Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Ste
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bantam Books (1979), 119 pages
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. Literature. HTML:â??There it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon.â?ť Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security.... A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of
Subjects
Original publication date
1947
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Crazymamie
Ah, avarice...it's an old story, really, about how greed always corrupts, about how it always tarnishes everything that it comes into contact with.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is one such story. Kino and his wife, Juana, live simple lives. When their small son, Coyotito, is stung by a scorpion they
" Kino hesitated moment. The doctor was not of his people. This doctor was of a race which for nearly four hundred years had beaten and starved and robbed and despised Kino's race, and frightened it too, so that the indigene came humbly to the door. And as always when he came near to one of this race, Kino felt weak and afraid and angry at the same time. Rage and terror went together. He could kill the doctor more easily than he could talk to him, for all of the doctor's race spoke to all of Kino's race as thought they were simple animals. And as Kino raised his right hand to the iron ring knocker in the gate, rage swelled in him, and the pounding music of the enemy beat in his ears, and his lips drew tight against his teeth -- but with his left hand he reached to take off his hat."
Of course the doctor will not see them because they cannot afford to pay his fee. What is it to the doctor? They are nothing to him. Less than nothing. So Juana makes a poultice for her son, and she and Kino do the only thing that they can think of: they pray and venture out to the sea to dive for pearls, hoping that some miracle might occur and they will find a pearl that is worth the life of their son. The pearl that Kino brings up is no small thing - "Kino lifted the flesh, and there it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon. It captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence.... In the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams form."
And this changes everything. This pearl must be not only salvation but also the key that opens doors to a new way of life, one that they had not even dared to dream of before. Of course, news travels quickly in a small town, and Kino and Juana are not the only ones that dare to dream about what this pearl can give them: "The essence of pearl mixed with the essence of men and a curious dark residue was precipitated."
Told with Steinbeck's usual care, this simple story is beautifully rendered. I am not sure which I admire more, Steinbeck's ability to describe place so completely that you feel as if you were there, or his ability to provide the reader with physical descriptions of people that also describe their character. I loved the imagery he used to give us the doctor: "In his chamber the doctor sat up high in his bed. He had on his dressing gown of red watered silk that had come from Paris, a little tight over the chest now if it was buttoned. On his lap was a silver tray with a silver chocolate pot and a tiny cup of eggshell china, so delicate that it looked silly when he lifted it with his big hand, lifted it with the tips of thumb and forefinger and spread the other three fingers wide to get them out of the way. His eyes rested in puffy little hammocks of flesh and his mouth drooped with discontent. He was growing very stout, and his voice was hoarse with the fat that pressed on his throat."
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is one such story. Kino and his wife, Juana, live simple lives. When their small son, Coyotito, is stung by a scorpion they
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set out for the only doctor." Kino hesitated moment. The doctor was not of his people. This doctor was of a race which for nearly four hundred years had beaten and starved and robbed and despised Kino's race, and frightened it too, so that the indigene came humbly to the door. And as always when he came near to one of this race, Kino felt weak and afraid and angry at the same time. Rage and terror went together. He could kill the doctor more easily than he could talk to him, for all of the doctor's race spoke to all of Kino's race as thought they were simple animals. And as Kino raised his right hand to the iron ring knocker in the gate, rage swelled in him, and the pounding music of the enemy beat in his ears, and his lips drew tight against his teeth -- but with his left hand he reached to take off his hat."
Of course the doctor will not see them because they cannot afford to pay his fee. What is it to the doctor? They are nothing to him. Less than nothing. So Juana makes a poultice for her son, and she and Kino do the only thing that they can think of: they pray and venture out to the sea to dive for pearls, hoping that some miracle might occur and they will find a pearl that is worth the life of their son. The pearl that Kino brings up is no small thing - "Kino lifted the flesh, and there it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon. It captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence.... In the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams form."
