The Greatest Pearl in the world

Why this book: A selection for our book club – we decided to explore some of Steinbeck’s less well known novels.

My Impressions: ..for the evil song was in his ears…”  This is one of Steinbeck’s very short novellas in which he reveals his admiration for the strength of the poor, and his antipathy toward the upper classes and their natural propensity to exploit the poor, and keep them poor.   It is also a story about greed, and love.  The story is simple, and profound. 

In a small village somewhere on the Caribbean coast (one assumes Mexico), Kino, a young pearl diver and his wife Juana and their newborn son Coyotito, are living a simple life, working each day to meet their basic needs. They live in a thatch hut, have just enough to eat, and have almost no personal possessions, except for the small boat upon which they depend for their living.   The village is near and depends upon a nearby town, which appears to have the social structure that one finds in most towns.  In the village the pearl divers and fisherman all live on the edge of subsistence, and take care of and support each other.

One day when diving for pearls, Kino finds an oyster with a very large and nearly perfect pearl “…as large as a seagull’s egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world.”  This pearl will be worth a small fortune, and Kino and Juana see it as the key to opportunities that the middle class take for granted – a nice wedding for themselves, schooling for their new son, and the opportunity for their son to grow up in society, and not have to struggle to find food from day to day.

As soon as Kino and Juana find the pearl, they realize that the possibility of relative wealth separates them from others in their village, and they are no longer sure who they can trust.  Their simple life becomes complicated. Everyone wants a piece of the wealth the pearl promised.   Envy infects their relationships within the village, and they are targeted by the wealthier people in town to be exploited, even the priest.  They see Kino and Juana as vulnerable and are only too willing to take advantage of them.   Thieves try to steal the pearl. Kino and Juana are attacked at night, are injured and almost killed. As Kino recognizes their vulnerability, and that he cannot protect his family or the pearl, he takes his family and they flee on foot, across the mountains toward another town or city where he feels they may have a chance.  But they are pursued, by the forces of greed and treachery.  Juana had recognized early on that the pearl was only bringing grief and threats to her family, “This thing is evil. The pearl is like a sin!  It will destroy us!”  She argued that they should get rid of it.  But Kino had been captured by his dreams of a better life for himself and his family, and he refused to give up on this dream.   

Reading this story, one knows that it will not end well.  Steinbeck seems to be saying that justice clearly takes a back seat to power and greed, and the poor will always lose when confronted by the greed of the rich.   But it is also a story about the relationship between Kino and Juana – inspiring, intense, primal and powerful.  The reader understands and admires each of them, for different reasons.  Also, throughout the book Juana and Kino tune into their environment with a sixth sense, and Steinbeck uses the metaphor of music to describe it.  This is particularly striking throughout this parable:  “In Kino’s head there was a song now, clear and soft…the Song of the Family.” “Juana sang softly an ancient song that had only 3 notes, yet endless variety of interval.”   “…a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family …and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively.” “…he could hear the evil music of the enemy..” “the pounding music of the enemy beat in his ears..” “…the Song of the Family had become as fierce and sharp and feline as the snarl of a female puma…<and> was alive now and driving him…”

It was ironic to read this book right after reading ‘The Alchemist’ – it almost has an anti-Alchemist message.  Whereas The Alchemist’s message is ‘believe in your dream, and the whole world will conspire to make it a reality’ – The Pearl’s message seems to be ‘dare to dream that you can break out of your social class, and the whole world will conspire to crush you.’  It is important to read and understand both of these perspectives – we can learn from them both.