In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, a destitute pearl diver finds a giant pearl with which he
hopes to buy peace and happiness for his family. Instead, he learns that the valuable pearl
can not buy happiness but only destroy his simple life. Throughout the fable, there is a
constant theme woven through the characters and setting which encompasses the struggle
among social classes to become successful. Steinbeck, a novelist known for his realistic
depictions of life, portrays this motif through Kino, the doctor, Coyotito, and the town of
John Earnst Steinbeck, author of The Pearl and many other stories, was born on
February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. Both his father, who ran a flour mill, and his
mother, a teacher, encouraged him to write once they saw his early interest in literature.
Steinbeck began his career by writing articles for his school newspaper and by taking
classes at Stanford University. At the same time, he worked at a local ranch where he
witnessed the harsh treatment of migrant workers. These underprivileged laborers later
served as the inspiration for many of his novels, including The Grapes of Wrath. The
Pearl, another inspiration from his past, originated from a legend about the misfortunes of
a poor boy who found a giant pearl that was told to Steinbeck while on a trip to Mexico.
Kino, the protagonist in The Pearl, is an honest pearl diver that discovers the
sacrifices that come with the struggle for success. He dreams of the education the pearl
could provide for his son, but the pearl also makes Kino more suspicious of the peaceful
villagers around him. At one point, he tries to sell the pearl in order to pay for a doctor
Coyotito needs, but the pearl buyers only try to cheat him of the success he feels he
deserves. Then Kino tries to leave the town, but his fear only causes him to shoot
Coyotito accidentally. Finally, Kino returns to La Paz and throws the pearl into ...