What do you think?
Rate this book
丕賱賱丐賱丐丞
Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security....
A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, greed, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.
A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, greed, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.
105 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1947
3,868 people are currently reading
101k people want to read
About the author
John Steinbeck
947听books24.9k听followersJohn Ernst Steinbeck was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception". He has been called "a giant of American letters."
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize鈥搘inning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize鈥搘inning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,467 reviews
November 22, 2017
Steinbeck does it again. All my experiences with his writings have been fantastic. Every word, every description, every plot point, every twist - perfect!
The Pearl is very short but very amazing. It is a tale of greed and how people around wealth or who come upon sudden wealth are affected. Many of us think our life would be perfect if we won the lottery, but I think all of us could benefit from the lessons in this story.
I picked this book now because I am on vacation in Hatteras, NC, and the locations along the sea seemed like they would blend well with my surroundings. I was correct! Many key scenes occur at or in the ocean, and reading this while my toes were in the surf added so much to the atmosphere.
Do yourself a favor and take a quiet afternoon, get away to somewhere (a beach if possible), and read The Pearl. Your literary senses will thank you!
The Pearl is very short but very amazing. It is a tale of greed and how people around wealth or who come upon sudden wealth are affected. Many of us think our life would be perfect if we won the lottery, but I think all of us could benefit from the lessons in this story.
I picked this book now because I am on vacation in Hatteras, NC, and the locations along the sea seemed like they would blend well with my surroundings. I was correct! Many key scenes occur at or in the ocean, and reading this while my toes were in the surf added so much to the atmosphere.
Do yourself a favor and take a quiet afternoon, get away to somewhere (a beach if possible), and read The Pearl. Your literary senses will thank you!
December 18, 2016
John Steinbeck's chilling novella The Pearl is the short story selection in the group catching up on classics for January 2017. In his retelling of a Mexican folktale, Steinbeck tells the tale of a fisherman named Kino who finds the pearl of the world on one of his dives. Showing how money is the root of all evil, Steinbeck delivers a poignant tale.
First published in 1945, The Pearl is the story of Kino, Juana, and their baby Coyotito who one day discover a giant pearl on one of their fishing expeditions. All of a sudden, their entire village measures time against when Kino found his pearl. Even though fish and pearls are the source of Kino's livelihood each member of the village desires part of his newfound wealth. Rather than congratulating him on his prized discovery, each villager offers their unique suggestion as to how Kino should spend his winnings.
Tragedy strikes. Coyotito is bitten by a scorpion, and Kino and Juana rush to town in attempt to persuade the doctor to treat their child. In a situation permeated with racism, the doctor of Spanish descent refuses to treat the apparent Native American Kino unless he comes up with substantial monetary payment. The only item of value that Kino possesses is the pearl, and he assures the doctor that he will be rewarded once the pearl given to brokers.
Just like the doctors, the pearl brokers attempt to swindle Kino. Even though Kino has large dreams of what to do with his money, tragedies continue to befall him throughout the novella. Juana urges him to rid himself of this object that is clearly an agent of the devil. Through this folk tale, Steinbeck conveys that money is the root of all evils in the world. Underlying is a message of socialism, which was the world's response to the fascist dictators defeated in World War II.
Although Steinbeck's skills as a master storyteller are evident in this novella, The Pearl does not resonate with me the way it does with others. At first I was elated that a poor villager found a jewel that could turn his life around only to see him face tragic tests. A literary masterpiece that should be read nonetheless, I rate The Pearl 4 stars- 5 for Steinbeck's prose and story telling skills, and 2.5-3 for a story that does not captivate me enough as perhaps it should.
First published in 1945, The Pearl is the story of Kino, Juana, and their baby Coyotito who one day discover a giant pearl on one of their fishing expeditions. All of a sudden, their entire village measures time against when Kino found his pearl. Even though fish and pearls are the source of Kino's livelihood each member of the village desires part of his newfound wealth. Rather than congratulating him on his prized discovery, each villager offers their unique suggestion as to how Kino should spend his winnings.
Tragedy strikes. Coyotito is bitten by a scorpion, and Kino and Juana rush to town in attempt to persuade the doctor to treat their child. In a situation permeated with racism, the doctor of Spanish descent refuses to treat the apparent Native American Kino unless he comes up with substantial monetary payment. The only item of value that Kino possesses is the pearl, and he assures the doctor that he will be rewarded once the pearl given to brokers.
Just like the doctors, the pearl brokers attempt to swindle Kino. Even though Kino has large dreams of what to do with his money, tragedies continue to befall him throughout the novella. Juana urges him to rid himself of this object that is clearly an agent of the devil. Through this folk tale, Steinbeck conveys that money is the root of all evils in the world. Underlying is a message of socialism, which was the world's response to the fascist dictators defeated in World War II.
Although Steinbeck's skills as a master storyteller are evident in this novella, The Pearl does not resonate with me the way it does with others. At first I was elated that a poor villager found a jewel that could turn his life around only to see him face tragic tests. A literary masterpiece that should be read nonetheless, I rate The Pearl 4 stars- 5 for Steinbeck's prose and story telling skills, and 2.5-3 for a story that does not captivate me enough as perhaps it should.
March 24, 2022
鈥�For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more. 鈥�
I love short Steinbeck novels. They tend towards brevity while being profuse in beauty, often written in idyllic tones that contrast with the darkness inside them. The Pearl is such a novel, a condensed tale warning against greed and materialism and a critical look at colonialism that is quite deeply moving. When a poor pearl diver discovers a giant pearl, dubbed the Pearl of the World, he thinks his luck is about to change. However, the innocence of his life becomes marred as finds that great wealth does not beget happiness but rather greed and sorrow as he must constantly defend his wealth. It becomes a parable of sorts, one that reminds us how often our possessions come to possess us and not the other way around.
鈥�Luck, you see, brings bitter friends,鈥�
Originally began as a movie script, Steinbeck published this as a short story under the title The Pearl of the World in 1944 before expanding it to the novella length a few years later. Perhaps from that, there is a cinematic quality to the narrative here that really pulls you along. Set on the coast of the Gulf of California, which Steinbeck would later write about in detailing a 1940 expedition with his friend, marine biologist Ed Ricketts (who is the basis for Doc in ), Steinbeck is at home in his themes of good natured people living in poverty and the gatekeeping of society that ensures they stay this way. In many ways, The Pearl can be read as a parable of colonialism or how for the poor and colonized any attempt to rise above their status is swiftly, and often violently, dealt with. When Kino has possession of the pearl and upward mobility, the plans and evils of men conspire to take it from him and we see how his poverty of spirit would be required for the wealth of materialism (something later expanded upon in The Winter of Our Discontent).
鈥�If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it.鈥�
This book has all the elements of a great tale, one that feels much older than it actually is, as if it has been a moral parable passed down for generations. There is the whole man vs nature with the scorpion attack at the beginning, man vs man with the people coming to take the pearl away, and man vs himself as Kino鈥檚 ambitions become an increased zeal to obtain wealth from the pearl. Calling it the Pearl of the World initially seems a commentary on it鈥檚 great size, but as the story progresses we see how it is much more abstract than that and a commentary on the universal nature of greed and violence in the name of wealth. Steinbeck does well to keep everything pointed and direct, but still vague enough to feel like a moral lesson that can be applied in many ways. The ending leaves much open and I sort of love that.
This is a nice little book, rather devastating as short Steinbeck鈥檚 tend to be, but quite powerful and beautiful all the same. I read this originally back as a high school freshman and this is a good one for a classroom.
3.75/5
I love short Steinbeck novels. They tend towards brevity while being profuse in beauty, often written in idyllic tones that contrast with the darkness inside them. The Pearl is such a novel, a condensed tale warning against greed and materialism and a critical look at colonialism that is quite deeply moving. When a poor pearl diver discovers a giant pearl, dubbed the Pearl of the World, he thinks his luck is about to change. However, the innocence of his life becomes marred as finds that great wealth does not beget happiness but rather greed and sorrow as he must constantly defend his wealth. It becomes a parable of sorts, one that reminds us how often our possessions come to possess us and not the other way around.
鈥�Luck, you see, brings bitter friends,鈥�
Originally began as a movie script, Steinbeck published this as a short story under the title The Pearl of the World in 1944 before expanding it to the novella length a few years later. Perhaps from that, there is a cinematic quality to the narrative here that really pulls you along. Set on the coast of the Gulf of California, which Steinbeck would later write about in detailing a 1940 expedition with his friend, marine biologist Ed Ricketts (who is the basis for Doc in ), Steinbeck is at home in his themes of good natured people living in poverty and the gatekeeping of society that ensures they stay this way. In many ways, The Pearl can be read as a parable of colonialism or how for the poor and colonized any attempt to rise above their status is swiftly, and often violently, dealt with. When Kino has possession of the pearl and upward mobility, the plans and evils of men conspire to take it from him and we see how his poverty of spirit would be required for the wealth of materialism (something later expanded upon in The Winter of Our Discontent).
鈥�If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it.鈥�
This book has all the elements of a great tale, one that feels much older than it actually is, as if it has been a moral parable passed down for generations. There is the whole man vs nature with the scorpion attack at the beginning, man vs man with the people coming to take the pearl away, and man vs himself as Kino鈥檚 ambitions become an increased zeal to obtain wealth from the pearl. Calling it the Pearl of the World initially seems a commentary on it鈥檚 great size, but as the story progresses we see how it is much more abstract than that and a commentary on the universal nature of greed and violence in the name of wealth. Steinbeck does well to keep everything pointed and direct, but still vague enough to feel like a moral lesson that can be applied in many ways. The ending leaves much open and I sort of love that.
This is a nice little book, rather devastating as short Steinbeck鈥檚 tend to be, but quite powerful and beautiful all the same. I read this originally back as a high school freshman and this is a good one for a classroom.
3.75/5
November 17, 2021
鈥�The Pearl, John Ernst Steinbeck
The Pearl is a novella by American author John Steinbeck, first published in 1947.
It is the story of a pearl diver, Kino, and explores man's nature as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil.
Steinbeck's inspiration was a Mexican folk tale from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, which he had heard in a visit to the formerly pearl-rich region in 1940.
In 1947, it was adapted into a Mexican film named La perla and in 1987 into a cult Kannada movie Ondu Muttina Kathe.
The story is one of Steinbeck's most popular books and has been widely used in high school classes.
The Pearl is sometimes considered a parable. When Coyotito, an infant, is stung by a scorpion, Kino, his father, must find a way to pay the town doctor to treat him.
The doctor denies Kino, an indigenous fisherman, out of racism, which enrages him. Shortly thereafter, Kino discovers an enormous, lucid pearl which he is ready to sell to pay the doctor.
Everyone calls it "the Pearl of the World," and many people begin to covet it. That very night Kino is attacked in his own home.
Determined to get rid of the pearl, the following morning he takes it to the pearl auction in town; however, the auction is actually a corrupt sham and always has been.
The buyers normally fake auction each pearl and pretend bid against each other, but in reality they are all paid a salary by a single man, they all turn the pearls over to him and he resells them outside the village, thus cheating the locals.
The corrupt pearl buyers try to convince Kino that the pearl is the equivalent of "fool's gold" and they refuse to pay any more than incredibly low amounts of money.
Kino decides to go over the mountains to the capital to find a better price. Juana, Kino's wife, sees that the pearl brings darkness and greed, and sneaks out of the house late at night to throw it back into the ocean. When Kino catches her, he furiously attacks her and leaves her on the beach. ...
