Cannery Row: Living Heaven on Earth Cannery Row (1945), a novel written by John Steinbeck, Nobel Prize winner for literature, is a book without much plot. Instead, it is a novel in which setting, atmosphere and, above all, character, take precedence. Steinbeck creates a colorful array of characters who struggle to understand their unique places in the world. The story is set in the early 20th century, immediately following the Depression and World War II. The characters live in Monterey, California, amidst the chaos of the sardine fishery, the "Palace Flophouses", Lee Chong's grocery store, Dora's brothel, and Doc's biological laboratory. Throughout the book, Steinbeck has the uncanny ability to combine the daily problems of its characters with the utopian lifestyle. The end result is a novel with a strange mix of fantasy and reality, which insists that good company and friendliness are all it takes to create a paradise anywhere on earth, even in crumbling Cannery Row. In the book, Steinbeck attempts to capture the feelings and life of Cannery Row by introducing his readers to some of its intriguing inhabitants. The audience is introduced to Mack and the boys, a group of unemployed but resourceful men who live in a converted fishmeal shack on the edge of a vacant lot. They decide they want to do something nice for the kind Doc, owner of an organic supply store. Doc is a kind and intellectual man as well as a friend and guardian of everyone, but he always seems haunted by a certain sadness. Other characters include Dora, the owner of the "clean, honest, old-fashioned sports house." " (13). Dora is a beautiful... middle of paper... oken. To make matters worse, Doc doesn't even make it to his own party. Yet Steinbeck manages to teach his characters that thinking is what it really matters even if the end result isn't what you wanted. The fact that they were trying to do something nice was in itself something to be proud of. Mac and the boys learn from their mistakes and ultimately throw a successful party for their friend By adding subtle humor to difficult situations, Steinbeck is able to transform the otherwise dull town of Cannery Row into a delightful place even in the wake of unexpected events. As Steinbeck's characters are generous and willing to do what they can to contribute to well-being of the others, they were able to build a paradise on earth right in their hometown. Work cited Steinbeck, John, 1973.