Day Two
The Pearl (Novella) by John Steinback
Very few authors know how to write well, and fewer still know how to instill grief so strong that it impacts the reader and lingers even after setting aside the book. Steinback’s ‘Pearl’ does the latter job. The story takes place at the seaside. About a poor indigenous man called Kino who collects and sells pearls for a living. One unfortunate day his infant son Coyotito was bitten by a snake. He and his wife hurried to the doctor but were refused his service because of their status. Kino started to take some dives to find oysters, hoping to find enough pearl that would afford his son's medication. To his surprise, he found a pearl that was too large than usual.
Can you guess what happened later? They sell the pearl. receive large amounts of money. Cure their infant son. Alleviate their poverty with the rest of the money. It was what Kino thought would happen when he first held the pearl in his hand. The story that unfolded later is one of sadness, shock, and a realization that greed never ends well. Steinbeck wrote this novella to address issues like human greed, materialism, and things that will always carry a worth.
In my eyes ‘Pearl’ does convey the message as Steinback intended. Kino’s character sheds light on the duality of human nature. On one hand, Kino as a father wants to save his son. On the other hand, Kino is a person, who wishes to rise above poverty. At the end of chapter five, Juan Tomas addresses the pearl as “death” and asks him if would he give up the pearl. The answer that Kino gives is an answer to his second nature. This pearl has become my soul, If I give it up I shall lose my soul” Greed has engulfed his soul so much so that he could no longer quit. It is what materialism does to someone. Devours.
If you love reading stories about class discrimination, and how greed does not end well then this is a story for you. The language is very simple, the author states the events in a matter-of-fact tone. This is a recommended book!
Au revoir!