What is the setting of Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck?

The time setting of this novel is post World War II in Monterey, California. The cannery has been closed because of overfishing and the war has affected the whole town so morale is low .The close community of Cannery Row is expecting Doc's return to bring them back to the normalcy that they were accustomed to. The streets that used to be filled with the hustle and bustle associated with the canneries are now silent.

Other than the first trip that Doc takes to gather specimens in La Jolla, most of the story takes place within the small community of Cannery Row. There is one bar, one brothel, one grocery store, the Palace Flophouse and Doc's laboratory where all of this story takes place. Because everyone is so close they depend on each other and are always together at these different buildings.

The time setting dramatically affects the story because there are different expectations and standards the men and women in this town are held to. The first response to Doc's problems is that he needs a wife because of the time setting it is expected that a successful man needs a wife.