Characters: Kino, Juana, Coyotito, Juan Tomas, Apolonia
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 丿賵賲 賲丕賴 丕讴鬲亘乇 爻丕賱1974賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿貨 丕孬乇: 噩丕賳 丕卮鬲丕蹖賳 亘讴貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿噩毓賮乇 賲丨噩賵亘貨 賲卮禺氐丕鬲 賳卮乇 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 丌乇賲丕賳貙 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱1349貙 丿乇203氐貙 趩丕倬 倬賳噩賲 爻丕賱1353貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 蹖讴 芦賲讴夭蹖讴蹖禄 賮賯蹖乇 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 亘夭乇诏鈥屫臂屬� 芦賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿禄 丿賳蹖丕 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屰屫жㄘ� 賵 丿乇 丿賱貙 丌乇夭賵蹖 禺賵卮亘禺鬲蹖 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴鈥� 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿丕乇丿貨 丕賲丕 诏賳噩貙 丕乇賲睾丕賳蹖 噩夭 賳丕亘賵丿蹖 丌賳賴丕 賳丿丕乇丿貨
卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏�: (芦讴蹖賳賵禄貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 賲睾乇賵乇 賵 睾賵丕氐蹖 賮賯蹖乇貙 芦噩賵丌賳丕禄 賴賲爻乇 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 丕賳丿蹖卮賲賳丿貙 讴賴 賳卮丕賳賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 賴卮丿丕乇 乇丕 讴賴 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 丕夭 倬匕蹖乇賮鬲賳 丌賳賴丕 禺賵丿丿丕乇蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗀� 賵 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 賵賮丕丿丕乇蹖貙 賵 賮乇賲丕賳亘乇丿丕乇蹖 丿蹖乇蹖賳賴 丕夭 賴賲爻乇貙 蹖丕乇丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 讴乇丿賳 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 賳丿丕乇丿貨 芦讴賵蹖賵鬲蹖鬲賵禄貙 倬爻乇亘趩賴 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 賵 芦噩賵丌賳丕禄貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌睾丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 毓賯乇亘蹖 丕賵 乇丕 賳蹖卮 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 芦噩賵丌賳 鬲賵賲丕爻禄貙 亘乇丕丿乇 芦讴蹖賳賵禄貨 芦丿讴鬲乇禄貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 讴賴 賮丕賯丿 丕乇夭卮鈥屬囏й� 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 丕爻鬲貨 丕賵 丕夭 丿乇賲丕賳 芦讴賵蹖賵鬲蹖鬲賵禄貙 鬲賳賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳讴賴貙 丌賳賴丕 倬賵賱蹖 賳丿丕乇賳丿貙 爻乇 亘丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 丕賲丕 倬爻 丕夭 卮賳蹖丿賳 禺亘乇 蹖丕賮鬲賳 诏賳噩蹖 诏乇丕賳亘賴丕貙 鬲賵爻胤 芦讴蹖賳賵禄貙 禺賵丿 噩賴鬲 丿乇賲丕賳 亘趩賴貙 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 蹖 丌賳賴丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌�)禄貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 19/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/08/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
The Pearl is a novella by American author John Steinbeck, first published in 1947.
It is the story of a pearl diver, Kino, and explores man's nature as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil.
Steinbeck's inspiration was a Mexican folk tale from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, which he had heard in a visit to the formerly pearl-rich region in 1940.
In 1947, it was adapted into a Mexican film named La perla and in 1987 into a cult Kannada movie Ondu Muttina Kathe.
The story is one of Steinbeck's most popular books and has been widely used in high school classes.
The Pearl is sometimes considered a parable. When Coyotito, an infant, is stung by a scorpion, Kino, his father, must find a way to pay the town doctor to treat him.
The doctor denies Kino, an indigenous fisherman, out of racism, which enrages him. Shortly thereafter, Kino discovers an enormous, lucid pearl which he is ready to sell to pay the doctor.
Everyone calls it "the Pearl of the World," and many people begin to covet it. That very night Kino is attacked in his own home.
Determined to get rid of the pearl, the following morning he takes it to the pearl auction in town; however, the auction is actually a corrupt sham and always has been.
The buyers normally fake auction each pearl and pretend bid against each other, but in reality they are all paid a salary by a single man, they all turn the pearls over to him and he resells them outside the village, thus cheating the locals.
The corrupt pearl buyers try to convince Kino that the pearl is the equivalent of "fool's gold" and they refuse to pay any more than incredibly low amounts of money.
Kino decides to go over the mountains to the capital to find a better price. Juana, Kino's wife, sees that the pearl brings darkness and greed, and sneaks out of the house late at night to throw it back into the ocean. When Kino catches her, he furiously attacks her and leaves her on the beach. ...
Characters: Kino, Juana, Coyotito, Juan Tomas, Apolonia
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 丿賵賲 賲丕賴 丕讴鬲亘乇 爻丕賱1974賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿貨 丕孬乇: 噩丕賳 丕卮鬲丕蹖賳 亘讴貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿噩毓賮乇 賲丨噩賵亘貨 賲卮禺氐丕鬲 賳卮乇 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 丌乇賲丕賳貙 趩丕倬 趩賴丕乇賲 爻丕賱1349貙 丿乇203氐貙 趩丕倬 倬賳噩賲 爻丕賱1353貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 蹖讴 芦賲讴夭蹖讴蹖禄 賮賯蹖乇 丕爻鬲貙 讴賴 亘夭乇诏鈥屫臂屬� 芦賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿禄 丿賳蹖丕 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屰屫жㄘ� 賵 丿乇 丿賱貙 丌乇夭賵蹖 禺賵卮亘禺鬲蹖 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴鈥� 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿丕乇丿貨 丕賲丕 诏賳噩貙 丕乇賲睾丕賳蹖 噩夭 賳丕亘賵丿蹖 丌賳賴丕 賳丿丕乇丿貨
卮禺氐蹖鬲鈥屬囏�: (芦讴蹖賳賵禄貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 賲睾乇賵乇 賵 睾賵丕氐蹖 賮賯蹖乇貙 芦噩賵丌賳丕禄 賴賲爻乇 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 丕賳丿蹖卮賲賳丿貙 讴賴 賳卮丕賳賴鈥� 賴丕蹖 賴卮丿丕乇 乇丕 讴賴 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 丕夭 倬匕蹖乇賮鬲賳 丌賳賴丕 禺賵丿丿丕乇蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀� 賲蹖鈥屫ㄛ屬嗀� 賵 亘賴 禺丕胤乇 賵賮丕丿丕乇蹖貙 賵 賮乇賲丕賳亘乇丿丕乇蹖 丿蹖乇蹖賳賴 丕夭 賴賲爻乇貙 蹖丕乇丕蹖 丿蹖诏乇 讴乇丿賳 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 賳丿丕乇丿貨 芦讴賵蹖賵鬲蹖鬲賵禄貙 倬爻乇亘趩賴 芦讴蹖賳賵禄 賵 芦噩賵丌賳丕禄貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌睾丕夭 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 毓賯乇亘蹖 丕賵 乇丕 賳蹖卮 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 芦噩賵丌賳 鬲賵賲丕爻禄貙 亘乇丕丿乇 芦讴蹖賳賵禄貨 芦丿讴鬲乇禄貙 卮禺氐蹖鬲蹖 讴賴 賮丕賯丿 丕乇夭卮鈥屬囏й� 丕禺賱丕賯蹖 丕爻鬲貨 丕賵 丕夭 丿乇賲丕賳 芦讴賵蹖賵鬲蹖鬲賵禄貙 鬲賳賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳讴賴貙 丌賳賴丕 倬賵賱蹖 賳丿丕乇賳丿貙 爻乇 亘丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 丕賲丕 倬爻 丕夭 卮賳蹖丿賳 禺亘乇 蹖丕賮鬲賳 诏賳噩蹖 诏乇丕賳亘賴丕貙 鬲賵爻胤 芦讴蹖賳賵禄貙 禺賵丿 噩賴鬲 丿乇賲丕賳 亘趩賴貙 亘賴 禺丕賳賴 蹖 丌賳賴丕 賲蹖鈥屫辟堌�)禄貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 19/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 25/08/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
November 26, 2023
Innocence turning to greed and how people react to another man's good fortune, is the major theme of John Steinbeck's popular novella The Pearl, set apparently in the early 20th century ( the author is rather vague on the subject) in the then small sleepy town now a major city of La Paz, Baja California, Mexico near the tip of the astonishing long peninsula 775 miles ...Our main character is Kino a young, poor Mexican man in his early 20's of Indian extraction living in a remote part of the quiet city, on the beach in the Gulf of California or the Sea of Cortez ( Senor Cortes would not recognize the anglicized spelling ) pick your choice. His under the mangroves flimsy brush house has three inside the pearl diver, his wife Juana not official, their first an only child a son the baby Coyotito he loves his family and the neighbors an uneducated superstitious group, as destitute as he yet a great generous "tribe" who have been exploited for 400 years by the European conquerors. A tragic almost fatal occurrence happens and the very concerned parents go on a desperate quest to see the only local doctor a rare visit, they know his reputation a racist that considers the indigenous animals, doesn't work for free will he treat their much cherished boy ? The whole neighborhood follows including his older brother Juan Tomas and wife Apolonia, it is quite a sight the whole town stares at the procession mesmerized by the strange parade of the impoverished in the early morning light...Arriving and the expected no money no medicine, so the couple comes back home and pray for the best to Jesus or the gods, Juana does both. Life must continue however Kino and Juana push their old much repaired canoe that was his grandfather's into the calm, warm green gulf waters swiftly jump in and paddle vigorously until they reach the pearl beds below...Kino can stay under for two minutes, he has a knife for prying open the oysters and two ropes one attached to a basket for the would be precious mineral and the other a rock to send the skilled diver to the bottom of the ocean quickly...It will change the way people treat the poor Indian , later his astounded friends will call it,The Pearl of the World a huge iridescent object as big as a seagull's egg men have killed for less, they try to cheat Kino , steal, deceive destroy his whole family he must leave and seek a honest person to buy the pearl in a large city, Coyotito needs to go to school be baptized, fine clothes for Juana get married in the Church a rifle for himself, away from the evil surrounding him the happy songs will not be sung , the little family walks away into an uncertain destiny the black night grows thicker, and the evil will follow...John Steinbeck's wonderful fable, simple in plot with a few characters involved in the story yet they are enough to articulate his views of the corruption of the individual when avarice consumes a man's soul and the endless cruelty inflicted on others to achieve his unsavory goal... sad but true.
November 9, 2011
Overall, it's just not very good. I keep debating whether I should rate it one star or two, but ultimately the 欧宝娱乐 definition of the two-star rating, "it was ok," pushes me over the edge. It wasn't ok; nothing about this was ok.
The writing style is bad, though I haven't read enough Steinbeck to know whether his stilted, awkward prose is just an affectation for this work (in an insulting attempt to illustrate that his main characters are poorly educated), or whether he is just always like this.
His treatment of his characters is truly awful. Steinbeck strikes me as the worst kind of liberal; he's full of compassion for the circumstances of his characters, but that compassion never rises above the level that any of us would have for a sick animal. At least in this work, he seems like the kind of person who loves the poor, but only for the fact that they're poor. In short, he doesn't seem to think of his characters as people, just creatures buffeted by terrible circumstances.
And the moral of the story is nearly reprehensible, to the extent that it makes any sense. The reason bad things are happening to these poor creatures? They wanted a better life. Steinbeck seems to be saying, "don't try to do anything to improve yourselves, and you certainly should never dream. Be satisfied with where you are, because trying only leads to failure." If his moral were something like "money doesn't bring happiness" it would be fine, but this is more insidious, because he never even gives his characters the option of being poor and happy. His choice is a stark "poor and miserable" or "poorer and more miserable." I can just see Steinbeck rewriting the Horatio Alger stories: a sad, poor boy tries to pull himself up by his bootstraps, but the bootstraps snap, and he falls off a cliff, breaks his neck at the bottom, and his corpse is eaten by syphilitic bears.
If you like heavy-handed stories with a poor moral sense and bad writing... you can still do better than "The Pearl."
