Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Book Review: The Pearl

Author:       John Steinbeck

Publisher:    Penguin

ISBN:          0-14-200069-8

Website:      Check This Out

Type:         Fiction: Classics

Pages:        87 Trade Paperback

Purchase:    $11.40 @ Amazon.com (HERE)

The Story

“In this short book illuminated by a deep understanding and love of humanity, John Steinbeck retells an old Mexican folk tale:  the story of the great pearl, how it was found, and how it was lost.  For the diver Kino, finding a magnificent pearl means the promise of a better life for this impoverished family.  His dream blinds him to the greed and suspicions the pear arouses in him and his neighbors, and even his loving wife cannot temper his obsession or stem the events leading to the tragedy.”

(Above excerpt is from the front inside cover of the book The Pearl)

The Review

I vaguely remember reading this book in high school and over-analyzing it TO DEATH.  As soon as I started to read the story, the details of it came back to me rather quickly.  It’s one of those perfect “the moral of the story is…” books.  This tale is about what greed does to the human spirit.  All along, Kino’s wife can see what the greed is doing to their family, shrouding it with evil.  However, all Kino can see is his pride.  All of his focus centers around obtaining monetary wealth as the result of his discovery of this great pearl.  However, Kino will lose what is the most precious and important of all to him along the way.

Is happiness a little shack on the beach… with food, family, friends and a meager lifestyle?  Is happiness the truth of the love that you’ve surrounded yourself with?  Will greed and pride bring the ultimate destruction of what you love the most?  Perhaps.  Steinbeck said,

“For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more.  And this is said in disparagement, whereas it is one of the greatest talents the species has and one that has made it superior to animals that are satisfied with what they have.”    

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

This book is a quick, yet powerful reminder of appreciating what you have.  I think that Steinbeck is an incredibly gifted writer.  He writes like a painter, painting a canvas with thoughts, scenes, people, and pictures.  His immense talent is very much appreciated, however this wasn’t my “favorite” book of his.  Although, I think it’s a story that would be great for my girls to read and discuss with me afterwards.  It lends itself to great discussion.

For the genre Fiction: Classics, I am going to rate this book an 8 OUT OF 10. 

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