And this changes everything. This pearl must be not only salvation but also the key that opens doors to a new way of life, one that they had not even dared to dream of before. Of course, news travels quickly in a small town, and Kino and Juana are not the only ones that dare to dream about what this pearl can give them: "The essence of pearl mixed with the essence of men and a curious dark residue was precipitated."
Told with Steinbeck's usual care, this simple story is beautifully rendered. I am not sure which I admire more, Steinbeck's ability to describe place so completely that you feel as if you were there, or his ability to provide the reader with physical descriptions of people that also describe their character. I loved the imagery he used to give us the doctor: "In his chamber the doctor sat up high in his bed. He had on his dressing gown of red watered silk that had come from Paris, a little tight over the chest now if it was buttoned. On his lap was a silver tray with a silver chocolate pot and a tiny cup of eggshell china, so delicate that it looked silly when he lifted it with his big hand, lifted it with the tips of thumb and forefinger and spread the other three fingers wide to get them out of the way. His eyes rested in puffy little hammocks of flesh and his mouth drooped with discontent. He was growing very stout, and his voice was hoarse with the fat that pressed on his throat."
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LibraryThing member rainpebble
Another wonderful Steinbeck.
"The Pearl" is one John Steinbeck's smallest books. It is also an intense book, but it is very fluid and easy to read. It is about an island man who, like so many others, goes diving daily with no air, down to the depths of the sea to find pearls to help them eke out a
It is also an "if I could just" story. One always thinks that if this or that were "just to happen" in their lives, things would be wonderful. If you have just one teensy tiny bit of that rolling around in your brain (or if not), you should read this book. It is magnificent!~!~!
I highly recommend it.
"The Pearl" is one John Steinbeck's smallest books. It is also an intense book, but it is very fluid and easy to read. It is about an island man who, like so many others, goes diving daily with no air, down to the depths of the sea to find pearls to help them eke out a
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very poor living for their families. These poor people live in little shacks and eat the same gruel day after day and their lives are the same day after day. But they seem a happy people none the less. This is the story of the man who finds "the pearl" of every diver's dream and what happens to him and his family after finding the "pearl".It is also an "if I could just" story. One always thinks that if this or that were "just to happen" in their lives, things would be wonderful. If you have just one teensy tiny bit of that rolling around in your brain (or if not), you should read this book. It is magnificent!~!~!
I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member ctpress
“It is not good to want a thing too much. It sometimes drives the luck away. You must want it just enough, and you must be very tactful with Gods or the gods.”
This is a sad and powerful “parable" about the dangers of sudden wealth that befalls a poor family in a fishing village. Or pearl
While one of the children in the family are very sick after a scorpion bite the miracle happens. The husband catches the biggest pearl ever to be seen. But the sudden joy of the catch quickly turn into a nightmare as their situation is exploited by everyone around them. From the slimy doctor, to the money-hungering priest, the greedy pearl-business men in town, and the envious eyes of the villagers.
From the moment the pearl is in the fathers hand everything is just one big descend. Mistrust, envy, fear, loneliness and loss of freedom. It is a painful read - it is also a very true depiction of the destructive power of mammon.
This is a sad and powerful “parable" about the dangers of sudden wealth that befalls a poor family in a fishing village. Or pearl
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fishers as they also are.While one of the children in the family are very sick after a scorpion bite the miracle happens. The husband catches the biggest pearl ever to be seen. But the sudden joy of the catch quickly turn into a nightmare as their situation is exploited by everyone around them. From the slimy doctor, to the money-hungering priest, the greedy pearl-business men in town, and the envious eyes of the villagers.
From the moment the pearl is in the fathers hand everything is just one big descend. Mistrust, envy, fear, loneliness and loss of freedom. It is a painful read - it is also a very true depiction of the destructive power of mammon.
