Cannery Row: Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis

Mack’s observation that Doc is “always alone” even when he’s in a group is worth noting, for it suggests that well-liked people who are respected and surrounded by friends still experience loneliness. In this way, Steinbeck intimates that loneliness is simply a symptom of life, something that no one can avoid altogether. Fortunately, though, Doc does have people around him, which puts him in a better position than someone like William, who was completely alone and isolated. On another note, the flag-pole skater is an interesting figure in Cannery Row, as he represents not only Steinbeck’s interest in exploring the ridiculous things people will do for money, but also the ways in which something can mean different things to different people. This is evident by Henri’s artistic and philosophical interest in the skater—surely a different kind of reaction than what the owners of Holman’s Department Store must have originally had in mind when putting on this promotional spectacle.

In this section, Steinbeck makes a point of making Doc into a more three-dimensional character. Until this point, he has simply presented Doc as a kind fellow with a few eccentricities. Now, though, readers see that Doc is a quirky man who, despite his self-assuredness, still considers—and, to a certain extent, worries about—what people think of him. Indeed, he knows that his beard sets him apart from most men, an idea that emphasizes his loneliness, as it calls attention to the ways in which he feels like an outsider in the world in which he lives.

Doc is an unfailingly good man, so it’s no surprise that he wants to tell the truth whenever possible. However, he discovers that not everyone is ready to speak honestly about unhappiness or discontent. Interestingly enough, his decision to lie while walking such a long distance as a young man is nothing more than an attempt to be kind, for he doesn’t want to upset other people by shocking them with the truth about his own melancholy. Readers see once again that he is devoted to doing what’s best for others, even when this means lying at his own expense.

Despite Doc’s all-around goodness, he is still human. As such, he has certain vices, and though it doesn’t seem to interfere with his life all that often, he clearly has a drinking problem. After all, the hitchhiker is right to point out that Doc shouldn’t be driving under the influence, but Doc is unwilling to hear this. This is the first time in the entire novel that Doc has acted selfishly, and his threat to punch the hitchhiker in the nose is quite obviously inappropriate. However, this is just a testament to the fact that even the most virtuous people have various shortcomings and vices.

Again, Doc demonstrates that he is not immune to anger, for although he’s quite virtuous, he is still human and, thus, prone to certain flaws. On another note, his decision to lie about why he’s ordering a beer milkshake aligns with his understanding that sometimes the truth can be disconcerting to other people. When the waitress expresses her disgust, he tells her that he has been drinking beer milkshakes for 17 years because of a medical condition, thereby allowing her to feel at ease rather than making her uncomfortable.