The Pearl PDF - Overview
The Pearl is a novella by the American author John Steinbeck. The story, first published in 1947, follows a pearl diver, Kino, and explores man’s purpose as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil. It is a parable about a Mexican Indian pearl diver named Kino who finds a valuable pearl and is transformed by the evil it attracts. Kino sees the pearl as his opportunity for a better life.
The Pearl is a parable, a moral lesson, about gratitude and the dangers of greed. Because parables offer a moral lesson, being grateful for the things one already has serves as the theme. The book was adapted as a Mexican film named La Perla (1947) and as a cult Kannada movie Ondu Muttina Kathe (1987). The story is one of Steinbeck’s most popular books and has been widely used in middle and high school classes