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LibraryThing member Lisa.Johnson.James
This short story, which reads like a fable, is the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver, & the horrific events put in motion when he finds what the villagers call The Pearl of the World. It's for the reader to decide for himself or herself whether the pearl itself is inherently evil or cursed, &
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brings the unfortunate events down on Kino & his family, or if it is just men who are evil that would steal this from him. Either way, the story ends badly for Kino, & strangely..... Show Less
LibraryThing member BeeQuiet
To say that this is a book about the corrupting influence of wealth would be to do it a disservice. Among the works one could happen across in your local book shop, such tales are two a penny. What this novella delivers in abundance is a love of the human, a love of family, a love of those things
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we see as being the most fundamentally good in our nature. When Steinbeck describes the effect of the sun, I feel warm. When he describes the food, so simple in its own way, I feel a longing to enter the scene and break bread with the man, his wife and young child. When they receive fortune, my heart lights up for them, and as the tragedy of the story unfolded I felt the heaviness of it myself. Show Less
LibraryThing member EnglishGeek13
I am a huge fan of John Steinbeck and will only continue to enjoy his simple, realistic approach to telling a story after reading this fable. Kino is a fisherman in Mexico and has a wife and infant son. Their lives are uncomplicated and set to a song in their souls: Song of Family. One day Kino
This is a quick read, and in Stenbeck fashion does not offer any easy answers. The reader is faced with his own moral dilemmas with Kino as both must decide what is right while seeking justice among friends who become enemies. A good read.
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makes an extraordinary discovery in the form of a magnificent pearl, and the Song of Family is joined by the Song of Evil as Kino faces those who would exploit or threaten him, his family, and the pearl.This is a quick read, and in Stenbeck fashion does not offer any easy answers. The reader is faced with his own moral dilemmas with Kino as both must decide what is right while seeking justice among friends who become enemies. A good read.
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LibraryThing member ThoughtsofJoyLibrary
A Mexican man finds a pearl of great value on a dive. He, then, attempts to trade it for security and education for his wife and their little boy.
Yay! I read another classic. I thought this one was good. It kept me wondering and hoping the family would redeem their fortune. Since finishing it,
Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..."
Yay! I read another classic. I thought this one was good. It kept me wondering and hoping the family would redeem their fortune. Since finishing it,
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though, I have pondered the progression of the story and the outcome. I find that I have ambivalent feelings about the moral/theme/lesson. It fits this story, but in general, I'm not so sure I agree. (3.5/5)Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..."
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LibraryThing member andyray
what i was struck with at the end of this prolonged short story/nouvella is the similarity in so many ways to the later EH novelette "The Old Man and the Sea." The two are similar in size, style, and substance. Both began as a story in a magazine (cosmo-december 1945 -- the pearl; life -- 1952 --
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OMATS)' both syles were simplistic prose, yet both involved the reader within the two worlds immediately and kept him there. Both involved just one protagonist (OMATS -- the old man; Pearl -- Nino), with two supporting secondary characters. Both centered around an entity that produced a fight for one's whole life, yet though won (great fish in OMATS; the pearl of the world in Pearl), was ultimately lost. Maybe this startling resemblance occurs anytime a great story teller tells a great story. Maybe Jack London's "To Light a Fire" meets these qualifications, too. Bret Harte and Mark Twainbs' works do not; their styles are too dissimilar to the stark simplism of the heretofore mentioned works. Especially Twain. Aside from these thoughts, the Pearl is a wonderful way to spend that two hours before the doctor's appointment or that quick hop between New York and Atlanta (doesn't everything airborne in the United States involving some eastern departure or arrival go through Atlanta?). Show Less
LibraryThing member BoundTogetherForGood
Written in 1947, this classic tells the tale of a peasant Mexican fisherman and his wife and first-born. Tragedy strikes and then the find of a life-time. This intriguing story shows the horror of greed as well as the purity of love and devotion. I find myself trying to make moments to read from
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it. It is short, only 90 pages. I am 40 pages into it and can't wait to finish it though I know I will wish it weren't over. Show Less
LibraryThing member anotterchaos
Read in one labor-sitting. Classic Steinbeck, with rich descriptions and thoughtful characterizations. Sad, but inevitable, ending. I don't understand how it's listed as "Fiction Sex Customs" or "Erotic Literature" unless I'm completely missing a whole lot of symbolism (which I'm willing to concede
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is possible). Show Less
LibraryThing member writestuff
Kino, his faithful wife Juana, and their young child Coyotito live in a small fishing village in Mexico. Their simple lives are transformed overnight when Kino finds "The Pearl of the World" in the sea one day.