The writing style is bad, though I haven't read enough Steinbeck to know whether his stilted, awkward prose is just an affectation for this work (in an insulting attempt to illustrate that his main characters are poorly educated), or whether he is just always like this.
His treatment of his characters is truly awful. Steinbeck strikes me as the worst kind of liberal; he's full of compassion for the circumstances of his characters, but that compassion never rises above the level that any of us would have for a sick animal. At least in this work, he seems like the kind of person who loves the poor, but only for the fact that they're poor. In short, he doesn't seem to think of his characters as people, just creatures buffeted by terrible circumstances.
And the moral of the story is nearly reprehensible, to the extent that it makes any sense. The reason bad things are happening to these poor creatures? They wanted a better life. Steinbeck seems to be saying, "don't try to do anything to improve yourselves, and you certainly should never dream. Be satisfied with where you are, because trying only leads to failure." If his moral were something like "money doesn't bring happiness" it would be fine, but this is more insidious, because he never even gives his characters the option of being poor and happy. His choice is a stark "poor and miserable" or "poorer and more miserable." I can just see Steinbeck rewriting the Horatio Alger stories: a sad, poor boy tries to pull himself up by his bootstraps, but the bootstraps snap, and he falls off a cliff, breaks his neck at the bottom, and his corpse is eaten by syphilitic bears.
If you like heavy-handed stories with a poor moral sense and bad writing... you can still do better than "The Pearl."
February 22, 2024
The Pearl by John Steinbeck is an American Literature Classic!
鈥淚t is not good to want a thing too much. ..." ~ John Steinbeck - The Pearl
Kino, like the men in his family before him, is a pearl diver in the Gulf of Mexico. He leads a meager life in a poor fishing village, living in a straw hut with his wife, Juana, and their baby son, Coyotito.
Soon a series of incidents will pass through Kino's life that will impact his quiet, humble lifestyle in ways he never would have imagined...
Once again, I'm mesmerized by Steinbeck's engaging and simple prose. He paints the landscape in vivid detail. His characters have breadth and depth. There is palpable tension in the air and I'm transfixed by Kino's plight. The urge to intervene is overwhelming as I watch it all play out in my head.
Steinbeck takes an old Mexican folktale and turns it into an evocative novella about a man's visions of a better life who becomes blinded by his innocence.
The audiobook is narrated in the soft and soothing voice of Hector Elizondo. The story transpires in a short 2H 35M listen. It's perfection!
And, I had no idea The Pearl would break my heart...
Highly recommended!
5猸�
鈥淚t is not good to want a thing too much. ..." ~ John Steinbeck - The Pearl
Kino, like the men in his family before him, is a pearl diver in the Gulf of Mexico. He leads a meager life in a poor fishing village, living in a straw hut with his wife, Juana, and their baby son, Coyotito.
Soon a series of incidents will pass through Kino's life that will impact his quiet, humble lifestyle in ways he never would have imagined...
Once again, I'm mesmerized by Steinbeck's engaging and simple prose. He paints the landscape in vivid detail. His characters have breadth and depth. There is palpable tension in the air and I'm transfixed by Kino's plight. The urge to intervene is overwhelming as I watch it all play out in my head.
Steinbeck takes an old Mexican folktale and turns it into an evocative novella about a man's visions of a better life who becomes blinded by his innocence.
The audiobook is narrated in the soft and soothing voice of Hector Elizondo. The story transpires in a short 2H 35M listen. It's perfection!
And, I had no idea The Pearl would break my heart...
Highly recommended!
5猸�
July 17, 2024
John Steinbeck's writing is as diverse as his literature. Nonetheless, there is a common denominator in the American author's charming writing: the story is always rooted in the orality of the tales and legends that the ancients transmit over time to new generations so that they never forget they came. Here, he is inspired by a traditional Mexican story.
This little parable can be read in one go, as the writing is rich and limpid. The themes dear to the author and familiar to many of these novels are still omnipresent.
Steinbeck portrays misery to raise awareness of unhappy lives, but above all, he denounces pearl fishers' living conditions, which he describes as exploited and enslaved by the merchants of precious stones.
He denounces protests repeatedly against the social divide and the painful and hopeless misery it generates.
Dreams and flourishing imagination bring life to life. But the goals of the poor are systematically trampled on by the most powerful.
Despite a realistic but very pessimistic vision of society, all of Steinbeck's finesse illuminates The Pearl, whose melancholic music is permanently embedded in my memory.
This little parable can be read in one go, as the writing is rich and limpid. The themes dear to the author and familiar to many of these novels are still omnipresent.
Steinbeck portrays misery to raise awareness of unhappy lives, but above all, he denounces pearl fishers' living conditions, which he describes as exploited and enslaved by the merchants of precious stones.
He denounces protests repeatedly against the social divide and the painful and hopeless misery it generates.
Dreams and flourishing imagination bring life to life. But the goals of the poor are systematically trampled on by the most powerful.
Despite a realistic but very pessimistic vision of society, all of Steinbeck's finesse illuminates The Pearl, whose melancholic music is permanently embedded in my memory.
February 23, 2024
"Measure your wealth by what you'd have left if you lost all your money."
~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Kino, an impoverished pearl diver, one in a long line of the same, lives with his wife, Juana, and their infant son in a brush hut among a colony of friends in a Mexican coastal village. They can barely scratch together enough to feed themselves, but what they lack is made up for with love.
When a scorpion stings their baby, and they can't afford to pay a doctor, Kino and his wife desperately launch their canoe, searching for that elusive pearl which could mean the difference between life and death.
There is something to be said for the art in simplicity. Steinbeck's scant-yet-beautiful writing style painted a vibrant picture of this family and their journey. I was wholly invested from the beginning.
I read The Pearl, a novella, in the space of a few hours. Its symbolic message led me to consider the meaning of true wealth and the price we pay to capture our own 'pearls.'
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend this thought-provoking tale.
~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Kino, an impoverished pearl diver, one in a long line of the same, lives with his wife, Juana, and their infant son in a brush hut among a colony of friends in a Mexican coastal village. They can barely scratch together enough to feed themselves, but what they lack is made up for with love.
When a scorpion stings their baby, and they can't afford to pay a doctor, Kino and his wife desperately launch their canoe, searching for that elusive pearl which could mean the difference between life and death.
There is something to be said for the art in simplicity. Steinbeck's scant-yet-beautiful writing style painted a vibrant picture of this family and their journey. I was wholly invested from the beginning.
I read The Pearl, a novella, in the space of a few hours. Its symbolic message led me to consider the meaning of true wealth and the price we pay to capture our own 'pearls.'
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend this thought-provoking tale.
July 30, 2017
鈥�It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings.鈥�
This novella opens with the simple contentment of a young Mexican pearlfisher: at peace with his life, wife, and baby, living in a tightknit community, and accompanied by the 鈥淪ong of the Family鈥� that plays in his mind.
Pearls, by contrast, are a consequence of imperfection - possibly of pain or discomfort. But from the irritation caused by stray sand, rare transfixing beauty can occur. Unlike gold and diamonds, a pearl needs no finishing, and yet its allure arises from its imperfections: the shifting elusiveness of the watery light it exudes, the unexpectedly grainy surface, the not-quite spherical shape, and the glowing warmth it imparts to eye and skin.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Quiet contentment would not make much of a story. But wherein lies the greater danger: a scorpion, poised to pounce on a resting babe, or a huge pearl that could pay for school, and thus enable little Coyotito to 鈥渂reak out of the pot that holds us in鈥�?
There is mystical hope when 鈥渢he need was great and the desire was great鈥�, but beware, 鈥淚t is not good to want a thing too much.鈥�
Oyster being opened, source .
Fortune shines. 鈥淚n the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams forming.鈥�
Fortune is fickle. 鈥淭he pearl has become my soul鈥�. Wealth brings power, and power tends to corrupt. What once offered warm lucent promise turns 鈥済ray and ulcerous鈥�. The possession possesses him.
Ultimately, this is a story of sacrifice - specifically, of choosing what and when to surrender. Make the wrong choice, and you risk losing everything.
Story in Song
The people of the Gulf of California had songs for everything, though maybe only Kino hears them now. The story is encapsulated in the evolving sequence of songs (minor spoilers implied):
* 鈥淐lear and soft鈥� The Song of the Family.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of Evil鈥� a savage, secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively.鈥�
* 鈥淎 secret little inner song鈥� sweet and secret and clinging, almost hiding in the counter-melody, and this was the Song of the Pearl That Might Be.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl had merged with the music of the family so that one beautified the other.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of evil, of the enemy sounded, but it was faint and weak.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl was triumphant鈥� and the quiet melody of the family underlay it.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl had become sinister鈥� and it was interwoven with the music of evil.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of the Family had become as fierce and sharp and feline as the snarl of a female puma.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of the Family was as fierce as a cry鈥� a battle cry.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl, distorted and insane.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared.鈥�
Faith鈥� in What?
Kino and Juana blend belief systems: ancient magic invocations, Hail Marys and prayers, and a resentful faith in the knowledge and consequent power of white settlers. A traditional remedy might be as effective as one from the doctor, but 鈥渓acked his authority because it was simple and didn't cost anything.鈥�
For those raised on Bible stories, it鈥檚 impossible to read this without thinking of the pearl of great price, the desire for which Jesus likened to the Kingdom of Heaven:
鈥�Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.鈥� Matthew 13:45 - 46 (KJV)
But it鈥檚 an oft-misquoted proverb that comes more sadly and strongly to mind:
鈥�For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.鈥� 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)
For the mere prospect of great wealth changes priorities, changes people - for ever. Transfiguration is not always for the better.
And the Moral Is...
Unlike a traditional parable or morality tale, there is no explicit teaching point, not even a clear ending. Just a new, stark, and very uncertain beginning.
鈥淥yster Pearl,鈥� Hawaii, by Anna. Licensed under CC By 2.0.
Steinbeck鈥檚 Philosophy
Steinbeck distanced himself from Christianity over the years, and atheists sometimes claim him as their own. The Bible was certainly part of his heritage, but broader, non-sectarian social justice permeates his works.
Of particular relevance to this novella:
* Steinbeck grew up in California, and was always interested in Mexican culture around him.
* His concern for the poor and marginalised is reflected in his writings.
* He was shocked by race riots in his easygoing state, and wrote this two years later.
* He was also reeling from the success and infamy of Grapes of Wrath.
* This was written with the intention of its being filmed for and by Mexicans. And it was.
* Steinbeck studied marine biology at university (but didn鈥檛 complete the course).
Quotes
* 鈥淭he uncertain air that magnified some things and blotted out others鈥� so that all sights were unreal and vision could not be trusted.鈥�
* 鈥淭here is no almsgiver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly lucky.鈥�
* 鈥淪o lovely it was, so soft, and its own music came from it - its music of promise and delight, its guarantee of the future, of comfort, of security. Its warm lucence promised a poultice against illness and a wall against insult. It closed a door on hunger.鈥�
* 鈥淭he sky was brushed clean by the wind and the stars were cold in a black sky.鈥�
* 鈥淭he land was waterless, furred by the cacti.鈥�
* In the desert, 鈥減ools were places of life because of the water, and places of killing because of the water, too.鈥�
* 鈥淗e had lost one world and had not gained another.鈥�
Neil Gaiman's take on Pearls
In American Gods, Gaiman says we insulate ourselves from the tragedies of others: 鈥渨e build a shell around it like an oyster dealing with a painful particle of grit... This is how we walk and talk and function... immune to others' pain and loss.鈥� See my review HERE.
This novella opens with the simple contentment of a young Mexican pearlfisher: at peace with his life, wife, and baby, living in a tightknit community, and accompanied by the 鈥淪ong of the Family鈥� that plays in his mind.
