I'm 13, and I read this for school. It's a wonderful parable.
Kino is a poor Indian who lives with his wife, Juana, and his son, Coyotito. They are superstitious people that hears songs, when they experience feelings, like the "song of the family."
The first conflict arises when Coyotito is stung by a scorpion. (Where Kino hears the "Song of Evil) Juana quickly sucks out the poison, but they still take him to the city doctor. The doctor publicly refuses, so Kino goes out to sea to try to find a pearl to pay the doctor with. News soon spreads that he has found the pearl of the world,(Where Kino hears the "Song of the Pearl") but Kino fails top sell it because the pearl buyers have put a ridiculously low price on the pearl. The greedy doctor then visits Kino's hut, even though Coyotito is better. The doctor then tricks Kino and Juana by making the baby worse, then making him quiet.
That night is the first night when people try to steal the pearl. It stirs greed in Kino, though Juana wants to take it back to the ocean. When she tries Kino beats her up, and kills a man that same night. Becuase of that, Kino and his family run away. After a while, three men, one of which who has a rifle, try to find them, and his pearl. At one point, Juana and Coyotit hide in the mountains, while Kino attempts to kill them by creeping up on them. However, he hears the sound of Coyotito crying, which the three men also hear. The man with a rifle assumes it is a baby coyote, and shoots in the direction. Kino, enraged, attacks them.
In the final chapter, you learn that Coyotito's head had been blown apart. Kino and Juana return, but act almost dead.
They then return the pearl, and the "Music of the Pearl" disappears.

I think that it is a very interesting book,though it is short. I would recommend it to people of all ages.

The world portrayed in THE PEARL is that of the helpless, exploited, and disinherited. It portrays the lives of people being forced to live closer to nature than most of us care to, of people who somehow don't fit into the social structure, of people who do not understand the boundaries and rules of governments and nations, and of people forced to be on the run.

Steinbeck paints a beautiful family with hope and joy, but he promptly dashes all hope these people could have. It is a beautiful but dark tragedy written in poetic prose.

The story is a parable with two-dimensional characters. Reading the story, I felt that these events were happening to me. There is a strong sense of universality. THE PEARL shows the best and the worst of humanity, and it displays much of Steinbeck's greatest ability to write.

I give this book one star not because it is depressing or somber - but in virtue of it having a message bordering on something like nihilism. The book is about a man who is presented with sudden wealth, and of the downfall it brings him. Were he a man of already sufficient means who was presented with a fruitful lottery ticket it might be one thing, but what disturbed me about this book was that the protagonist, Kino, is a man of indisputably wretched means who initially is glad to happen across a gargantuan pearl in order that he might provide a better life for his family and rise above the unjust socio-economic caste he's been trapped in his whole life.
But in the end, after the pearl causes terrible greed and destruction to both him and his loved ones, both internally and externally, he tosses it back in the ocean. The general message is clear enough: avoid potential sources of greed and materialism, and be happy with what you've got. Intrinsically, a perfectly sound message.
But again, what is abhorrent about this book is it's about a man who's trying to RISE ABOVE, not gratuitously or materialistically get ahead. Unless to Steinbeck, 'rising above' in Kino's case really is just a subcategory of 'getting ahead' as opposed to 'being content.' If that is the case, that strikes me as a dichotomy unsound on every level. Or perhaps, Steinbeck's message is, or in addition is, 'don't fight the system.' (So, when people treat you like horse dung you just take it, right? Take it lying down, even if it means your children die of starvation or scorpion bites).
If 'don't fight the system' is NOT the message of the book, then Steinbeck should have been more clear about what his message WAS. At best he's a confusing and ambivalent writer. At worst he's a nihilistic, sociologically sick person who can't even make a story enjoyable.

Kino, his wife Juana, and their baby son Coyotito, live a simple life in an ocean-side village in Mexico. Kino pearl-dives for a living. He and his family are native people of the original Aztec stock. Life for them is not perfect, indeed, the injustice of subjugation to the Spanish sometimes burns fierce in their hearts, but much of the time their existance in their small brush hut is sweet. Then one day Kino brings to the surface a huge pearl, a perfect pearl, "the Pearl of the World". This discovery promises many changes to the better, and it seems Kino's every dream will be fulfilled, but as news of the find spreads the forces of evil stir as greed and malice build.

