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Jul 02, 2020
The Pearl by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck begins with one of the most picturesque, idyllic scenes in literature: a young pearl diver Kino awaking at dawn, gazing lovingly at his wife Juana and their baby son Coyotito, listening to the sounds of the sea. Of course, then, with the entrance of a great pearl, things start spiraling downward. About halfway through the novella, it is already clear that Kino has lost more than what he can regain with the pearl. Yet what is it inside humans, whose greed Kino represents, that spurs them to keep going, in pursuit of something luring and foreign that has cost them so much already? The novella teaches that the ability to be content, the ability to restrain oneself in the possibility of more wealth, is incredibly difficult, perhaps impossible, to gain. I couldn’t help feeling personally afraid for Kino and his family, as he clung to the dreams that the pearl reflected for him, trying to convince himself that the pearl could help him gain back happiness. Simple yet powerfully written, The Pearl is a novella deserving of all its accolades, sharply insightful and wise especially in these times of increased wealth and greed. 5 stars out of 5 -@StarRead of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library