Steinbeck has written a parable about how wealth may erase innocence and bring evil into
'Kino put on his straw hat and felt it with his hand to see that it was properly placed, not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man, and not flat as an elder would wear it, but tilted a little forward to show aggressiveness and seriousness and vigor. There is a great deal to be seen in the tilt of a hat on a man.' -From The Pearl, page 49-
The Pearl is felt to be a deeply personal story for Steinbeck who wrote it soon after his overnight success with The Grapes of Wrath. Disillusioned and overwhelmed by the reaction to that novel, Steinbeck turned inward to examine his own motivations. The Pearl also reveals Steinbeck's understanding of people of poverty, including the underlying discrimination he witnessed against the Mexican people in the 1940s.
The Pearl is another masterpiece by this Nobel Laureate.
Highly recommended.
Steinbeck has written a parable about how wealth may erase innocence and bring evil into
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our lives. With his lyrical and beautiful prose, he brings the story to life. Juana symbolizes wisdom and common sense - she is Kino's partner and supports his dreams and idealism while being wary of the pearl's lure. Kino's brother is the voice of reason and caution - he represents the history of his people, recognizing that they will always be cheated and must not show too much ambition lest everything that is good will be torn from them. In less than 100 pages, Steinbeck pulls the reader in and makes her care deeply about the characters - we reluctantly turn the pages knowing that only disaster awaits Kino and his family as the pearl becomes Kino's soul and desire. The tale is archetypal as it represents ideas common to all people - greed and desire for wealth. Steinbeck uses the idea of music (the song of family, the song of evil, the song of the pearl) to create a dreamlike story. His attention to detail adds complexity to his character, as when Kino and Juano prepare to go out to sell the pearl.'Kino put on his straw hat and felt it with his hand to see that it was properly placed, not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man, and not flat as an elder would wear it, but tilted a little forward to show aggressiveness and seriousness and vigor. There is a great deal to be seen in the tilt of a hat on a man.' -From The Pearl, page 49-
The Pearl is felt to be a deeply personal story for Steinbeck who wrote it soon after his overnight success with The Grapes of Wrath. Disillusioned and overwhelmed by the reaction to that novel, Steinbeck turned inward to examine his own motivations. The Pearl also reveals Steinbeck's understanding of people of poverty, including the underlying discrimination he witnessed against the Mexican people in the 1940s.
The Pearl is another masterpiece by this Nobel Laureate.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member bell7
From page one, the reader is clearly told that this is a fable in which "there are only good and bad things and black and white things and good and evil things and no in-between anywhere." In this parable, Kino lives with his wife Juana and son, Coyotito, living simply as a pearl diver. Coyotito is
Steinbeck has a knack for describing things briefly but powerfully and memorably, an aspect of this story that I definitely enjoyed. The story is short and simple and, like any parable, has a moral to it. My recurring difficulty with Steinbeck seems to be that I am simply unhappy with what the story is, and wish he told a different one (this strikes me as a bit unfair at the same time). In this case, I also had some trouble connecting with the characters. While not the story for me, I could definitely appreciate the description and would recommend it.
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stung by a scorpion, and since Kino is poor he cannot pay for the doctor to help his boy. Then, he finds the Pearl of the World and plans on changing his life for the better, forever.Steinbeck has a knack for describing things briefly but powerfully and memorably, an aspect of this story that I definitely enjoyed. The story is short and simple and, like any parable, has a moral to it. My recurring difficulty with Steinbeck seems to be that I am simply unhappy with what the story is, and wish he told a different one (this strikes me as a bit unfair at the same time). In this case, I also had some trouble connecting with the characters. While not the story for me, I could definitely appreciate the description and would recommend it.
