Ford Model T

Steinbeck's portrayal of each main character in Cannery Row has been romanticized to represent their best qualities despite their negative environment. The Ford Model T is representative of many of the same themes as the characters in Cannery Row because it is a car that was adapted constantly to fit the needs of every owner. While the characters in the novel adapted to their environment after every significant event – always maintaining their happy-go-lucky attitude – the Model T similarly represented the adaptability of consistent American values. Mack and the boys are consistently attempting to make the best of their situations, even when that means stealing from Lee Chong's store or engaging in other criminal activity. This attitude of always getting the best out of life is one of the American values that defines the lives of the characters in Cannery Row, but it – like the positive attitudes of the characters – may not be as realistic as it seems. In the same way that the positive attitudes of Cannery Row's inhabitants can be viewed as unrealistic, the American values that the Model T signifies may also be considered romanticized. Steinbeck provides idealistic representations of both the characters in the novel and the American dream they are supposedly pursuing, making his book somewhat less of a realistic cultural vignette than he might have hoped for.