pegs connected to it end up moving, too. So when Danny moves up in the world after he inherits two houses, Pilon, his buddy, moves up as well by renting one of the houses.

Quote #5

He had thought over the ruin of his status as a man with a house to rent; and, all this clutter of necessary and decent emotion having been satisfied and swept away, he had finally slipped into his true emotion, one of relief that at least one of his burdens was removed. (6.1)

When Danny's second house burns down, he loses some of his status in the community since now he doesn't have any moneymaking property (he only has his own house left). However, since we know that Danny isn't really into the high society stuff (such as it is in Tortilla Flat), he's actually relieved: he's just been relieved of some of the unwanted responsibility that comes with high status.

Quote #6

He could not explain to his friends the coolness that had come to his relationship with Mrs. Morales since he was the owner of only one house [...] (6.22)

Mrs. Morales and Danny start hooking up after he inherits two houses. In Tortilla Flat, having houses is sexy. When one house burns down, Danny starts to lose some of his sexiness, and Mrs. Morales decides to take her business elsewhere.