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LibraryThing member elainepx2014
An exellent book to read. It is about a baby who has been bitten by a scorpian and his parrents are very worried. unti one day, kino his father find the pearl of the world and thinks that the pearl is their good luck. however, after a while, the pearl brings the evill towards them
LibraryThing member ANovelMenagerie
The Review
I vaguely remember reading this book in high school and over-analyzing it TO DEATH. As soon as I started to read the story, the details of it came back to me rather quickly. It’s one of those perfect “the moral of the story is…” books. This tale is about what greed does to the
Is happiness a little shack on the beach… with food, family, friends and a meager lifestyle? Is happiness the truth of the love that you’ve surrounded yourself with? Will greed and pride bring the ultimate destruction of what you love the most? Perhaps. Steinbeck said,
“For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more. And this is said in disparagement, whereas it is one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have.”
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”
This book is a quick, yet powerful reminder of appreciating what you have. I think that Steinbeck is an incredibly gifted writer. He writes like a painter, painting a canvas with thoughts, scenes, people, and pictures. His immense talent is very much appreciated, however this wasn’t my “favorite” book of his. Although, I think it’s a story that would be great for my girls to read and discuss with me afterwards. It lends itself to great discussion.
For the genre Fiction: Classics, I am going to rate this book an 8 OUT OF 10.
I vaguely remember reading this book in high school and over-analyzing it TO DEATH. As soon as I started to read the story, the details of it came back to me rather quickly. It’s one of those perfect “the moral of the story is…” books. This tale is about what greed does to the
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human spirit. All along, Kino’s wife can see what the greed is doing to their family, shrouding it with evil. However, all Kino can see is his pride. All of his focus centers around obtaining monetary wealth as the result of his discovery of this great pearl. However, Kino will lose what is the most precious and important of all to him along the way.Is happiness a little shack on the beach… with food, family, friends and a meager lifestyle? Is happiness the truth of the love that you’ve surrounded yourself with? Will greed and pride bring the ultimate destruction of what you love the most? Perhaps. Steinbeck said,
“For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more. And this is said in disparagement, whereas it is one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have.”
On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”
This book is a quick, yet powerful reminder of appreciating what you have. I think that Steinbeck is an incredibly gifted writer. He writes like a painter, painting a canvas with thoughts, scenes, people, and pictures. His immense talent is very much appreciated, however this wasn’t my “favorite” book of his. Although, I think it’s a story that would be great for my girls to read and discuss with me afterwards. It lends itself to great discussion.
For the genre Fiction: Classics, I am going to rate this book an 8 OUT OF 10.
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LibraryThing member realbigcat
This is the first Steinbeck novel I have read or at least remember reading. I won't go into the story description as you can get that from the many other reviews. Strictly from the readers point of view I found this simple story to be charming, well written and containing a clear moral. The moral
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is greed and how it impacts all the characters of the story. Steinbeck makes this simplistic tale a page turner. The novella is short but he brings across with great detail the sheer poverty of these people and therefore accentuating the element of greed. Although written in 1947, the mora easily applies to any time period. I would recommend this short read to anyone. I look forward to reading more of Steinbeck's works. Show Less
LibraryThing member duck2ducks
This gorgeous short novella has something near-mythic about it. When Kino, a poor Mexican fisherman, finds the largest pearl in the world, it changes everything and everyone around him - including himself. Steinbeck's simple, unadorned language is nevertheless haunting and colorful, and he
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illustrates the poverty of Kino's life with heartbreaking clarity: Kino's first two desires for the wealth the pearl will bring him are shockingly modest - to send his baby boy to school (so that the townsfolk won't be able to bluff past his ignorance as they can Kino's), and to finally marry the boy's mother in a church ("now that they could pay"). Eloquent, beautiful, and deeply affecting. Show Less
LibraryThing member AustinT
I really enjoyed this book because it was very dramatic and entertaining throughout the book. It was relatively short but got to the main story line quickly and the book was easy to read and understand. The book starts out with a indian man named Kino living in Mexico, waking up next to his wife,
he wants to have enough money so he can marry Juana, buy a rifle and Coyotito can go to school. That evening they get attacked by a dark figure. Kino plans to go and sell the pearl in the capital which is very far away. That night another attacker comes and hurts Kino. In the middle of that night Kino wakes up to Juana trying to run away with the pearl to destroy it because she beleives it brings bad luck and nothing good comes out of it. Kino catches her and beats her. As he is making his way back to the house a group of men assault him and Kino kills one of the attackers. They flee to his brother Juan Tomas's house while their house is burned and they realize they have to flee the city. That next morning they leave the city for the mountains up north and then move to the cities up north. They walk up to the mountains and they stop to rest and Kino sees a search group coming for them. They flee from the searchers into the mountain. While the search group is resting and Kino plans to kill them. All of a sudden Coyotito starts to cry and the searchers kill him thinking he was a coyote. Kino then pounces on them and kills them. They return to the city and throw the pearl back into the water. I recommend this book for someone who is looking for symbolism of wealth and greed in society, also for someone who is interested in Mexican indian culture and poverty. The book is 90 pages.
