The Pearl

There are many books in the world that teach valued principles. The Pearl by John Steinbeck is one of these incredibly influential books. The Pearl teaches the value of family, the influence of others, and the dangers of greed. These are very real principles that apply in modern life today. The most important theme out of these, I think, is family.
Family is the foundation of this book. Family was there through all other challenges in this book and it was the lone survivor when all else was lost. Juana is one of the most influential characters in this book. She endured everything with Kino, even when he abused her and when Kino committed murder. She focused on the strength of her family to get through each trial that she faced. Kino was a

This leads Kino to “know” that the pearl is more valuable than it actually is. This thought process is shown when Kino refuses to take the fifteen thousand dollars from the pearl collectors. He refuses to take their advice because, again, he “knows” what the pearl is worth. He wants more money even though the fifteen thousand is so much more than what he has now. Kino loves this pearl so much he was willing to lose everything to keep it. When someone comes into their house in the night, Kino’s first reaction is to save the pearl, not Juana and Coyotito. When he stabs the person he gave up his freedom, his family, and all of his possessions. ”’Let us destroy it before it destroys us… Let us throw it back in the sea where it belongs. Kino, it is evil, it is evil’... ‘No,’ he said. ‘I will fight this thing. I will win over it. We will have our chance.’”,(Steinbeck 56). Even after he ruined his life and the life of his wife and child, he still will not give up the pearl. It is not until the last page of the book when Kino finally understands that the pearl is evil and he needs to get rid of it. Except he can’t reverse what has been done. Greed destroyed Kino, and through Kino it destroyed his