Pearls, by contrast, are a consequence of imperfection - possibly of pain or discomfort. But from the irritation caused by stray sand, rare transfixing beauty can occur. Unlike gold and diamonds, a pearl needs no finishing, and yet its allure arises from its imperfections: the shifting elusiveness of the watery light it exudes, the unexpectedly grainy surface, the not-quite spherical shape, and the glowing warmth it imparts to eye and skin.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Quiet contentment would not make much of a story. But wherein lies the greater danger: a scorpion, poised to pounce on a resting babe, or a huge pearl that could pay for school, and thus enable little Coyotito to 鈥渂reak out of the pot that holds us in鈥�?
There is mystical hope when 鈥渢he need was great and the desire was great鈥�, but beware, 鈥淚t is not good to want a thing too much.鈥�
Oyster being opened, source .
Fortune shines. 鈥淚n the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams forming.鈥�
Fortune is fickle. 鈥淭he pearl has become my soul鈥�. Wealth brings power, and power tends to corrupt. What once offered warm lucent promise turns 鈥済ray and ulcerous鈥�. The possession possesses him.
Ultimately, this is a story of sacrifice - specifically, of choosing what and when to surrender. Make the wrong choice, and you risk losing everything.
Story in Song
The people of the Gulf of California had songs for everything, though maybe only Kino hears them now. The story is encapsulated in the evolving sequence of songs (minor spoilers implied):
* 鈥淐lear and soft鈥� The Song of the Family.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of Evil鈥� a savage, secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively.鈥�
* 鈥淎 secret little inner song鈥� sweet and secret and clinging, almost hiding in the counter-melody, and this was the Song of the Pearl That Might Be.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl had merged with the music of the family so that one beautified the other.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of evil, of the enemy sounded, but it was faint and weak.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl was triumphant鈥� and the quiet melody of the family underlay it.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl had become sinister鈥� and it was interwoven with the music of evil.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of the Family had become as fierce and sharp and feline as the snarl of a female puma.鈥�
* 鈥淭he Song of the Family was as fierce as a cry鈥� a battle cry.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl, distorted and insane.鈥�
* 鈥淭he music of the pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared.鈥�
Faith鈥� in What?
Kino and Juana blend belief systems: ancient magic invocations, Hail Marys and prayers, and a resentful faith in the knowledge and consequent power of white settlers. A traditional remedy might be as effective as one from the doctor, but 鈥渓acked his authority because it was simple and didn't cost anything.鈥�
For those raised on Bible stories, it鈥檚 impossible to read this without thinking of the pearl of great price, the desire for which Jesus likened to the Kingdom of Heaven:
鈥�Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.鈥� Matthew 13:45 - 46 (KJV)
But it鈥檚 an oft-misquoted proverb that comes more sadly and strongly to mind:
鈥�For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.鈥� 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)
For the mere prospect of great wealth changes priorities, changes people - for ever. Transfiguration is not always for the better.
And the Moral Is...
Unlike a traditional parable or morality tale, there is no explicit teaching point, not even a clear ending. Just a new, stark, and very uncertain beginning.
鈥淥yster Pearl,鈥� Hawaii, by Anna. Licensed under CC By 2.0.
Steinbeck鈥檚 Philosophy
Steinbeck distanced himself from Christianity over the years, and atheists sometimes claim him as their own. The Bible was certainly part of his heritage, but broader, non-sectarian social justice permeates his works.
Of particular relevance to this novella:
* Steinbeck grew up in California, and was always interested in Mexican culture around him.
* His concern for the poor and marginalised is reflected in his writings.
* He was shocked by race riots in his easygoing state, and wrote this two years later.
* He was also reeling from the success and infamy of Grapes of Wrath.
* This was written with the intention of its being filmed for and by Mexicans. And it was.
* Steinbeck studied marine biology at university (but didn鈥檛 complete the course).
Quotes
* 鈥淭he uncertain air that magnified some things and blotted out others鈥� so that all sights were unreal and vision could not be trusted.鈥�
* 鈥淭here is no almsgiver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly lucky.鈥�
* 鈥淪o lovely it was, so soft, and its own music came from it - its music of promise and delight, its guarantee of the future, of comfort, of security. Its warm lucence promised a poultice against illness and a wall against insult. It closed a door on hunger.鈥�
* 鈥淭he sky was brushed clean by the wind and the stars were cold in a black sky.鈥�
* 鈥淭he land was waterless, furred by the cacti.鈥�
* In the desert, 鈥減ools were places of life because of the water, and places of killing because of the water, too.鈥�
* 鈥淗e had lost one world and had not gained another.鈥�
Neil Gaiman's take on Pearls
In American Gods, Gaiman says we insulate ourselves from the tragedies of others: 鈥渨e build a shell around it like an oyster dealing with a painful particle of grit... This is how we walk and talk and function... immune to others' pain and loss.鈥� See my review HERE.
October 12, 2024
丕賱賱丐賱丐丞 乇賵丕賷丞 賯氐賷乇丞 賱賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賷 噩賵賳 卮鬲丕賷賳亘賰 丕賱匕賷 賮丕夭 亘噩丕卅夭丞 賳賵亘賱 毓丕賲 佟侃佴佗 賵鬲毓鬲亘乇 賵賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賲賳 賰鬲亘 爻鬲丕賷賳亘賰 丕賱兀賰孬乇 卮毓亘賷丞 賵丕爻鬲禺丿賲鬲 毓賱賶 賳胤丕賯 賵丕爻毓 賮賷 氐賮賵賮 丕賱賲丿乇爻丞 丕賱孬丕賳賵賷丞..
鬲丿賵乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 丨賵賱 氐賷丕丿 賮賯賷乇 賷毓孬乇 毓賱賷 賱丐賱丐丞 賳丕丿乇丞 賵賰亘賷乇丞 丕賱丨噩賲 賵賱賰賳賾賴 亘丿賱丕賸 賲賳 兀賳 賷氐亘丨 睾賳賷丕 賵爻毓賷丿丕貙 賷賮賯丿 丕賱爻毓丕丿丞貙 賵賷賰丕丿 賷賮賯丿 賰賱賾 卮賷亍..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賰乇鬲賴丕 丨賱賵丞 賵賴賷 毓賳 囟賷丕毓 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賵鬲丨賵賱賴丕 廿賱賷 賰賵丕亘賷爻 賵 廿賳 爻丕毓丕鬲 賲丕 賳丨賱賲 亘賷賴 賲丕 賴賵 廿賱丕 賵賴賲 賵賲賲賰賳 噩丿丕賸 賷賰賵賳 爻亘亘 鬲毓丕爻鬲賳丕 賵 鬲禺賱賷 丕賱兀禺乇賷賳 毓賳賳丕..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀賷囟丕賸 鬲賱賯賷 丕賱囟賵亍 毓賱賷 丨亘 丕賱賲丕賱 丕賱賱賷 亘爻亘亘賴 賲賲賰賳 賷禺賱賷 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賷賱噩兀 賱賱毓賳賮 賵賷亘毓丿賴 毓賳 廿賳爻丕賳賷鬲賴..
乇賵丕賷丞 賲鬲賵爻胤丞 丕賱賲爻鬲賵賷..鬲乇噩賲鬲賴丕 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賵 賲毓乇賮卮 賱賷賴 賲賰鬲賵亘 毓賱賷 丕賱睾賱丕賮 兀丿亘 賳丕卮卅賷賳..賲賲賰賳 毓卮丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 鬲丿乇爻 賱胤賱丕亘 丕賱賲丿丕乇爻 亘爻 兀賳丕 賲丨爻賷鬲賴丕卮 賲賵噩賴丞 賱賱賳丕卮卅賷賳 亘丕賱毓賰爻 賴賷 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳丕爻亘丞 賱賰賱 丕賱兀毓賲丕乇...
鬲丿賵乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 丨賵賱 氐賷丕丿 賮賯賷乇 賷毓孬乇 毓賱賷 賱丐賱丐丞 賳丕丿乇丞 賵賰亘賷乇丞 丕賱丨噩賲 賵賱賰賳賾賴 亘丿賱丕賸 賲賳 兀賳 賷氐亘丨 睾賳賷丕 賵爻毓賷丿丕貙 賷賮賯丿 丕賱爻毓丕丿丞貙 賵賷賰丕丿 賷賮賯丿 賰賱賾 卮賷亍..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賮賰乇鬲賴丕 丨賱賵丞 賵賴賷 毓賳 囟賷丕毓 丕賱兀丨賱丕賲 賵鬲丨賵賱賴丕 廿賱賷 賰賵丕亘賷爻 賵 廿賳 爻丕毓丕鬲 賲丕 賳丨賱賲 亘賷賴 賲丕 賴賵 廿賱丕 賵賴賲 賵賲賲賰賳 噩丿丕賸 賷賰賵賳 爻亘亘 鬲毓丕爻鬲賳丕 賵 鬲禺賱賷 丕賱兀禺乇賷賳 毓賳賳丕..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 兀賷囟丕賸 鬲賱賯賷 丕賱囟賵亍 毓賱賷 丨亘 丕賱賲丕賱 丕賱賱賷 亘爻亘亘賴 賲賲賰賳 賷禺賱賷 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賷賱噩兀 賱賱毓賳賮 賵賷亘毓丿賴 毓賳 廿賳爻丕賳賷鬲賴..
乇賵丕賷丞 賲鬲賵爻胤丞 丕賱賲爻鬲賵賷..鬲乇噩賲鬲賴丕 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賵 賲毓乇賮卮 賱賷賴 賲賰鬲賵亘 毓賱賷 丕賱睾賱丕賮 兀丿亘 賳丕卮卅賷賳..賲賲賰賳 毓卮丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 鬲丿乇爻 賱胤賱丕亘 丕賱賲丿丕乇爻 亘爻 兀賳丕 賲丨爻賷鬲賴丕卮 賲賵噩賴丞 賱賱賳丕卮卅賷賳 亘丕賱毓賰爻 賴賷 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳丕爻亘丞 賱賰賱 丕賱兀毓賲丕乇...
October 20, 2013
So, John Steinbeck and his editor walk into a bar. . . (disclaimer: I'm making this up) and John's editor says, "John, it's so bor-ing being your editor. I mean, you've written the Great American novel, you've won the Pulitzer, you've fought for the poor man, you've made your fiction read like non-fiction and your non-fiction read like fiction."
John lights a smoke, takes a slug of beer, grunts. Reports from the war hum from a radio at the bar and his editor finds the courage to continue.
"Well. So, maybe, you know, it would be funny (ha ha ha), if you could take a story, a legend you know, and make it real. Take a legend, maybe from an ancient people, and make it a vehicle for the entire human condition. Throw in all of the good stuff: light versus dark, good versus evil, man versus man, man versus God. Add a few archetypes, some symbolism, a few more themes. Keep your characters limited AND, oh, yeah, here's the real kicker. . . keep it under 100 pages."
John looks up from his beer, wonders if he can hear a score on the game. He looks over briefly at the editor.
"Yeah. I'll do her. Got any more cigarettes?"
John lights a smoke, takes a slug of beer, grunts. Reports from the war hum from a radio at the bar and his editor finds the courage to continue.
"Well. So, maybe, you know, it would be funny (ha ha ha), if you could take a story, a legend you know, and make it real. Take a legend, maybe from an ancient people, and make it a vehicle for the entire human condition. Throw in all of the good stuff: light versus dark, good versus evil, man versus man, man versus God. Add a few archetypes, some symbolism, a few more themes. Keep your characters limited AND, oh, yeah, here's the real kicker. . . keep it under 100 pages."
John looks up from his beer, wonders if he can hear a score on the game. He looks over briefly at the editor.
"Yeah. I'll do her. Got any more cigarettes?"