In this novella Steinbeck uses simple language to create some of the atmosphere of a folk-tale. He has, however, combined this atmosphere with the character development and dynamism of plot expected of a modern work. At its worst this book is predictable. Virtually from the start of the story I was able to predict generally how the plot would turn out. Steinbeck's own narration, indeed, more than hints at what the future holds. But the success of this novella is in the working out of the details of the plot. Steinbeck manages to surprise us again and again with dramatic plot twists and exciting developments. I certainly cannot say I was bored by this book. It entertained me, while at the same time making a 'moral' point.

We pretty much all had to read The Pearl in School. But that was a time when you really didn't want to read, especially when someone told you to. I was one of those pupils. Well, I just finished The Pearl, and I really read it this time...what a great simplistically told story about the concept of "The Root of All Evil" In a nutshell Kino (a pearl diver) finds the largest pearl in many years in his community...immediately the neighbors and shop owners show jeolously and contemp, for the peasant suddenly turned wealthy by the pearl. Everyone wants the pearl, yet everyone tells Kino it is worthless and not up to par. An obvious lie.
Similar to the long faces of the people you work with who didn't win the lottery after you just did. From this point the villigers treat him with contempt and are willing to steal the pearl if that means robbery or possibly murder? Kino is aware of this and he takes his wife and newborn son on the lamb after he is wanted by the law. (NO Spoilers here) From here we see how far a man is willing to go to keep the one thing he wants more than anything, only to lose his soul in the process. It is a nice crisp, simply told story of how money and wealth breeds contemp the of others. On another note, this story was so short and light, you can finish it in an afternoon. Steinbeck was able to take a complex idea and make it exciting and educational to the reader. I see now why it was a required reading in school. I do not know if they still offer this as a reading selection.

There is a reason John Steinbeck is among the classic writers. He hits home with his books and courageously tells a tale that leads one right into the lives of his characters. I have been an avid reader since childhood and after East of Eden am a true Steinbeck fan. You are in for a great ride with his books, any of them.

A folktale of lower California is the basis for this narrative about Kino, a simple pearl fisherman, who finds an enormous pearl that promises to provide for all his family's needs. But Kino soon learns that this find brings nothing but misfortune. This misfortune prompts Kino to throw the large pearl back into the sea and resume his difficult way of life. As many learn, those who are greedy are never happy.

This is Steinbeck's eighth novel or more accurately a novella. The writing is exceptional and it must be ranked as average or better, but it is short and cannot be compared with his best known novel "Grapes of Wrath." It is almost as good as his other famous novella "Of Mice and Men," which was his first novel. However, "The Pearl" is very short and some might not like it. I have read most of his works including the present, which is an interesting and a must read for Steinbeck fans. It has interesting prose and good drama, and it is very well written. I would rank it just below "Cannery Row" and "The Moon is Down." It is similar to but better than "Tortilla Flat" in my opinion - based on the writing.

It is about a young family living in a warmer climate where the couple earns their living by fishing. They have a single child who becomes ill. It is a story about greed and how it can change lives.

John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968) was among the best known American writers of the 20th century. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize for literature. His 1939 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Grapes of Wrath" has over ten million copies in print.

Steinbeck was born in rural California, went to Stanford, and spent most of his life in California. He has been associated with the plight of farm workers and others. His books have been very popular and many were made into movies and stage productions. He won an Academy Award nomination for best story in 1944.

I have read a number of his novels and am still surprised with the quality of his work - especially his short stories and short novels and this is another good example. The present work is short and probably ranks among the middle of his 17 novels and novellas. Readers will appreciate the clarity of the prose even if the story is short.

It is not a heavy read and takes one evenings to read. I liked the book and give it a positive recommendation, and it would be high on my list of Steinbeck novels.

As a suggestion, do not buy the book alone, but rather would buy it as part of a collection such as Steinbeck's book: "The Short Novels of John Steinbeck," from Viking Press in 1953, and updated versions of that book.

I'm not going to give my typical review on this book. It's good but there is nothing I can say about it that hasn't already been said by others in the reviews. I certainly do not consider this a 5 star though. A five star book should be one that you will find yourself reading again and again. The Pearl is the classic story of how immediate success can quickly become your biggest nightmare. People might want to read this before taking their trips to Vegas or going down to the local store and buying a lottery ticket. Even if the financial success doesn't change you it is bound to change everyone around.

From a variety of different influences comes Steinbeck's 'The Pearl'. There is a Hispanic parable that this is largely based on and basically covers how sudden wealth does not necessarily change your life for the better but rather can bring a host of jealousy, distrust, and unhappiness with it, often to tragic ends.

