The Pearl

E91640

The Pearl is a novella by John Steinbeck that explores themes of greed, social inequality, and the corrupting influence of wealth through the story of a poor pearl diver who discovers an extraordinary pearl.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf novella
adaptedInto film
author John Steinbeck
basedOn Mexican folktale
countryOfOrigin United States
filmAdaptationDirector Emilio Fernández
filmAdaptationTitle La perla
filmAdaptationYear 1947
firstPublicationYear 1947
hasIllustrationsBy José Clemente Orozco
includedIn American school curricula
ISBN 9780140177374
keyPlotElement Kino and his family are persecuted because of the pearl
Kino attempts to sell the pearl in town
Kino discovers an enormous pearl
Kino throws the pearl back into the sea
language English
literaryGenre novella
parable
literaryMovement American literature
mainCharacter Coyotito
Juana
Kino
narrativePerspective third-person omniscient
notableFor exploration of greed and social injustice
simple, parable-like narrative style
openingEvent Coyotito is stung by a scorpion
protagonist Kino
publisher Viking Press
setInCountry Mexico
settingPeriod early 20th century
symbol the canoe
the doctor
the pearl
the scorpion
symbolismOfCanoe tradition and livelihood
symbolismOfDoctor colonial exploitation
symbolismOfPearl wealth and its corrupting power
symbolismOfScorpion evil and danger
theme colonial oppression
corrupting influence of wealth
family
fate
good and evil
greed
social inequality

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
The Pearl ("La perla")
filmAdaptationTitle
The Pearl ("Kino throws the pearl back into the sea")
keyPlotElement
John Steinbeck
notableWork

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