The Pearl by J. Steinbeck

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• Based on the title of the book, what
  foreshadowing can we do about the themes
  (concepts) the book will talk about?

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• John Steinbeck
• Background

• Born in 1902
• American novelist, story writer, playwright, and
  essayist
• Attended Stanford
• 1940 The Grapes of Wrath was Awarded the Pulitzer
  Prize
• Won Nobel Prize in 1962
• Died in 1968

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• Lives of the poor and downtrodden
• Specifically, the lives of migrant workers
• Emphasis of writing often centered around manhood
  and male relationships

• John Steinbeck
• Focus of Works

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• John Steinbeck
• Most Famous Works

• Grapes of Wrath
• Of Mice and Men
• The Pearl

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Setting of the Story

• La Paz, Mexico - a coastal town marked by
  economic, social, and racial divisions resulting
  from colonial domination of the local native
  population.
• Beginning of the 20th century.

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Story Outline

• Main characters Kino, Juana, and Coyotito
• Kino, a pearl diver, lives a simple life in a
  village
• Family belongs to the lower-class in society
• Coyotito is stung by a scorpion
• Kino seeks doctors help but is refused due to
  poverty
• Kino finds a big pearl - symbol of hope, promise,
  and wealth
• Greed contaminates and threatens his simple way
  of life
• Story ends with

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• The Pearl
• The Lessons of the Parable

• Explores themes of how greed and a lust for
  material objects can negatively influence pious
  cultures and people
• The story is a warning to restless dreamers
  looking an easy way to solve their problems.

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Themes

• The struggle for survival
• Oppression and social class (especially in
  reference to colonialism)
• Corruption by material wealth

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• Literary Focus
• Themes and Conflicts

• Mans Greedy Nature
• Dangers and Evils of Material Lust
• Wealth and Status
• Fate
• Individual Choice
• Arrogance and Oppression
• Knowledge and Ignorance

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Pre-Reading Discussion

1. How might wealth and greed affect the behavior of
   human beings?
2. What do you think might be the positive or
   negative effects of colonialism?
3. Based on your own experiences and literature that
   you have read, do you think the course of
   peoples lives is the result of fate or human
   action?

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Symbolism

• Symbolism- The use of symbols, objects, or things
  to represent an idea or quality
• Examples
• RainbowGods covenant
• Dovepeace, Holy Spirit
• CrossSalvation

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Symbolism

• Music in The Pearl
• References to songs, music, and sounds that
  represent more than their literal meaning

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Allegory

• allegory 'al??gôre/
• a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted
  to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or
  political one.
• Ex One example of an allegory is the monologue
  from Shakespeare in As You Like It.
• All the world's a stage,And all the men and
  women merely playersthey have their exits and
  their entrancesAnd one man in his time plays
  many parts, This is symbolic of the fact that
  people are putting on a show and that they play
  many roles over the course of their lives.