The Pearl : Main Theme - Question & Answer

In your opinion, what is the main theme of the novel?

In my opinion, the main theme of the novel “The Pearl” is its ironical message to poverty-stricken people that wealth brings evil and that they should just remain poor. Steinbeck presents this message in such a way that we balk at it, feeling its bitter injustice.

“The Pearl” is set in a society that is divided into two main groups: the rich and the poor. Ironically, but not uncommonly, the rich just want to get richer. For example, the doctor is only interested in treating rich people and later, in order to get the pearl from Kino, even attempted to poison the baby. The priest is also only interested in money. He does not marry Kino and Juana because they cannot afford to make a contribution to the church but rushes to see Kino when he has the pearl. Another example involves the pearl dealers. They play on Kino’s ignorance and the mo­nopolistic situation to cheat him so as to make as much money as they can.

The poor people, the natives, are exploited by the rich figures of authority such as the doctor and the priest. Furthermore, they are taught that they should remain in their place in society, no matter how lowly it should be. In fact, the priest used to make a sermon every year that each man and woman is “like a soldier sent by God to guard some part of the castle of the universe. And some are in the ramparts and some deep in the darkness of the walls. But each must not go running about, else the castle is in danger from the assaults of hell.”

When Kino finds the “Pearl of the World”, he believes the great pearl (which represents wealth for him) is his baby’s ticket to health, an education, and a better life. However, the possession of the pearl leads only to a whole string of disasters - the doctor poisons the baby, Kino stabs a man and kills another and Kino beats up his wife.

To Juana, the pearl quickly becomes evil. She tells Kino, “It will destroy us all...even our son.” At the end of the novel, Kino also realises that wealth brings him only evil and throws the pearl into the sea.