Doc's Morality

Naturalists believe that the universe is governed exclusively by natural law as opposed to supernatural (religious, etc.) forces. Spurred by a progression in the field of science (exemplified in the photo attached), Naturalism urged for a shift away from the conventional spiritual-body (soul) and towards the assertion that individuals are simply a composite of atoms acting in accordance with primitive urges. (Menton) While many claim that this anti-religious plight deprives mankind of a moral code, Steinbeck believes that nature itself provides a foundation for morality. Specifically, Steinbeck’s Cannery Row emphasizes reverence towards Nature (derived from the analysis by Ross in Naturalism's Priest).

In Steinbeck's novel, Doc is portrayed as a scientific observer who collects, and sells, a variety of creatures found in the area. Like in the attached photograph showing a chemist deliberating in a Salinas, California laboratory (near Monterey) over a step in the plastic-making process, Doc's Western Biological Laboratory would set the stage for rigorous experimentation. This photo, like Doc's presence in Steinbeck's piece, symbolizes the march towards finding knowledge through sensory observations and scientific methods (science in general). The item also relates to the analysis since it was taken during the same time period (1900-50) and region of California, thus providing evidence of a science-based force acting upon Steinbeck and Cannery Row.

Though Doc is a student of scientific logic, he also maintains a moral stance contributing to the perceived Cannery Row metropolis. Whether it be assisting a brothel during an influenza epidemic, drinking beer while driving, or forfeiting capital for the gain of others, Doc acts based on a set of naturalist "rules."  These rules may not coincide with a majority of American values at the time but reflects Steinbeck's pious obligation to Nature's deity. In summary, Doc, while using the logic of science to make sense of the world around him (similar to Baucher in the attached photo), is also driven by complex moral beliefs. This "morally grey" attitude reflects Steinbeck's claim that Naturalism inherits a sense of moral obligation, rather than voiding morality.