The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a novella that explores several themes through the story of a poor fisherman named Kino. When Kino discovers a giant pearl, he believes it will help improve his family's life. However, the pearl attracts greed and suspicion from others, and Kino's life becomes endangered. The novella examines how greed and colonial oppression negatively impact indigenous cultures, and how pursuing wealth can sometimes lead to harm. It also suggests that fate may play a role in human lives and people should be careful of what they wish for.

1. The Pearl by John Steinbeck

2. Writer’s workshop
• Write this quote and reflect on it: “Earth
provides enough to satisfy every man's need,
but not every man's greed” –Mahatma
Gandhi
– Do you agree?
– How can you relate this quote to The Pearl?
Nota Bene: A first draft of one of your pre-writes
is due Monday

3. Universal themes in literature
• Theme: the big idea!
• The controlling idea, central insight.
• Why explore themes? It enables us to
think critically about a text, have abstract
thoughts and expand our perception of
book and then the world.

4. How to figure out the theme:
• It is not directly stated
• Themes will be a statement, never just a single
word such as “courage” or, “bravery”
• The author will show you through situations
and human experiences in the literature
• You must learn it from characters and the plot
by making inferences
– Inference: examining the story and the details to
learn more about the plot

5. What are some themes
from The Pearl?

6. Themes in The Pearl
• Greed is a destructive force
– Money brings evil
• Does fate play a role in human life?
– Be careful what you wish for
• Colonial societies oppress native cultures
• Ignorance leads to subjugation and oppression
• Others?

7. Themes represented by characters
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Kino:
The doctor:
The pearl dealers:
Coyotito:
Juana:

8. Symbols
• What is symbolism?
• Symbolism is: a word or object that stands for
another word or object.
• The object or word can be seen with the eye
or not visible.
– For example a dove stands for Peace. The dove
can be seen and peace cannot.
– The word is from the Greek word symbolom.

9. Symbolism found in The Pearl?

10. Symbolism in The Pearl
• Scorpion: The scorpion is not only a symbol,
but foreshadows the evil that is to come
• The pearl: appears differently throughout the
story – related to meaning
• The town, the sea, and the village all possess
certain symbols of a way of life and death.
• The doctor: Symbol of colonial oppression
• Kino’s canoe: life depends on the canoe

12. Vocabulary Enrichment
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Protagonist
Antagonist
Setting
Conflict
Theme

13. Vocabulary Enrichment
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Symbolism
Irony
Dramatic irony
Climax
Resolution

14. Twitter Feed

15. What is a parable?

16. Found / Blackout Poetry
• Directions: Carefully read the page or news article you
have been given. Using pencil, lightly underline details,
words, and phrases that you find powerful, moving, or
interesting. Begin imagining combinations of these
words that will form a poem. Once you decide on the
words you need, color over the other words on the
page. It is very important to leave the words of your
“found poem” uncolored and to “blackout” the other
unused words.
• Paste or tape the finished found poem into this
portfolio.