If you have to read this book for school, you aren't going to like it because you're forced to read it. You'll claim it's boring, you'll claim it's 'the worst book ever written', and you will resent the book and your teacher for assigning it. Sorry for your one-dimensional mind set on a chance to improve yourself. If you are reading this book for pleasure or because you feel the need to read the Steinbeck library, then you should be fairly pleased with the turns of events. It's a basic story with a tragic ending (like most Steinbeck works). It's 90 pages long, you'll read it in 1-3 hours and it is worth reading. It's a good piece of literature albeit very short.

After their son's death grief stricken Kino and Juana return to their village and throw the precious pearl into the water. Their gesture rendered their son's death meaningless. If they pressed on and reached the city, they could have been rich, and all their future children would have gone to school and had a beautiful comfortable life and they could have gotten their village out of poverty and helped many people. Instead, Kino and Juana chose an easy way out; they went back to poverty because it was something they knew how to deal with, and the familiar path is always the least stressful. And all their future children will live in poverty and will die in poverty and that's the decision that Kino and Juana made for them. Kino and Juana strike me as those foolish people of history who were enemies of progress. They said we will do things primitive way because machines are evil and will destroy us. I think this is a story about the people who don't appreciate the gifts of destiny and who are afraid to make use of them. People call it parable of materialism; I call it parody on foolish progress blockers.

Kino and his wife, Juana, have a beautiful baby boy, but one morning he gets stung by a scorpion. He is rushed to the doctor, who will not treat him because they have no form of payment.

The parents get in their boat to look for a pearl to use as payment, and, amazingly, find one that is referred to as the "moon" -- and is about the size of a goose egg.

What happens when they go to the dealers to collect their money? You'll have to read this classic novel to find out.

THE PEARL is a very short book that, honestly, I wouldn't have chosen to read except that it's for school. It's a very basic story, but everything in the book also has a double meaning, which is thought-provoking.

Reviewed by: Taylor Rector

In 1978-79 while in High School in Jamaica, was the first time I read this book. It is an amazing story but not a story. Facts on how our lives can be changed because of need. Facts on how we can lose sight of what is most valuable to us because of "luck". I am impressed with the the author's presentation of details throughout the book...I felt like I was watching the entire story unfold before my eyes. I think it was well written. For that reason I had to purchase a copy for my step-daughter and of course another for myself in 2007. Awesome book!!

Even though John Steinbeck's The Pearl is less than one hundred pages, it is still a great piece of American literature. The Pearl is an extremely interesting and compelling parable about a family living in an impoverished Mexican Village called La Paz. The exact time period of the story is not specified. However, judging by the generation in which Steinbeck lived and the era of many of his other works, The Pearl probably takes place in the early 1900s. Originally, the work was planned to hit the theaters before becoming a piece of literature. The film version would have worked out nicely because throughout the tale, Steinbeck describes separate songs and tunes that are associated for different items, events, and character feelings. The major theme Steinbeck implements into the novel is that becoming wealthy can warp one's mind, causing he or she to perform tasks that would be out of the ordinary.

The novella's main character, Kino, is a Mexican and Indian father living with his wife, Juana and newborn son, Coyotito in a small Mexican village. The family is extremely poor and does not have any luxuries in life. One day, Coyotito is stung by a scorpion and is in need of medical attention. When Kino and Juana take their son to a doctor, he turns them away because he is aware that the family has no way to pay him. Immediately, Kino and Juana begin to search for valuable pearls in the sea, hoping to find something to earn enough money for the doctor's attention. Sure enough, Kino finds the largest pearl anyone has ever seen. It is declared "The Pearl of the World." Coyotito receives the doctor's help, but Kino and Juana are extremely suspicious of him. Later, Kino attempts to sell his pearl but he is offered much less than he expects and refuses the best offer. He plans to travel to the capital the next day to try and sell his pearl again. Juana warns Kino that the pearl is bad luck and she fails in attempting to throw the pearl back into the sea. When Kino is attacked by a group of people attempting to steal the pearl, he promptly kills them off. Realizing the grave danger he put his entire family in, Kino takes Juana, Coyotito, and the pearl and they escape to the mountains. In order to conceal the rest of the story, I will not tell any more plot information.