April 6, 2023
A lot of "reviewers" here say that this iconic fable is flawed. That the main character, Kino, isn't greedy, he's just a hardworking guy who wants a fair price for the pearl he found, so that he can buy everything, to give his family a better life.
I disagree. I don't think it's flawed at all. I think that this gorgeous, wise, inimitable story is one about a man who forgot he had everything to begin with.
(I owe John Steinbeck a LOT. He taught me to love literature at an early age. Because of him, I fell in love with words. I had to read them all. And I'm still going. I'd had a battered copy of this novella on my shelf for countless years, and I picked it up yesterday, and my heart has been reunited with my first love, and my eyes are filled with tears. All I can say is... thank you, Mr. Steinbeck.)
I disagree. I don't think it's flawed at all. I think that this gorgeous, wise, inimitable story is one about a man who forgot he had everything to begin with.
(I owe John Steinbeck a LOT. He taught me to love literature at an early age. Because of him, I fell in love with words. I had to read them all. And I'm still going. I'd had a battered copy of this novella on my shelf for countless years, and I picked it up yesterday, and my heart has been reunited with my first love, and my eyes are filled with tears. All I can say is... thank you, Mr. Steinbeck.)
April 5, 2025
The Pearl is Steinbeck's retelling of a Mexican folktale. With his beautiful writing, Steinbeck tells us the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver, whose simple and peaceful life changes, irrevocably, with the finding of the "pearl of the world". With the newfound riches, Kino dreams of making a better life for his family, educating his son, hoping he will uplift them from the class of "outcasts". But, fate or evil or greed or whatever you like to call it won't let Kino see the dawn of his dream. Instead, only tragedy follows in its wake.
This tragic story is gloomy and depressing. My heart went to Kino and his family. At the same time, I was feeling angry at the injustice of it all. Kino only wants a better life for his family. But his efforts are thwarted at every corner. He is cheated, threatened, and persecuted just because he wanted to get a decent sum for his pearl so he could make a good living out of it.
When I read a little into the background of this novella, I saw that one of the main themes is "good and evil". When interpreting the theme it can only be understood that Kino's former life, the simple life before the finding of the pearl, is "good" and the comfortable and better life that he hopes to have with new riches is "evil". With it goes that all is Kino's fault. It's his greed that has been his undoing. He mustn't have dared to rise in life, to aspire to reach higher status. But that cannot be right. Steinbeck couldn't have intended that. I think the story goes deeper. It is the society that is evil, and that "evil society' persecutes the "good Kino" and his innocent dreams. Society is unhappy to see its pattern change. It doesn't want to see Kino and the likes rise from their "given status" to a higher one. And it's not so much of Kino's greed that brings him evil, but the social norms and attitudes. This bitter truth is simply shocking and disgusting.
Although thematically interesting, the story didn't quite resonate with me. There was drama and excitement, and at times suspense, but, the overall storyline was thin and weak. Steinbeck usually rouses powerful emotions within me, but here, they weren't strong. However, Steinbeck's writing compensates for this deficiency. His magician's wand (by which I mean his pen) brings to life the setting, the landscape, and Kino's thoughts and emotions beautifully. I particularly enjoyed how he described Kino's mind with reference to music. It was wonderfully clever of him. I can quite honestly say that it was his beautiful writing that absorbed me more than the story. Overall, it is not the best of Steinbeck, but still, a good read.
This tragic story is gloomy and depressing. My heart went to Kino and his family. At the same time, I was feeling angry at the injustice of it all. Kino only wants a better life for his family. But his efforts are thwarted at every corner. He is cheated, threatened, and persecuted just because he wanted to get a decent sum for his pearl so he could make a good living out of it.
When I read a little into the background of this novella, I saw that one of the main themes is "good and evil". When interpreting the theme it can only be understood that Kino's former life, the simple life before the finding of the pearl, is "good" and the comfortable and better life that he hopes to have with new riches is "evil". With it goes that all is Kino's fault. It's his greed that has been his undoing. He mustn't have dared to rise in life, to aspire to reach higher status. But that cannot be right. Steinbeck couldn't have intended that. I think the story goes deeper. It is the society that is evil, and that "evil society' persecutes the "good Kino" and his innocent dreams. Society is unhappy to see its pattern change. It doesn't want to see Kino and the likes rise from their "given status" to a higher one. And it's not so much of Kino's greed that brings him evil, but the social norms and attitudes. This bitter truth is simply shocking and disgusting.
Although thematically interesting, the story didn't quite resonate with me. There was drama and excitement, and at times suspense, but, the overall storyline was thin and weak. Steinbeck usually rouses powerful emotions within me, but here, they weren't strong. However, Steinbeck's writing compensates for this deficiency. His magician's wand (by which I mean his pen) brings to life the setting, the landscape, and Kino's thoughts and emotions beautifully. I particularly enjoyed how he described Kino's mind with reference to music. It was wonderfully clever of him. I can quite honestly say that it was his beautiful writing that absorbed me more than the story. Overall, it is not the best of Steinbeck, but still, a good read.
February 20, 2019
Porque esa perla ha llegado a ser mi alma, dice Kino. Si me desprendo de ella, pierdo mi alma.
Qu茅 hermoso libro. Una historia sencilla, narrada en forma clara, sin rodeos ni t茅rminos dif铆ciles. Steinbeck logra atraparme siempre con sus libros. Al igual que como con "De Ratones y Hombres", "La Perla" nos muestra una historia en donde apreciamos la naturaleza humana al desnudo, las emociones a flor de piel en situaciones l铆mites.
No he le铆do "Las Uvas de la Ira" ni "Al Este del Ed茅n", pero siento que Steinbeck es poderoso en este tipo de novelas cortas. En este libro todo gira alrededor de esa perla, cuya "canci贸n", como 茅l la denomina, comienza a infectar el alma de Kino.
Ese pescador afortunado (驴afortunado?) por el descubrimiento de la gema que busca la felicidad a partir de 茅l. Kino y Juana junto con Coyotito emprenden una traves铆a al estilo Sam y Frodo con una perla en vez de un anillo, pero no hacen falta 700 interminables p谩ginas para describir la traves铆a, no hace falta describir enredos agotadores para lograr un efecto maravilloso en el lector.
Tan s贸lo un objeto, una perla, que nos pregunta a todos, al narrador, los personajes y al lector: 驴t煤, qu茅 har铆as ante una oportunidad as铆?
Para Kino es una bendici贸n, para Juana, una maldici贸n y para nosotros, los lectores, una maravillosa historia.
Qu茅 hermoso libro. Una historia sencilla, narrada en forma clara, sin rodeos ni t茅rminos dif铆ciles. Steinbeck logra atraparme siempre con sus libros. Al igual que como con "De Ratones y Hombres", "La Perla" nos muestra una historia en donde apreciamos la naturaleza humana al desnudo, las emociones a flor de piel en situaciones l铆mites.
No he le铆do "Las Uvas de la Ira" ni "Al Este del Ed茅n", pero siento que Steinbeck es poderoso en este tipo de novelas cortas. En este libro todo gira alrededor de esa perla, cuya "canci贸n", como 茅l la denomina, comienza a infectar el alma de Kino.
Ese pescador afortunado (驴afortunado?) por el descubrimiento de la gema que busca la felicidad a partir de 茅l. Kino y Juana junto con Coyotito emprenden una traves铆a al estilo Sam y Frodo con una perla en vez de un anillo, pero no hacen falta 700 interminables p谩ginas para describir la traves铆a, no hace falta describir enredos agotadores para lograr un efecto maravilloso en el lector.
Tan s贸lo un objeto, una perla, que nos pregunta a todos, al narrador, los personajes y al lector: 驴t煤, qu茅 har铆as ante una oportunidad as铆?
Para Kino es una bendici贸n, para Juana, una maldici贸n y para nosotros, los lectores, una maravillosa historia.
March 1, 2020
La obra hace honor a su t铆tulo.
Want to read
December 26, 2023what can i say. i'm a steinbeck girl
December 1, 2023
I have become a fan of John Steinbeck's writing and was happy to find this little gem of a book at my local used bookstore recently.
It concerns a poor Mexican fisherman who finds the largest pearl ever - The Pearl of the World - at the bottom of the gulf. He stares at it as if it were a crystal ball and sees all the riches and good things it can provide for his small family. With it comes responsibility and danger when word gets out about the pearl's discovery.
It is a cautionary tale reminiscent of Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist", but with tense moments of desperation. W. W. Jacobs' "The Monkey's Paw" also came to mind.
You don't need to be a fan of Steinbeck or like the two stories I have mentioned above to read this marvelous treasure. It has stand-alone greatness.
Very highly recommended.
It concerns a poor Mexican fisherman who finds the largest pearl ever - The Pearl of the World - at the bottom of the gulf. He stares at it as if it were a crystal ball and sees all the riches and good things it can provide for his small family. With it comes responsibility and danger when word gets out about the pearl's discovery.
It is a cautionary tale reminiscent of Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist", but with tense moments of desperation. W. W. Jacobs' "The Monkey's Paw" also came to mind.
You don't need to be a fan of Steinbeck or like the two stories I have mentioned above to read this marvelous treasure. It has stand-alone greatness.
Very highly recommended.
March 27, 2022
This is the first Steinbeck's book I've read, though it won't be the last, despite the horrible first impression. I hate everything in this book - from it's anticlimactic writing to its incommodious characters. There is nothing worth praise in here. After I reached the end, I've been so angry and almost ready to punch something.
Poor low-class man, living with his wife and their baby, finds a giant pearl, decides to sell it and then use the money to buy medicine for his child, who just got bitten by a scorpion. The selling part didn't go well, shit gets real, people die without any real purpose and it all happens in about 90 pages. In between, there are large amounts of racism, bigotry, and misogyny.
The reason bad things happen to this poor family is that they wanted a better life and the guy didn't want to let anyone stop him from getting it. Basically, his wife is superstitious, tells him the pearl is evil, he doesn't listen, so tragedy happens. Steinbeck is actually telling us to be satisfied with what we are and not try seeking better options because we're inevitably going to fail in the end. Also, he justifies when a husband beats his wife and she obediently suffers because HE'S A MAN AND HE KNOWS BEST. Maybe I should've tried more to read between lines but this was too much for me. Try and see it for yourself.
The narrator literally has no personality, so I don't know how I'm supposed to empathize with any of his struggles. He had some abrupt reactions, but when it comes to recognizable emotions he's pretty blank. I hate it when I can't connect to the main characters or ANY of the characters. And their difficulties were severe.
Poor low-class man, living with his wife and their baby, finds a giant pearl, decides to sell it and then use the money to buy medicine for his child, who just got bitten by a scorpion. The selling part didn't go well, shit gets real, people die without any real purpose and it all happens in about 90 pages. In between, there are large amounts of racism, bigotry, and misogyny.
The reason bad things happen to this poor family is that they wanted a better life and the guy didn't want to let anyone stop him from getting it. Basically, his wife is superstitious, tells him the pearl is evil, he doesn't listen, so tragedy happens. Steinbeck is actually telling us to be satisfied with what we are and not try seeking better options because we're inevitably going to fail in the end. Also, he justifies when a husband beats his wife and she obediently suffers because HE'S A MAN AND HE KNOWS BEST. Maybe I should've tried more to read between lines but this was too much for me. Try and see it for yourself.
The narrator literally has no personality, so I don't know how I'm supposed to empathize with any of his struggles. He had some abrupt reactions, but when it comes to recognizable emotions he's pretty blank. I hate it when I can't connect to the main characters or ANY of the characters. And their difficulties were severe.
June 17, 2023
This is a deceptively simple Mexican fable. It's written by Steinbeck, so of course, it's written beautifully. The story is pretty straightforward--poor, uneducated peasant finds monster pearl and now has everything previously denied to him within his grasp. Or does he?
