The Pearl (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John Steinbeck
- First Published: 1945
- Type of Plot: Parable
- Time of Work: The late nineteenth century
- Setting: Baja California, Mexico
- Principal Characters: Kino, Juana, Coyotito, Juan Tomas
- Genres: Short fiction, Parable
- Subjects: Tradition, Superstition, Prejudices or antipathies, Native Americans or American Indians, Creoles, Good and evil, Greed, Mexico or Mexicans, Church or churches
- Locales: Baja California, Mexico
The Story
This long story (or short novel) follows five momentous days in the life of an Indian pearl diver living in La Paz, a small port on the Gulf of California. Though told by an omniscient author, the work most often limits itself to Kino's perspective as he suffers the gratuitous trials of an innocent tragic hero.
His sufferings begin when he witnesses a scorpion sting his beloved son, Coyotito, as the child lies happily in his cradle. Beside herself with terror, Kino's common-law wife, Juana, insists that they take Coyotito to the doctor because that individual...
[The entire page is 1982 words long]
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- The Pearl (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
- The Pearl (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
- Pearl (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
See Also:
John Steinbeck (Censorship--Ready Reference series)John Steinbeck (Cyclopedia of World Authors)John Steinbeck (Short Fiction)John Steinbeck (Long Fiction)John Steinbeck (Dictionary of World Biography)John Steinbeck (Identities and Issues)Theory of Short Fiction (Topical Overview--Short Fiction)
See Also:
- - For teachers, the The Pearl Lesson Plan.
- - The Pearl summary and study guide in the eNotes.
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