The Pearl (original 1947; edition 1970)

folktale, allegory, corruption ( )

Steinbeck presents his own unique take on a style of story telling very similar to that of Latin folklore. I'm a bit torn on whether or not I would consider this a good book for teaching at the secondary level. It's nice because of it's connections to Latino culture and could open doors for discussions on that topic. However, I feel that there are other works of literature that could do the trick and deeper connections could be made. Also, the writing style may make comprehension more challenging for average high school readers. However, if used with advanced readers, it would also open up discussion for styles of endings for stories that may not be exactly what the high school reader is hoping for or expecting. Some great discussion could be had as to why the characters were motivated the way that they were. Why did they make the choices they made? Is this realistic? How would you or someone you knew (like your parents) act in a similar situation? It does leave open some opportunity for questions that can really get students thinking. Again though, I think there are better books that can also do the same thing. ( )

Beautifully written -- I love the description of the "background" music playing throughout Kino's experiences. Kino recognizes that the pearl will lead to his son's being educated and that will be his ticket out of poverty. Alas -- this is not to be! Another sad Steinbeck! I hesitate to state, but the conclusion seems to be that if you try to rise above your station in life, your values will change and you are destined for failure. I read this for the first time many years ago so the ending was not a surprise, but it was still very sad. ( )

A jewel of a novella, short, suspenseful and moving, The Pearl is the re-telling of a Mexican folk tale. It's the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver, who finds an enormous pearl. He sees it as the path to dignity for his family and an education for his son, but it brings tragedy instead. Essentially a parable, a central message of the work is to be careful what you wish for. The message is obvious from the text and there's nothing subtle about the way in which it's presented. On the other hand, Steinbeck's prose never fails to speak to me, with its beautiful descriptions of the natural world and wonderful use of simile and metaphor. I think of Steinbeck as a compassionate writer with a deep interest in people and the environment in which they live. This is something which shines through the work. ( )

One of my favorite books ( )