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
Kino is happy despite his poverty and his low position on the social scale. He and the other natives in his village are under the control of the wealthy Spanish people who have taken up residence in the nicer part of town. The wealthy Spanish people live comfortably in their brick and plaster houses, exercising an iron control over the laws and economics of the town, while Kino and his ilk live in brush huts. Kino, however, is happily married to Juana, and they are both content in their relationship and with their beloved first-born son, Coyotito. The serpent enters their tropical Eden in the form of a scorpion that stings the baby--a possible death sentence. When the Spanish doctor refuses to treat him because of their poverty, Kino goes pearl-diving, laboring under tremendous emotional agony. He finds a large, obviously old oyster, and it yields a magnificent pearl--the pearl of the world. It is at this moment, when Fate drops a fortune into Kino's hands, that his real troubles begin.
Okay, so as we follow Kino through the increasing complexity of the problems that develop as a result of his ownership of this pearl, many issues are raised. What, exactly, is Steinbeck saying? The old adage, "Be careful what you wish for," comes to mind, and is certainly apropos. I have read that some see this as a critique of capitalism and the American Dream. Certainly Kino seems to have achieved the American Dream when that pearl drops into his hand. But that dream, his good fortune, is ruthlessly hunted and destroyed, piece by piece, by faceless individuals who could be anyone--his friends, his neighbors, or the greedy members of the wealthy community. So Steinbeck could be saying that the American Dream is a myth, that the system is stacked against those who need it the most. What about capitalism? Under the principles of capitalism, Kino should have been rewarded for bringing such a rare, desirable object into the marketplace. Instead, it is treated with contempt by those who should have been most interested in acquiring it. In reality, true capitalism was never really at play. There was no competition; the market was controlled by one person. So is Steinbeck saying that capitalism, too, is a myth? That human corruption will always interfere with the free and unimpeded flow of the marketplace?
Greed is condemned in all forms, and everyone seems to feel it. After the news of Kino's find circulates, various people all start calculating how his profits can personally affect them. The doctor belatedly hurries to the side of the baby, eager to charge exorbitant fees for his assistance; the priest begins to mull pressuring Kino to donate to the church for repairs; and even the town beggars begin to anticipate Kino's generosity to them. But is Kino guilty of greed, as well? Is he reaching for too much, demanding too much, of life? He is certainly punished for attempting to have more.
I teach my students that in order to determine the themes of a text, you look at what happens to the main characters. By any interpretation, the themes of this story are bleak. Either Kino allows the pearl to give him delusions of grandeur that cause him to attempt to fly too close to the sun, and, like Icarus, tumble to his doom, or Kino is an example of how a poor, uneducated person has no chance of prevailing against the system and bettering his life in any way. Not only will he not be permitted to move up, but he will be severely punished for the attempt.
I personally believe it is the latter theme that is best supported by the text, but I don't believe it is a true statement about the condition of the American Dream in our country today. While breaking free of poverty is difficult to do and is a complex issue, I do not believe that people attempting to do so are faced with certain defeat, as Kino was. There are people who accomplish it, so it is doable.
Steinbeck, like Charles Dickens, used his writing to fight fiercely for the rights of the poor and downtrodden, and I think that the enduring nature of their works is a testament to how very effective they were.
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
Kino is happy despite his poverty and his low position on the social scale. He and the other natives in his village are under the control of the wealthy Spanish people who have taken up residence in the nicer part of town. The wealthy Spanish people live comfortably in their brick and plaster houses, exercising an iron control over the laws and economics of the town, while Kino and his ilk live in brush huts. Kino, however, is happily married to Juana, and they are both content in their relationship and with their beloved first-born son, Coyotito. The serpent enters their tropical Eden in the form of a scorpion that stings the baby--a possible death sentence. When the Spanish doctor refuses to treat him because of their poverty, Kino goes pearl-diving, laboring under tremendous emotional agony. He finds a large, obviously old oyster, and it yields a magnificent pearl--the pearl of the world. It is at this moment, when Fate drops a fortune into Kino's hands, that his real troubles begin.
Okay, so as we follow Kino through the increasing complexity of the problems that develop as a result of his ownership of this pearl, many issues are raised. What, exactly, is Steinbeck saying? The old adage, "Be careful what you wish for," comes to mind, and is certainly apropos. I have read that some see this as a critique of capitalism and the American Dream. Certainly Kino seems to have achieved the American Dream when that pearl drops into his hand. But that dream, his good fortune, is ruthlessly hunted and destroyed, piece by piece, by faceless individuals who could be anyone--his friends, his neighbors, or the greedy members of the wealthy community. So Steinbeck could be saying that the American Dream is a myth, that the system is stacked against those who need it the most. What about capitalism? Under the principles of capitalism, Kino should have been rewarded for bringing such a rare, desirable object into the marketplace. Instead, it is treated with contempt by those who should have been most interested in acquiring it. In reality, true capitalism was never really at play. There was no competition; the market was controlled by one person. So is Steinbeck saying that capitalism, too, is a myth? That human corruption will always interfere with the free and unimpeded flow of the marketplace?
Greed is condemned in all forms, and everyone seems to feel it. After the news of Kino's find circulates, various people all start calculating how his profits can personally affect them. The doctor belatedly hurries to the side of the baby, eager to charge exorbitant fees for his assistance; the priest begins to mull pressuring Kino to donate to the church for repairs; and even the town beggars begin to anticipate Kino's generosity to them. But is Kino guilty of greed, as well? Is he reaching for too much, demanding too much, of life? He is certainly punished for attempting to have more.
I teach my students that in order to determine the themes of a text, you look at what happens to the main characters. By any interpretation, the themes of this story are bleak. Either Kino allows the pearl to give him delusions of grandeur that cause him to attempt to fly too close to the sun, and, like Icarus, tumble to his doom, or Kino is an example of how a poor, uneducated person has no chance of prevailing against the system and bettering his life in any way. Not only will he not be permitted to move up, but he will be severely punished for the attempt.
I personally believe it is the latter theme that is best supported by the text, but I don't believe it is a true statement about the condition of the American Dream in our country today. While breaking free of poverty is difficult to do and is a complex issue, I do not believe that people attempting to do so are faced with certain defeat, as Kino was. There are people who accomplish it, so it is doable.
Steinbeck, like Charles Dickens, used his writing to fight fiercely for the rights of the poor and downtrodden, and I think that the enduring nature of their works is a testament to how very effective they were.
January 5, 2023
賯丿 賳鬲賲賳賶 卮賷卅丕 賲丕 孬賲 賷賰賵賳 賮賷賴 丕賱卮乇 賰賱賴 廿匕丕 噩丕亍 賵 賴匕丕 賲丕 丨丿孬 賱賱賲丿毓賵 賰賷賳賵. 賱賯丿 鬲兀亘胤 卮乇丕. 賵 賰丕賳 賱鬲丨賯賯 兀賲賳賷鬲賴 賮賷 兀賳 賷噩丿 賱丐賱丐丞 囟禺賲丞 賱丕賲毓丞 兀孬乇丕 賲丿賲乇丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴 賵 丨賷丕丞 兀爻乇鬲賴 賵 賯乇賷鬲賴 亘丕賱賰丕賲賱. 亘丕賱胤亘毓 賱賷爻鬲 賰賱 兀賲賳賷丞 噩賲賷賱丞 鬲賳鬲賴賷 亘賳賴丕賷丞 爻賵丿丕亍 賵 賱賰賳 丕賱孬乇賵丞 丕賱賲賮丕噩卅丞 爻賵賮 鬲購丨丿孬 丨鬲賲丕 賳賯賱丕鬲 賰亘賷乇丞 賵 賱賰賳 賲賳 丕賱氐毓亘 兀賳 賳鬲賵賯毓 賮賷 兀賷 丕鬲噩丕賴 爻鬲賰賵賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賯賱丞.
兀丿乇賰 丕賱噩賷乇丕賳 丕賱丌賳 兀賳賴賲 賷卮賴丿賵賳 兀丨丿丕孬 賲毓噩夭丞 毓馗賷賲丞. 兀丿乇賰賵丕 兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賱丨馗丞 賯丿 兀氐亘丨鬲 鬲丕乇賷禺丕 賮賷 丨賷丕鬲賴賲. 賵 兀賳賴賲 爻賵賮 賷賰乇乇賵賳 乇賵丕賷鬲賴丕 賱爻賳賵丕鬲 毓丿賷丿丞 賯丕丿賲丞. 爻賵賮 賷毓賷丿賵賳 丕賱丨丿賷孬 賲乇丞 亘毓丿 兀禺乇賶 丨賵賱 賰锟斤拷賮 賰丕賳 賷賳馗乇 賰賷賳賵. 賵 賲丕匕丕 賯丕賱. 賵 賰賷賮 賱賲毓鬲 毓賷賳丕賴. 爻賵賮 賷賯賵賱賵賳 賱賯丿 鬲丨賵賱 廿賱賶 卮禺氐 丌禺乇. 亘毓囟 丕賱賯賵丞 兀鬲鬲賴. 賵 亘丿兀 鬲兀孬賷乇賴丕 賷馗賴乇 毓賱賷賴. 兀乇兀賷鬲 兀賷 乇噩賱 毓馗賷賲 賯丿 兀氐亘丨 毓賱賷賴 丨丕賱賴 丕賱丌賳. 賱賯丿 賰賳鬲 卮丕賴丿丕 毓賱賶 亘丿丕賷丞 賰賱 匕賱賰 亘賳賮爻賷.
賵 賱賵 兀賳 賰賱 賲丕 禺胤胤 賱賴 賰賷賳賵 賱賲 賷氐賱 亘賴 廿賱賶 卮賷亍. 賳賮爻 賴丐賱丕亍 丕賱噩賷乇丕賳 爻賵賮 賷賯賵賱賵賳: 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱賱丨馗丞 亘丿兀 丕賱兀賲乇. 丕賱丨賲丕賯丞 賵 丕賱噩賳賵賳 鬲丨賰賲丕 賮賷賴. 賮鬲丨丿孬 亘賰賱賲丕鬲 丨賲賯丕亍. 賮賱賷丨賮馗賳丕 丕賱乇亘 亘毓賷丿丕 毓賳 賲孬賱 賴匕賴 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍. 賳毓賲. 賱賯丿 毓丕賯亘 丕賱乇亘 賰賷賳賵. 賱兀賳賴 鬲賲乇丿 毓賱賶 丕賱胤乇賷賯丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻賷乇 亘賴丕 丕賱兀賲賵乇. 兀鬲乇賶 廿賱賶 賲丕 兀氐亘丨 毓賱賷賴 兀賲乇賴 丕賱丌賳. 賱賯丿 乇兀賷鬲 賰賱 賴匕丕 亘賳賮爻賷 賲賳 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞. 賰賳鬲 卮丕賴丿丕 毓賱賷賴 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲禺賱賶 丕賱賱賴 毓賳賴.
賷賯賵賱 噩賵賳 卮鬲丕賷賳亘賰: 賰丕賳 丕賱鬲兀孬賷乇 丕賱匕賷 兀丨丿孬鬲賴 賴匕賴 丕賱賱丐賱丐丞 賲孬賱 鬲兀孬賷乇 丕賱爻乇胤丕賳 賮賷 噩爻丿 丕賱賲乇賷囟. 賮賴賷 禺賱賯鬲 賳賵毓丕 賲賳 丕賱卮乇 丕賱兀爻賵丿 丕賱禺丕賱氐 丕賱匕賷 丨賮夭 睾丿丿 丕賱爻賲 賮賷 丕賱亘賱丿丞 賱賰賷 鬲亘丿兀 亘鬲氐賳賷毓 丕賱爻賲賵賲. 亘丨賷孬 鬲囟禺賲鬲 丕賱亘賱丿丞 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賵丕賳鬲賮禺鬲 賲孬賱 噩爻丿 丕賱賲乇賷囟 鬲丨鬲 鬲兀孬賷乇 賴匕賴 丕賱爻賲賵賲.