Using a simple, straightforward storytelling method, Steinbeck effectively illustrates the events in his parable. He uses a tremendous amount of foreshadowing throughout the story. However, I will not give any examples as I promised not to reveal any more plot information. Steinbeck emphasizes the importance of certain events by having them recur at the beginning of the chapters. In the second, third, and fourth chapters, a description of the town is present. These few paragraphs remind the reader of the reality of the situation. He compares a town to "a colonial animal...a town has a whole emotion" (21). In the first and fifth chapters, Steinbeck describes Kino's awakening before and after he discovers the pearl. In the first chapter, Kino is at complete peace with the world, observing his surroundings and listening to the waves splashing on the beach. However, his attitude changes drastically in the fifth chapter. Discovering that Juana has left to throw the pearl back into the sea, "rage surged in Kino...quietly he tracked her, and his brain was red with anger" (58). Steinbeck emphasizes how the pearl and the thoughts of wealth and luxury have altered Kino's mind, causing him to act differently.

Overall, John Steinbeck's The Pearl is a simple story with an important lesson to the reader. I believe that it is well worth a few hours of reading. Steinbeck uses a great writing style and emphasizes key events and ideas to get his purpose across to his readers. He intends for the reader to value his or her emotional and spiritual wealth rather than material wealth.

I am not exactly sure as to the moral of this story. Kino is a dirt poor pearl diver who suddenly finds the golden egg; the largest pearl found by any of his villages inhabitants, that is. Kino, his wife Juana, and infant son have known nothing but poverty. This discovery offers them a chance to elude their current existance with the potential of good meals, a bed, and the opportunity to send their kid to school so he may learn to read and write. I find nothing gluttonous with this family's simple objective. What alarms me are the swine that jump out of the darkness to strip them of their chance at a new life.

Written in 1947, this novella is a not so unique illustration of society's willingness and cunning in stripping others' of what is rigtfully theirs. This is a good family read from which dialog may ensue between parent and child

The book was in terrific shape when I got it! No problems at all! Brand new! Although, I haven't started it yet...

This novella is an exquisite example of the old mantra 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. Kino is a Mexican pearl diver who supports his family by finding small, low-quality quality pearls to sell. This is the way his family and his neighbors' families have made a livelihood for generations. It only provides them with just enough money to get by, and sometimes not even that. But on the other side of town, the wealthy live with nary a thought for their less privileged neighbors. This all changes when Kino finds the largest pearl anyone has ever seen, `the pearl of the world'. All of a sudden, he can't get them to stop paying attention to him. They lie and cheat to try to get his pearl, and the whole situation escalates out of control. It eventually ends in tragedy, which proves that it is better to be poor and happy than rich and empty.

This is short and sweet but the message is very clear. Greed will destroy you. I think Steinbeck is able to portray that in a concise, and very depressing way.

The Pearl is a remarkable short story that you can never forget. "And in the surface of the pearl he saw Coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot away." (pg 117) The book's moral was that, to be happy with what you are in your society and Kino tried to rebel against it and he did not succeed. In the parable, it is all about Kino trying to break out of the circle of poverty, which does not happen, regardless of his efforts. The parable is stressing that you should be satisfied with who you as in the society. It states in real life that you can shape your destiny for the most part but for the others they are predestined.

John Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors. His books always have meaning unlike many modern books.
The Pearl is about a poor diver and his family. One day he emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea-gull's egg. With the pearl comes hope that his family will no longer live in poverty. However human nature comes out of everyone in town and it exploits the depths of evil and the young family realizes that the pearl is not worth the greed it brings out.
This book is very short, only about 90 pages. So if you are hesitant about reading classics or are just starting out, this book is a great one to start with.

This a nice retelling of a parable about the dangers of greed. The family was better off before finding the pearl. Quickly-gotten gain is no substitute for honest steady plodding. I was written in an easy, comfortable style as are other Steinbeck books.

A good novella, one of Steinbeck's earlier ones. It's not as tight as his later works, but it's so short that it doesn't really bother one much. Not as much character depth as most Steinbeck novels, but then again, it's such a short book that there wasn't much room. An exciting, captivating read, told in the typical earthy details that makes Steinbeck so much fun to read. This is a great little book because you could probably read it all in one lazy afternoon. Get it and you won't be disappointed. A great introduction to Steinbeck if you've never read his stuff before.

John Steinbeck has written a novel with a powerful message; sometimes, things are best just the way they are.

The story, based on a Mexican folk tale, centers on Kino, Juana, and their baby son Coyotito. Kino is a poor fisherman/pearl diver, relying on his canoe which was passed on from his grandfather down to him. His family lives in a small grass shack and they have very few possessions, but they have each other and they are happy. However, one day, baby Coyotito is bitten by a scorpion which made its way into his crib. Immediately, the poison begins to take hold, despite Juana's frantic efforts to suck the poison out of the baby. Desperate for their baby, Kino and Juana take him into town to see the doctor.

