Analysis Of John Steinbeck's The Pearl

The Pearl, by John Steinbeck is a wonderful classic that has attracted many people around the world and has been used in many high school classes. An indigent family tries their best to survive near the shore in La Paz, Mexico. Kino, the fisherman, his wife, Juana, and their baby, Coyotito face many challenges as Coyotito is stung by a scorpion. They have no money to support him and they have many more upcoming problems. This book tells the story of how they found the great pearl, and how in the end it was lost once again. In John Steinbeck’s The Pearl the most meaningful sentence is “It is not good to want a thing too much”(18) because it contributes to foreshadowing of Kino’s later experience. Wanting a thing too much may always cause unfortunate events in the end and a man should not get too greedy. The inclusion of the sentence, “It is not good to want a thing too much,” leads to the problem when Kino has to run away with his family and he cannot let his family have a safe and happy life. Juana mentions this sentence near the beginning of the book when their family goes to the ocean in hopes of finding a pearl. When Kino finds a large, bright oyster and places it on the bottom of their canoe, Juana knows that it is not good to want a thing too much as it will drive the luck away. She looks away and pretended to not be excited at the sight of the great oyster. Their family has the luck of finding the great pearl, and Kino becomes too desperate in his hopes of