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Juana, and his infant son Coyotito. Coyotito gets stung by a scorpion and Juana tries to suck out the poison. They go to the doctor in the nearby city of Laz Pa and they coudn't pay for the doctor because they were too poor. Kino is a pearl diver and goes out to dive with his family in hopes of finding a pearl to pay for the doctor and when he dives he finds a huge pearl which they call the pearl of the world. Coyotito seems to have healed from the scorpion bite. Everyone in their neighborhood and the city seems to hear about the discovery of the pearl Kino found. The orignial doctor comes to his house in order to check up on his son, but he really wanted some of the money Kino got from obtaining the pearl. After the doctor supposedly cured Coyotito from the Scorpion bite Kino said he couldn't pay him until he sold the pearl. The next morning they go into the city to sell it but Kino feels he is getting cheated by the pearl buyers so he doesn't sell it them. he wants to have enough money so he can marry Juana, buy a rifle and Coyotito can go to school. That evening they get attacked by a dark figure. Kino plans to go and sell the pearl in the capital which is very far away. That night another attacker comes and hurts Kino. In the middle of that night Kino wakes up to Juana trying to run away with the pearl to destroy it because she beleives it brings bad luck and nothing good comes out of it. Kino catches her and beats her. As he is making his way back to the house a group of men assault him and Kino kills one of the attackers. They flee to his brother Juan Tomas's house while their house is burned and they realize they have to flee the city. That next morning they leave the city for the mountains up north and then move to the cities up north. They walk up to the mountains and they stop to rest and Kino sees a search group coming for them. They flee from the searchers into the mountain. While the search group is resting and Kino plans to kill them. All of a sudden Coyotito starts to cry and the searchers kill him thinking he was a coyote. Kino then pounces on them and kills them. They return to the city and throw the pearl back into the water. I recommend this book for someone who is looking for symbolism of wealth and greed in society, also for someone who is interested in Mexican indian culture and poverty. The book is 90 pages.
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LibraryThing member jennyo
This is my book club's choice for the month of January. It's a pretty short work, novella-length or less. I read it last night. I really like Steinbeck's clear, elegant prose and the way he can make you feel like you know a setting without getting all flowery in his descriptions.
The Pearl is about
The Pearl is about
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wealth, the nature of it and how it can corrupt both those who have it and those who don't. Like many of Steinbeck's works, it's heart-breaking but it is beautifully told and easily worth the short time it'll take you to read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member rampaginglibrarian
I must admit i really like this spare, little parable. Some of the stuff they made us read in school was worthwhile--actually i liked a lot of it.