However, once in town, they are informed that the doctor is out on another visit, when in reality, he doesn't want to see Kino's family at all. Disheartened, Kino heads for his canoe.

Once out on the water, he goes through his regular routine of gathering clams and searching for pearls. But this dive turns out to be like no other Kini has ever experienced, for when he opens one of the clams, he sees the biggest pearl he's ever seen; The Pearl of the World. It is as large as a seagull's egg, and as perfect as the moon. Kino sees the immediate end to all of his problems, for with this pearl, he will have wealth beyond his wildest dreams: or will he?

Almost immediately, things begin to change in Kino's life. He begins to watch people a little more closely, fearing that they may try to steal his pearl. He dreams of owning new clothes, a new rifle, and having his son attend school someday.

He decides to venture into town to sell the pearl and collect his fortune. But, what he finds out there is not what he expected. The buyers tell him that the pearl is too large and because it is so large, it is not worth much money. He is offered much less money than he expected. Enraged, Kino and Juana head back to their house, and he buries the pearl in the dirt floor. But, during the night, someone sets his house on fire. Everything is quickly consumed, leaving only a few items. Kino then goes to check on his canoe, but he finds that someone has punched a hole in the bottom, rendering it useless.

Determined to get what he thinks the pearl is worth, the family decides to head to the capitol and sell the pearl there. But, Kino soon realizes that they are not alone; three trackers are following them. Kino tries to stay ahead of the trackers as they head off into the mountains. Will Kino succeed in selling his treasured pearl, or will the trackers catch up to them?

This is an excellent book, and it carries an important message; sometimes, things are better off the way they are rather than changing them. Kino was a humble and hard-working young man trying to raise his family the best he could, but once he found the pearl, everything about him changed. He became suspicious, greedy, and disrespectful to Juana. Granted, his intentions were good, but his actions were not. In the end, Kino ends up losing two precious things.

I highly recommend this classic work by John Steinbeck. Its message is clear; sometimes, things are best just the way they are.

In typical Steinbeck fashion, a very well written, VERY descriptive story. A very short story so a very quick read. Not my favorite Steineck but well worth the effort.

I personally do not see how this book has an average rating of three and a half stars. Yes, it's a sad story, but so are 70% of other books, unless it's some stupid romance junk or something. Along with Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, and The Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl ranks amongst the best of John Steinbeck's writings.

Five huge yellow stars.

Steinbeck is a great story teller. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, as I did his other works. However, I'm not sure I agree with the main stream thought regarding money is the root of all evil - and how it changed Kino.

I see Kino as the victim here! What did he really want with the money? Give his kid an education, pay for a true wedding for him and his wife, get a new harpoon (for work) and a rifle. I'm not sure these are the things made of greed.

Everyone else in town, on the other hand, had thoughts of greed. I mean really, whats wrong with a guy trying to make a buck and provide for his family?

OK, true one bad thing occurs between him and his wife, which seemed a little out of character for Kino - maybe it was a cultural thing "I'm a man" and all? Not sure.

Other than that, the evils that occur are by others as a result of Kino's HARD WORK finding this pearl - no the devil didn't give it to him, he got up and went to work and found the pearl when he was...pearl diving (his job)! He has the right to own that pearl, just as anyone has the right to their paycheck for the job they do...I'm just saying! Thanks for reading my review! Via con dios!

This small tale is based on a Mexican folk tale. The significance of the pearl of greed and the mayhem it creates in the simple lives of the people it touches is a story for any man any place. The writing was beautiful and the ending was cool as "the pearl settled into the lovely green water and dropped toward the bottom. The waving branches of the algae called to it and beckoned to it." The crab scampers over it and covers it with sand, "And the music of the pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared." After all the havoc it had reeked. It is finally gone.

John Steinbeck's version of The Pearl comes from a tale he was told while researching the Amazon with his good friend John Rickets. His surpreme telling of the story is like no other. My personal taste is not of stories of this nature but I was very enthralled and deeply pulled into the story. I've never read any of Steinbeck's other works which is a travesty in itself. This story is an easy quick read of good literature that anyone can really enjoy. If you're looking for something quick, well written and interesting this is the way to go.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck is about a young indian man named kino, who lives with his family in a small village.Kino always dreamnt about finding a pearl that would change his poor life to a wealthy one.One day Kino's dream became ture, he found the "pearl of the world".Kino found that the pearl brought more evil to his family than good.To live out his dream, he must fight all evil that come against him.Even if it means taking his dream some where else.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck really inspired me.It brought me to a reality that good things will come in its time.I really enjoyed reading The Pearl,because it taught me a lesson.No amount of riches would bring peace or happieness unless one has his family to share his wealth with.I found that the greatest gift is having a loving family.

