How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
As the wine went down in the bottles, patriotism arose in the three men. (Preface.8)
Some people call alcohol "liquid courage," and this is a great example of the guys getting drunk in order to do something difficult (that is, sign up for the army). Are they actually that courageous? Should they be enlisting in the army? Are alcohol-fueled decisions ever good ones?
Quote #2
Spiritually the jugs may be graduated thus: Just below the shoulder of the first bottle, serious and concentrated conversation. Two inches farther down, sweetly sad memory. Three inches more, thoughts of old and satisfactory loves. An inch, thoughts of bitter loves. Bottom of the first jug, general and undirected sadness. Shoulder of the second jug, black, unholy despondency. Two fingers down a song of death or longing. A thumb, every other song each one knows. (3.40)
Steinbeck's giving us a science of drunkenness here. Remember those graduated flasks from chemistry? They're marked with lines to measure the liquid inside. These wine jugs are sort of like that. Steinbeck says you can measure emotions according to how much wine has been drunk. The stages of sentimentality and depression depend on the amount of wine you've downed. Considering how much these dudes drink, it's no surprise that they spend a lot of time depressed.
Quote #3
"It is just as well that we do not take two gallons of wine to Danny," said Pilon. "He is a man who knows little restraint in drinking." (5.4)
Pilon's at his best here. He's trying to figure out a way to justify not giving Danny wine as a substitute for rent money (he wants the wine for himself). And of course he does find a way. Suddenly, he's aware of the dangers of alcoholism, and he wants to "save" his friend from drinking the wine. That's irony, people. Of course, none of the gang knows any "restraint in drinking," so we can see that Pilon is just blowing smoke.