Cannery Row Lesson Plan

Discuss Doc's relationship with the tide pools.

At this point in the novel, it should be clear that Doc's life ties very closely with the tide pools. Of course, his livelihood depends on this: if he isn't attuned to the rise and fall of the tides, he won't be able to collect the specimens that allow him to make money and perform research. In fact, Doc relies on the pools so closely that his body is now able to feel when the tide changes. He sleeps and wakes according to this natural rhythm.

Doc demonstrates how adaptable humans can be, and how we are able to insert ourselves into an ecosystem and make it a major part of our lives without necessarily disrupting it.