LibraryThing member nm.spring08.c.mcbrid
Once again, I failed to read all of a good book. I just got to the part where Choyotito was it? got stung by a scorpion, and I'm hoping that he'll live, and then I have to stop reading because the book isn't mine. I'll probably have to read it for school or something. It was a little cheesy, but
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I'm a little cheesy, so I enjoyed it. Cheesy like, something my parents would make up. Of course, I don't want to admit that my parents aren't half bad, but hey, I'm like them. I just know that the main character is going to find a pearl, but it's the how? that will get me to seek this book out and read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member dmenon90
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is one of those little books that are undeniably classics. From the first page on, you are aware of the greatness of the writing. So here we are told the story of young Kino, a pearl fisherman in Mexico, his wife Juana and their baby Coyotito. They live simply in a brush
Until the day Kino finds in the ocean the pearl the likes of which no one has seen before- the Pearl of the World. It is astounding in its size and beauty, and Kino begins to see in it dreams of his vastly enhanced future, his son being able to read, a church wedding with Juana, a rifle, and many other desires and wishes that shape the fierce longing in his heart. All he has to do is sell the great pearl.
This is where he crashes against the cold, hard reality of the pearl buyers’ cunning and business ethics. He suspects that they are trying to cheat him out of the fortune that is rightfully his. From here on out, events take a dark and uncontrollable speed and power of their own.
Suffice to say that there was a feeling of doom that arose about 2/3rds into the story, and persisted- with good reason. Your heart fears for the young fisherman and his strong, patient, dedicated wife. The brutal weight of the years of slavery and subjugation ring out in many of the passages, and it is a sad undertone to the theme.
Ultimately, the story of Kino and the pearl is one of desire vs. greed, and the simple dream of a young man to better the lot of his family and to protect them. Steinbeck, with his masterly touch, paints the characters and the villages and the sea so vividly that it’s quite easy to see why he is such a great. The Pearl is a short, sad read, but one that has the power to stay with you for years.
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hut, eating corncakes and enjoying the simple fullness of their family. Until the day Kino finds in the ocean the pearl the likes of which no one has seen before- the Pearl of the World. It is astounding in its size and beauty, and Kino begins to see in it dreams of his vastly enhanced future, his son being able to read, a church wedding with Juana, a rifle, and many other desires and wishes that shape the fierce longing in his heart. All he has to do is sell the great pearl.
This is where he crashes against the cold, hard reality of the pearl buyers’ cunning and business ethics. He suspects that they are trying to cheat him out of the fortune that is rightfully his. From here on out, events take a dark and uncontrollable speed and power of their own.
Suffice to say that there was a feeling of doom that arose about 2/3rds into the story, and persisted- with good reason. Your heart fears for the young fisherman and his strong, patient, dedicated wife. The brutal weight of the years of slavery and subjugation ring out in many of the passages, and it is a sad undertone to the theme.
Ultimately, the story of Kino and the pearl is one of desire vs. greed, and the simple dream of a young man to better the lot of his family and to protect them. Steinbeck, with his masterly touch, paints the characters and the villages and the sea so vividly that it’s quite easy to see why he is such a great. The Pearl is a short, sad read, but one that has the power to stay with you for years.
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LibraryThing member KMDHOW
I read this immediately after reading "Of Mice and Men" which I loved. Maybe it was unfair to compare them, but I was disappointed with "The Pearl." A poor fisherman finds a priceless pearl and now must struggle to profit from it before greedy merchants steal it from him.
LibraryThing member YAbookfest
The Pearl may be a small book, but it is rich in language and life’s lessons. In Steinbeck’s beautifully descriptive opening, we meet Kino and Juana, a poor Mexican couple who live close to the sea and close to the land. Two events shake their world. Their baby Coyotito is stung by a scorpion
The Pearl is often studied in 8th or 9th grade and provides an excellent introduction to classic American literature and literary techniques.
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and they venture into the city to find help. Then, to pay for a doctor, Kino goes diving and emerges with a pearl “perfect as the moon.” Kino is torn from his simple, peaceful life and enters a world of deception, greed and grief. They story is based on a Mexican folk tale and has the style of a myth or parable. The Pearl is often studied in 8th or 9th grade and provides an excellent introduction to classic American literature and literary techniques.
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LibraryThing member joeydag
high school or junior high required reading. It was good
LibraryThing member Borg-mx5
A wonderful brief tale of the "pear beyond price' and what greed can do.
Pages
119