August 3, 2009
goodreads david writes this: I'm convinced that the general besmirchers of Steinbeck are fucktards, asswads, and vibrating pustules.
it's nice as a reader (bad, i guess, as a reviewer) when a writer achieves can-do-no-wrong status. reading steinbeck i feel less distance between the writer -> his words -> myself than with nearly any other writer. his prose stylings can't touch his contemporaries, his structure and pacing can be sloppy, he's sentimental, preachy, overly didactic, and his themes arrive with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the kneecaps.
but who gives a shit? i'm not grading a paper. he gets an A+ and a gold star at the top of his paper for cannery row, possibly the most complete and interesting fictional world i've encountered; travels with charley, my all-time favorite travelogue; and grapes of wrath, a flawed but incredibly moving masterpiece.
and the pearl... a clumsy and sweet fable, overwrought and obvious -- definitely a lesser work. but it's steinbeck writing and he's filled with such love for mankind, wonder at nature, and joy at the strange eccentric and eclectic that, even if upon reading the remainder of his writings i find the literary equivalent of sex with goodreads david... steinbeck remains untouchable.
it's nice as a reader (bad, i guess, as a reviewer) when a writer achieves can-do-no-wrong status. reading steinbeck i feel less distance between the writer -> his words -> myself than with nearly any other writer. his prose stylings can't touch his contemporaries, his structure and pacing can be sloppy, he's sentimental, preachy, overly didactic, and his themes arrive with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the kneecaps.
but who gives a shit? i'm not grading a paper. he gets an A+ and a gold star at the top of his paper for cannery row, possibly the most complete and interesting fictional world i've encountered; travels with charley, my all-time favorite travelogue; and grapes of wrath, a flawed but incredibly moving masterpiece.
and the pearl... a clumsy and sweet fable, overwrought and obvious -- definitely a lesser work. but it's steinbeck writing and he's filled with such love for mankind, wonder at nature, and joy at the strange eccentric and eclectic that, even if upon reading the remainder of his writings i find the literary equivalent of sex with goodreads david... steinbeck remains untouchable.
May 20, 2017
賲賳 丕乇賵毓 賲丕 賮乇兀鬲 貙 賴賱 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賱丐賱丐丞 鬲丨賲賱 丕睾賳賷丞 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賰賲丕 毓亘乇 毓賳賴丕 丕賱賲丐賱賮.
丕賱賮賯賷乇貙 丕賱氐賷丕丿 丕賱亘丕丨孬 毓賳 丕賱丌賱賷亍 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷賲賱賰 毓賱丕噩 丕亘賳賴 賷毓孬乇 毓賱賶 賱丐賱丐丞 賵噩丿 賮賷賴丕 賮乇氐鬲賴 賵賮乇氐丞 丕亘賳賴 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 丨乇賷賲賴 賵兀賴賲賴丕 丕賱鬲毓賱賷賲 賵廿毓賱丕賳 夭賵丕噩賴 賮賷 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞.
賮噩兀丞 夭丕乇賴 丕賱賯爻 賵丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱匕賷 乇賮囟 毓賱丕噩 丕亘賳賴 鬲睾賷乇鬲 賳馗乇丞 丕賱賳丕爻 賱賴 .
賵兀賰賳賴 賲賳 丕賱賴賳賵丿 爻賰丕賳 丕賱賲賰爻賷賰 丕賱兀氐賱賷賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賲賳匕 伽贍贍 毓丕賲丕 鬲毓賵丿賵丕 毓賱賶 丕賱胤丕毓賴 賮賴匕丕 賴賵 賳馗丕賲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵鬲丌賲乇賵丕 毓賱賷賴 亘爻毓乇 丕賱賱丐賱丐丞 賵賱賰賳賴 鬲賲乇丿 賵兀毓賱賳 賴丿賲 丕賱胤丕毓賴.
兀乇丕丿 丕賳 賷鬲卮亘孬 亘丨賯賰 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賰乇賷賲丞 貙 乇睾賲 賲丨丕賵賱丞 夭賵噩鬲賴 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳賴丕 亘毓丿 賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 賱爻乇賯鬲賴丕 賵丿賮丕毓 賲爻鬲賲賷鬲 賲賳 夭賵噩賴丕.
氐乇丕毓 丕賳爻丕賳賷 丿丕禺賱賷 毓賲賷賯 亘賷賳 丕賱鬲胤賱毓 賱賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 丕賱睾丕賲囟 丕賵 丕賱乇囟賶 賵丕賱賯賳丕毓丞 亘丨賷丕鬲賴 丕賱亘爻賷胤丞.
賲丕 毓噩亘賳賷 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮 賷賯賵賲 亘賵氐賮 丿賯賷賯 賱賱兀賲丕賰賳 賵丕賱噩賵 丕賱爻丕卅丿 賰廿賳賴 賷毓丿 賲爻乇丨丕 賵毓賱賷賰 丕賱丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賱鬲卮丕賴丿 丕賱丨丿孬 丕賱賰亘賷乇
丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳賴丕 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賰孬乇 賲賳 佶 賳噩賲丕鬲.
丕賱賮賯賷乇貙 丕賱氐賷丕丿 丕賱亘丕丨孬 毓賳 丕賱丌賱賷亍 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷賲賱賰 毓賱丕噩 丕亘賳賴 賷毓孬乇 毓賱賶 賱丐賱丐丞 賵噩丿 賮賷賴丕 賮乇氐鬲賴 賵賮乇氐丞 丕亘賳賴 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 丨乇賷賲賴 賵兀賴賲賴丕 丕賱鬲毓賱賷賲 賵廿毓賱丕賳 夭賵丕噩賴 賮賷 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞.
賮噩兀丞 夭丕乇賴 丕賱賯爻 賵丕賱胤亘賷亘 丕賱匕賷 乇賮囟 毓賱丕噩 丕亘賳賴 鬲睾賷乇鬲 賳馗乇丞 丕賱賳丕爻 賱賴 .
賵兀賰賳賴 賲賳 丕賱賴賳賵丿 爻賰丕賳 丕賱賲賰爻賷賰 丕賱兀氐賱賷賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賲賳匕 伽贍贍 毓丕賲丕 鬲毓賵丿賵丕 毓賱賶 丕賱胤丕毓賴 賮賴匕丕 賴賵 賳馗丕賲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵鬲丌賲乇賵丕 毓賱賷賴 亘爻毓乇 丕賱賱丐賱丐丞 賵賱賰賳賴 鬲賲乇丿 賵兀毓賱賳 賴丿賲 丕賱胤丕毓賴.
兀乇丕丿 丕賳 賷鬲卮亘孬 亘丨賯賰 賮賷 丨賷丕丞 賰乇賷賲丞 貙 乇睾賲 賲丨丕賵賱丞 夭賵噩鬲賴 丕賱鬲禺賱氐 賲賳賴丕 亘毓丿 賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 賱爻乇賯鬲賴丕 賵丿賮丕毓 賲爻鬲賲賷鬲 賲賳 夭賵噩賴丕.
氐乇丕毓 丕賳爻丕賳賷 丿丕禺賱賷 毓賲賷賯 亘賷賳 丕賱鬲胤賱毓 賱賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 丕賱睾丕賲囟 丕賵 丕賱乇囟賶 賵丕賱賯賳丕毓丞 亘丨賷丕鬲賴 丕賱亘爻賷胤丞.
賲丕 毓噩亘賳賷 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮 賷賯賵賲 亘賵氐賮 丿賯賷賯 賱賱兀賲丕賰賳 賵丕賱噩賵 丕賱爻丕卅丿 賰廿賳賴 賷毓丿 賲爻乇丨丕 賵毓賱賷賰 丕賱丕賳鬲馗丕乇 賱鬲卮丕賴丿 丕賱丨丿孬 丕賱賰亘賷乇
丕毓鬲賯丿 丕賳賴丕 鬲爻鬲丨賯 丕賰孬乇 賲賳 佶 賳噩賲丕鬲.
October 22, 2017
鈥淭hey had made songs to the fishes, to the sea in anger and to the sea in calm, to the light and the dark and the sun and the moon, and the songs were all in Kino and in his people 鈥� every song that had ever been made, even the ones forgotten.鈥�
Can you hear it?
A melody shrouded in ancestral mystery can be heard amidst the roaring waves lapping at the shores of this pulsating narration. Summoning songs of despair and songs of hope, soothing lullabies and wrathful incantations, this folkloric tale unfolds between oscillating paeans to love and hate, repression and freedom, good and evil and ponders about the thin line separating the power of dreams from blinding ambition.
The ritualistic tradition of simply drawn characters and linear storytelling becomes even more distinctive in this novelette, in which Steinbeck鈥檚 unpretentious lyricism blends with the gist of thought and spirit.
A pearl of unparalleled beauty disrupts the life of a humble fisherman and his family and leads them to a fatal outcome following the style of classical tragedies. The impossibility of defeating fatum, that adverse destiny that enslaves mankind with the manacles of greed and pride and nurtures self-destruction is the beguiling voice and true protagonist of the story.
On this occasion, lethal music embodies what is common in John Steinbeck鈥檚 books: a criticism of social injustices, a history built on rulers and subjugated, abuse and spoliation, illusion and treachery.
But the dominating melody of the author鈥檚 outspoken nonconformity is not what stayed with me after I turned the last page of this slim volume. For it is in the nacreous surface, in the seductive roundness of the pearl where the real dilemma arises.
Is purity of beauty more deadly than the venom of a scorpion?
Is man unworthy of divine exquisiteness?
Can you hear the echo of deception that hides behind the mask of flawless perfection?
Steinbeck did. And so he wrote a song to exorcise mankind鈥檚 despair after realizing he can鈥檛 capture the beauty of the world neither with melodies nor with poetry. It is only the reflection of his own shadows that he is after.
鈥淚f this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it.鈥�
One can only hope for fleeting moments of bliss when the vertiginous currents of poetry wash away the mediocrity of existence and cruelty is smothered with tenderness and the song of doom is interrupted by the purity of silence.
Can you hear it?
Steinbeck could.
Can you hear it?
A melody shrouded in ancestral mystery can be heard amidst the roaring waves lapping at the shores of this pulsating narration. Summoning songs of despair and songs of hope, soothing lullabies and wrathful incantations, this folkloric tale unfolds between oscillating paeans to love and hate, repression and freedom, good and evil and ponders about the thin line separating the power of dreams from blinding ambition.
The ritualistic tradition of simply drawn characters and linear storytelling becomes even more distinctive in this novelette, in which Steinbeck鈥檚 unpretentious lyricism blends with the gist of thought and spirit.
A pearl of unparalleled beauty disrupts the life of a humble fisherman and his family and leads them to a fatal outcome following the style of classical tragedies. The impossibility of defeating fatum, that adverse destiny that enslaves mankind with the manacles of greed and pride and nurtures self-destruction is the beguiling voice and true protagonist of the story.
On this occasion, lethal music embodies what is common in John Steinbeck鈥檚 books: a criticism of social injustices, a history built on rulers and subjugated, abuse and spoliation, illusion and treachery.
But the dominating melody of the author鈥檚 outspoken nonconformity is not what stayed with me after I turned the last page of this slim volume. For it is in the nacreous surface, in the seductive roundness of the pearl where the real dilemma arises.
Is purity of beauty more deadly than the venom of a scorpion?
Is man unworthy of divine exquisiteness?
Can you hear the echo of deception that hides behind the mask of flawless perfection?
Steinbeck did. And so he wrote a song to exorcise mankind鈥檚 despair after realizing he can鈥檛 capture the beauty of the world neither with melodies nor with poetry. It is only the reflection of his own shadows that he is after.
