How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
No, when you speak of Danny's house you are understood to mean a unit of which the parts are men, from which came sweetness and joy, philanthropy and, in the end, a mystic sorrow. (Preface.1)
In the Preface to Tortilla Flat, John Steinbeck lays all his cards on the table, explaining what he's trying to do in the novel. He lets us know that Danny's house is far more than just walls and a roof: it's the men who live in it. We also get the idea that the good parts (sweetness, joy, and philanthropy) are just as important as the sad, sorrowful ending to defining the friendship.
Quote #2
It is well that this cycle be put down on paper so that in a future time scholars, hearing the legends, may not say as they say of Arthur and of Roland and of Robin Hood—"There was no Danny nor any group of Danny's friends, nor any house. Danny is a nature god and his friends primitive symbols of the wind, the sky, and the sun." (Preface.2)
Steinbeck wants to make sure his readers understand his characters. He's trying to paint a portrait of a community (Tortilla Flat), but he's also trying to paint a portrait of a particular group of friends. He also compares these guys to legends like King Arthur, Roland, and Robin Hood, which gives Danny's friends some historical weight they might not otherwise have. Steinbeck doesn't want us to just write these guys off as immature nobodys in some random California neighborhood.
Quote #3
"My friends have been cool toward me because they owed me money. Now we can be free and happy again." (6.2)
When Danny rents his second house to Pilon and Pablo, he changes the dynamic between them. They're not equals anymore, because he is above them economically. When they burn down the house (accidentally) Danny is relieved instead of angry, which shows that he values their friendship between equals more than money or social status.