The Pearl by John Steinbeck (October 20-21, 2003)
Based in part on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl weaves a story of good and evil and events and consequences. The beauty is in the simplicity of the novella. Kino and his wife Juana have an infant son Coyotito and dwell in La Paz, Mexico. Kino gathers pearls from the Gulf of Mexico. Their meager life is challenged after they are shamed by a doctor who refuses to treat Coyotito’s scorpion bite.
Wishing and praying for change, Kino finds "The Pearl of the World," a pearl the size of a sea gull’s egg. He sees promises in the pearl, plans to marry Juana in a church, buy a rifle and new clothes and send his son to school. Along with these changes, the social order of the town changes when Kino and Juana find the pearl. For instance, once the doctor hears of their wealth, he poisons their son and deceives them into believing that he cured him. Coyotito was really saved by Juana’s quick care. The pearl changes the idyllic setting to one filled with mistrust, greed, betrayal and murder.
When he is offered an unfair price, Kino grows hard. Their home and most prized possession (their boat) are destroyed by unseen seekers of the pearl. The music of the pearl counters the Song of the Family that Kino hears. His satisfaction with his fulfilling, though not rich, life falls apart as he clings to the pearl’s promises. He refuses to throw the pearl away or destroy it, in spite of Juana’s pleas. This leads to the family’s departure from their home, though Kino clings to the pearl. His choices and insistence on keeping the pearl eventually bring about his murder of four men and the death of Coyotito.
Though the relationship of Kino and Juana is still strong, they have been dealt the blow of the loss of their son. Kino plays the role of the strong man, who determines the course of his family. Juana is the nurturer. They are archetypes for man and woman. When Juana tries to throw the pearl into the sea, Kino falls out of his role of partner to attack her becoming a man who is “half insane and half god.” Kino believes the sheep trackers are on their trail, though it is never clear whether this is the case. Perceiving that they are hunted and tracked like animals, Kino becomes more of an animal himself. He resorts to murder, but ironically his son Coyotito is also killed when mistaken for a coyote.
The Pearl is a tragedy. Instead of bringing good fortune to Kino’s family, it brings a curse, a loss of family unity and punishes both Kino and Juana. Sadly, instead of finding a treasure, , the two were cursed with a pearl that brought evil into their home.