Nathaniel

This book is perfect for teenagers. Very well narrated. Not too long. Of course, if you are a serious literature reader, this book is probably not the perfect for you. I love it anyway, I would recommend it to every kid I know.

I thought that the pearl was a moderate book. The pearl was a very short book. It was not so much an easy read because you had to comprehend a lot of things while reading the book. It had a lot of good twist in the book. My favorite part was when he found the pearl because the author used very good imagery because I can just see the happiness in Kino's eyes when he sees the "magnificent pearl". He was very descriptive showing him how Kino or any other character felt like if there was blood rushing through his veins. The book also had a very good moral to it. It talks a lot about good and evil and how the evil in something could take over you. Even if the thing didn't help you it could still took over you. Another aspect of the story is if you do not like sad ending this is not the book for you because it is really sad. As soon as he finds the magnificent pearl he starts getting over powered by the beauty of the pearl causing him to go crazy for the pearl. The book also shows the differences in classes in towns because when he goes to the doctor for his almost dead baby or at least what they thought. The doctor did not take the baby because he assumed that if Kino was poor that he could not pay for the bill the doctor was giving him. But as soon as the doctor noticed he had the baby he came to Kino's house to tend to the baby because he wanted to get him to pay him. It really shows that the evil in something can persuade you to do almost anything if it shows something good. The main plot of the story is how Kino, A fisherman, Juana, his wife, and Coyotito, the baby, are in a problem. The problem is that the baby, Coyotito, Has been stung by a scorpion causing him to get what they thought was sick. And then Kino prays for a miracle and what he gets is what he thinks is more than a miracle. He finds the biggest pearl they have ever seen. It is quickly know as "the Pearl of the World" and everyone is amazed by it. But as he has the pearl he is getting very bad luck caused by the pearl and things start not going his way. And then something terrible happens and he must try and resolve it. But you must read the book to find out if he will. That is basically my version of what the back of the book should say. But overall, if you like John Steinbeck's style of writing you would like this book. As it says on the front of the book it really is a timeless and unforgettable novel of men and women -and good and evil. But overall, the book is a good book and I recommend it to older readers that like a good developed book.

The Pearl is a compelling novel with many interesting discussion points for advanced readers and literature fans. Though The Pearl is a good action book also. The Peral discusses behind the scenes political ideologies, corruption by money,economic theories,and the political ideologies are particulary specified about the theories of that time. Though if you want a blatent action and chase book with some violence this is also a great book for you. The Pearl was a great read.

On scale of 1 to 5, I would rate The Pearl by John Steinbeck a 3. The first part, when Kino found the pearl was good, but I did not like the next part. When Kino, Juana, and their baby Coyotito escape the village, I did not like that their adventure in the desert and mountains was so short. I also did not like the ending of the book. Overall, the book was OK, but I would not suggest it to someone who likes adventures or someone who does not like sad books.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck, is an exciting story about a man named Kino, who is a poor diver, and one day he finds a pearl in the ocean. He thinks that is the most valuable pearl ever. However, his wife Juana thinks that the pearl is going to bring them the evil. She is afraid and worried, and wants Kino to throw the pearl back into the ocean. Kino does not listen to the wise words of his wife though, instead he goes on thinking about the pearl's value, and how much money he could make from selling the pearl. When he goes to sell the pearl he finds out that it is barely worth anything. He thinks that he is being cheated. The book shows how people often go corrupt over money. He, his wife Juana, and his baby son Coyoto run away from the village. They run to the mountains to get away, but they are followed by the town's trackers. They have to try to escape from the trackers in order to survive. It is an amazing story with an unforgettable and totally unpredictable ending.

KIno, a poor diver, found a pearl the size of a seagull's egg,and it changed his life forever. He was happy and wanted to buy a nicer house, clothes, cure his son, and send his son to school, but the pearl made him get greedy and he started liking the pearl more than his family. He went to the capital to sell the pearl for high price, but on the way trackers killed his baby. Then Kino Juana went home and threw the pearl into the ocean.
This book is a good book because the desciption is perfect and the plot is just incredible. There were many " symbols" in the story which was exciting because it hooked me into the story.