The Pearl Reflection

The Pearl

In John Steinbeck’s Nobel Prize-winning novel, The Pearl, the author portrays a realistic storyline as well as many life-lessons. In Steinbeck’s opinion, the job of the writer is to expose “our many grievous faults and failures” in an attempt to improve ourselves, and meanwhile also to celebrate our strengths. He thinks that the writer, while knowing that man can never be perfect, must believe in the perfectibility of man. In The Pearl, Steinbeck uses his incredibly realistic characters to bring out the strengths and weaknesses of humankind.

Among others, Steinbeck speaks of man’s weaknesses through the doctor. The doctor, greedy and selfish, is only concerned with himself and money. He poisons and then cures Coyotito, just for the money, regardless of possibly hurting the baby. Also, the doctor tries to steal the pearl from Kino during the night. The doctor shows us how money (and the desire for money) can corrupt someone so that person will do anything for it.

Also, the character Kino, while possessing many strengths, has a great number of weaknesses.