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Book Cover via Amazon

Wow, it’s definitely been a while since I read this novella, and it actually made me nervous to pick it up again! John Steinbeck is one of my favorite writers from the 20th century, and The Pearl’s brief length and beauty in simplicity made it a no-brainer: this is the Steinbeck book for me to cover.

It doesn’t have the sheer magnitude of size that some of his other works, like East of Eden (my favorite Steinbeck book!) or The Grapes of Wrath have, but it doesn’t need a huge cast of characters or cross-generational conflict to deliver its powerful social message. Let’s dive in! (Pun intended.)

Table of Contents

Reading Between the Lines

As mentioned, this book was written by Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner John Steinbeck, whose books have forever shaped American literature. One of the best-known authors of the 20th century, Steinbeck’s influential writings often carry moral undertones, but ultimately focus on human nature– particularly the darker side of it. He is also considered a beloved Californian author because of the fact that most of his books are set in California, where he was born and raised.

The Pearl was published in 1947, after he had already established himself as a well-known writer, and is a quick read at under 100 pages. The plot is fairly simple, following protagonist Kino, his wife Juana, and infant son Coyotito. They live a quiet, routine life, with Kino providing for them as a fisherman. Despite their clear poverty from the very beginning, they are not bitter about their social situation. This changes, however, when Kino finds the pearl– worth more than anything he and Juana could ever dream of owning.