Even Doc points out that people like Mack and the boys are driven by purer intentions, while typically "successful" men are destroying themselves to get ahead. The people of Cannery Row are not driven by the desire to assert their superiority. While Steinbeck (through the denizens of Cannery Row) respects these characters' tangible goals, he does not value ambition for ambition's sake. Lee Chong tries to run a profitable store. Malloy fix up their boiler so that it feels like more of a home.
Henri wants to live the life of a tortured French painter. Mack and the boys want to throw Doc a party. Many of the characters in the text have specific ambitions. Steinbeck uses the metaphor of the tide pool to demonstrate how in this little universe, all of the organisms live, breathe, and die together. When there is a person who is worthy of celebration, like Doc, then the people of Cannery Row come together as one. When there is turmoil or suffering, as with the influenza outbreak, everyone pitches in to help. When one part of the community, such as Mack and the boys, does something wrong, then the entire community suffers. Despite their different races, genders, professions, ages, etc, they are interconnected and value each other.
The inhabitants are linked together in an ecological system, and they work together to insure that it is mutually beneficial. Community is one of the most important aspects of living on Cannery Row.
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