I write about the 'The Pearl' (a novella) because I simply could not bring myself to write about his other book 'Of Mice and Men' (Yes there's a book- not a band, though I have heard the band's really awesome). 'Of Mice and Men' grabs your hand and then leads you to an internal abyss of sadness from which there is no return. It is a tragic book.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968) is known for his tragedies as much as Shakespeare is known for 'Romeo and Juliet' or 'Hamlet'. Don't expect a happy ending. In fact if you imagine the worst possible ending- it might help you cope after.
His works are usually about common men. No super heroes or destopian societies or vampires, just your every day Joe and Sam. 'The Pearl''s protagonist is a poor Mexican pearl driver named Kino. They are also set in (most of the time) early 1900s in Western United States. Our book was set on the coast in Mexico.
The topics or theme of most his books revolve around unfairness and injustice. Of which usually leave me pulling my hair out and crying "Why? Why?". Because let's face it: life isn't fair. Life was not fair in the early 1900s nor is it in 2015. That is why his books are so moving, not because of their tragedy but because of the injustice of it all. People still are maltreated today so they connect with others who have the same issues (even if they live in books).
The Injustice in 'The Pearl' was this: Kino was a native Mexican. He was poor but all his people were poor in that time. Mexico was his native land but white men were in charge. White men who would not hestitate a moment to cheat and swindle Kino and his people from everything they had.
As you may have guessed, Kino finds a pearl. The biggest and brightest pearl anyone has seen. Now will his life change for good? Will Kino send his young son to school and move his wife Juana from their house of reeds to a house in town? Will they successfully rise above the tyrannt rule of the whitemen to claim their own?
That my friends is the start of 'The Pearl' by John Steinbeck.