鈥淚f this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it.鈥�
One can only hope for fleeting moments of bliss when the vertiginous currents of poetry wash away the mediocrity of existence and cruelty is smothered with tenderness and the song of doom is interrupted by the purity of silence.
Can you hear it?
Steinbeck could.
March 14, 2020
There are a few novels I consider perfect and The Pearl is one of them. Steinbeck鈥檚 parable is a complex symbolic story told in simple poetic language. The symbolism is built up layer by layer, like an oyster coating a grain of sand, and the result is a flawless tale, smooth and clear, like the Pearl of the World.
This is the story of the dawn of consciousness: The story human beings have been telling themselves since human beings started telling stories. The story of us, what we are, and how we came to be. The perennial story. Steinbeck tells it as well as the best of them.
The Pearl is fable as poetry, fable as philosophy, like the story of Genesis, like creation stories the world over, a fable that tells every story from Adam and Gilgamesh and Achilles to the Greatest Story Ever Told, the story we need to save us ~ if we will allow ourselves to be saved, to spit out the fruit, to give up the God-likeness that makes the origin story necessary in the first place.
In the beginning, there is peace. La Paz. The little family lives in harmony with nature. Kino wakes up in the morning and hears the song of the family. He looks at the world around him. The crowing rooster. The rooting pigs. The waves lapping on the shore. The dog curled up at his feet. 鈥�It was very good鈥� (1).
鈥�And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good鈥� (Genesis 1:31).
In his primitive idyll, Kino is both animal and God. Both less than human and more than human. He lives in an eternal present, like an animal, like God. He is whole. He has no ego. Consciousness has not yet emerged in Kino. He is not yet 鈥渇allen.鈥� The songs that he hears are the nonlinear and nonverbal impressions that prefigure thought. Steinbeck鈥檚 prelapsarian man is Julian Jaynes鈥� bicameral man.
In this preconscious paradise, Kino observes and understands without turning everything into a narrative. After his awakening, after consciousness dawns, he starts to tell himself a story: Coyotito will go to school. He and Juana will marry in the church. This story replaces his music. Thus begins the fall.
Kino says each thing out loud and by doing so, he makes it real. For as all primitive people know, words are magical.
鈥�And suddenly he was afraid of his talking鈥� (26).
Kino is right to be afraid. He is already losing his 鈥�deep participation with all things鈥� (55). The familiar sound of crickets, tree frogs, and toads has become a song of evil. He sees only his story now. He doesn鈥檛 even see the dog at his feet. He is alone, like Jaynes鈥� bicameral man when the voices of the gods were gone. And with the dawn of consciousness comes the expulsion from paradise. Kino and Juana 鈥�went out into the world鈥� (68).
Kino tries to return to animal innocence, but it is too late. There is no going back. He removes his clothing, replacing his white shirt with his brown skin, but to no avail. The apple cannot be unbitten. Man and consciousness are now joined as are Kino and his pearl.
The only way out is through.
Consciousness has overreached itself. God is dead and his absence, deus absconditus, is the fatal flaw (the Achilles鈥� heel) of consciousness. It is time to go under ~ like Nietzsche鈥檚 Zarathustra. To go under ~ into Freud鈥檚 oceanic feeling. Maybe microdose the water supply. To go under and live as the rest of creation lives. Not without reason. Athens had reason. Not without faith. Israel had faith. But without discontent (to use Freud鈥檚 word).
All language began as poetry and all language must resolve into poetry. Pure symbolism. Blake understood this. Novalis understood this. I think Steinbeck understood this too.
This is the story of the dawn of consciousness: The story human beings have been telling themselves since human beings started telling stories. The story of us, what we are, and how we came to be. The perennial story. Steinbeck tells it as well as the best of them.
The Pearl is fable as poetry, fable as philosophy, like the story of Genesis, like creation stories the world over, a fable that tells every story from Adam and Gilgamesh and Achilles to the Greatest Story Ever Told, the story we need to save us ~ if we will allow ourselves to be saved, to spit out the fruit, to give up the God-likeness that makes the origin story necessary in the first place.
In the beginning, there is peace. La Paz. The little family lives in harmony with nature. Kino wakes up in the morning and hears the song of the family. He looks at the world around him. The crowing rooster. The rooting pigs. The waves lapping on the shore. The dog curled up at his feet. 鈥�It was very good鈥� (1).
鈥�And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good鈥� (Genesis 1:31).
In his primitive idyll, Kino is both animal and God. Both less than human and more than human. He lives in an eternal present, like an animal, like God. He is whole. He has no ego. Consciousness has not yet emerged in Kino. He is not yet 鈥渇allen.鈥� The songs that he hears are the nonlinear and nonverbal impressions that prefigure thought. Steinbeck鈥檚 prelapsarian man is Julian Jaynes鈥� bicameral man.
In this preconscious paradise, Kino observes and understands without turning everything into a narrative. After his awakening, after consciousness dawns, he starts to tell himself a story: Coyotito will go to school. He and Juana will marry in the church. This story replaces his music. Thus begins the fall.
Kino says each thing out loud and by doing so, he makes it real. For as all primitive people know, words are magical.
鈥�And suddenly he was afraid of his talking鈥� (26).
Kino is right to be afraid. He is already losing his 鈥�deep participation with all things鈥� (55). The familiar sound of crickets, tree frogs, and toads has become a song of evil. He sees only his story now. He doesn鈥檛 even see the dog at his feet. He is alone, like Jaynes鈥� bicameral man when the voices of the gods were gone. And with the dawn of consciousness comes the expulsion from paradise. Kino and Juana 鈥�went out into the world鈥� (68).
Kino tries to return to animal innocence, but it is too late. There is no going back. He removes his clothing, replacing his white shirt with his brown skin, but to no avail. The apple cannot be unbitten. Man and consciousness are now joined as are Kino and his pearl.
The only way out is through.
Consciousness has overreached itself. God is dead and his absence, deus absconditus, is the fatal flaw (the Achilles鈥� heel) of consciousness. It is time to go under ~ like Nietzsche鈥檚 Zarathustra. To go under ~ into Freud鈥檚 oceanic feeling. Maybe microdose the water supply. To go under and live as the rest of creation lives. Not without reason. Athens had reason. Not without faith. Israel had faith. But without discontent (to use Freud鈥檚 word).
All language began as poetry and all language must resolve into poetry. Pure symbolism. Blake understood this. Novalis understood this. I think Steinbeck understood this too.
January 15, 2023
鈥淚t is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want something more.鈥�
The Pearl is a moral allegory in narrative form; it is a revealing and instructional tale. At its very core, the novel establishes that wealth (in the form of a pearl) is not the answer to all our problems. In fact, it can create many more problems than it solves.
When Kino finds the treasure, he dreams of the opportunities it can bring him. He wants to get married in a big fancy church and he wants to send his son to school. However, when he attempts to sell it, he finds himself cheated by merchants (who see him as a dumb uneducated animal) and the object of envy from his neighbors. He finds himself in a dangerous situation as he is targeted by thieves and those who would do him, and his family, harm just to get their hands on the pearl. Kino becomes obsessed with protecting it and protecting the dreams he thinks it can realize.
Set against a backdrop of racial prejudice and a disparity of wealth and opportunity, the short work depicts the rural Mexican experience in the face of a modernizing world. Kino has more decency and respect for others, but often finds himself treated as lesser. He has better values, though for all his good intentions, he doesn鈥檛 quite grasp the opportunistic nature of the world. Human greed and materialism are virtues many live by. The Pearl works towards establishing how dangerous and foolish such virtues are.
Overall, it is a very good novel with a powerful central motif. It is, however, somewhat vanilla, and unemotional in its narrative power. The story falls just short of greatness as it fails to capture the intensity of the human experience with its bland diction and expression. The characters don鈥檛 really drive the story forward, the pearl does, and because of the brevity of the work they never really establish themselves or develop (until the reversal at the end.)
Moreover, the novel lacks a certain sense of drive and plot. Compared to the complexities of The Grapes of Wrath it鈥檚 a bit of a basic story. Indeed, the characters from of Of Mice and Men are well crafted and deeply flawed individuals by comparison. The ones here don鈥檛 quite have chance to shine. For me, this is very much a weak novel by a great writer who has done much better. It鈥檚 certainly worth a read, but I feel it could be a much better price of writing.
___________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via .
__________________________________
The Pearl is a moral allegory in narrative form; it is a revealing and instructional tale. At its very core, the novel establishes that wealth (in the form of a pearl) is not the answer to all our problems. In fact, it can create many more problems than it solves.
When Kino finds the treasure, he dreams of the opportunities it can bring him. He wants to get married in a big fancy church and he wants to send his son to school. However, when he attempts to sell it, he finds himself cheated by merchants (who see him as a dumb uneducated animal) and the object of envy from his neighbors. He finds himself in a dangerous situation as he is targeted by thieves and those who would do him, and his family, harm just to get their hands on the pearl. Kino becomes obsessed with protecting it and protecting the dreams he thinks it can realize.
Set against a backdrop of racial prejudice and a disparity of wealth and opportunity, the short work depicts the rural Mexican experience in the face of a modernizing world. Kino has more decency and respect for others, but often finds himself treated as lesser. He has better values, though for all his good intentions, he doesn鈥檛 quite grasp the opportunistic nature of the world. Human greed and materialism are virtues many live by. The Pearl works towards establishing how dangerous and foolish such virtues are.
Overall, it is a very good novel with a powerful central motif. It is, however, somewhat vanilla, and unemotional in its narrative power. The story falls just short of greatness as it fails to capture the intensity of the human experience with its bland diction and expression. The characters don鈥檛 really drive the story forward, the pearl does, and because of the brevity of the work they never really establish themselves or develop (until the reversal at the end.)
Moreover, the novel lacks a certain sense of drive and plot. Compared to the complexities of The Grapes of Wrath it鈥檚 a bit of a basic story. Indeed, the characters from of Of Mice and Men are well crafted and deeply flawed individuals by comparison. The ones here don鈥檛 quite have chance to shine. For me, this is very much a weak novel by a great writer who has done much better. It鈥檚 certainly worth a read, but I feel it could be a much better price of writing.
___________________________________
You can connect with me on social media via .
__________________________________
February 12, 2018
丕賱賱丐賱丐賱丞 .. 乇丕卅毓丞 卮鬲丕賷賳亘丕賰 .
賵賮噩兀丞 .. 丕賱丌賳 亘賷賳 賷丿賷賰 丕賱賵爻賷賱丞 賱鬲丨賯賷賯 丨賱賲賰貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 兀賳鬲 丕賱丌賳 鬲賳馗乇 亘毓賷賳賷賳 夭丕卅睾鬲賷賳貙 鬲賳馗乇 廿賱賶 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵賴賵 賷禺鬲賱胤 亘丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱貙 賲丕 賰丕賳 丨賱賲丕 爻賷氐賷乇 丨賯賷賯丞貙 鬲夭丿丨賲 丿丕禺賱賰 丕賱禺賵丕胤乇 賮鬲毓亘乇 丕賱兀賲賳賷丕鬲 賲賳 丕賱賲丕囟賷 廿賱賶 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 賵鬲禺鬲賱胤 賵鬲鬲丿丕禺賱 賮賷睾丿賵丕 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵賴賲丕 賰兀賳賾賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賵賷睾丿賵丕 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 丨賯賷賯丞 賰兀賳賾賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲賳 賯亘賱 乇爻賲丕 毓賱賶 禺賷丕賱貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 亘賷賳 賷丿賷賰 丕賱丌賳 鬲匕賰乇丞 鬲賯賱賾賰 賲賳 賵廿賱賶 .. 賲賳 丨丕賱丞 廿賱賶 丨丕賱丞 .. 賲賳 賵囟毓賷丞 廿賱賶 賵囟毓賷丞 .. 賲賳 馗乇賮 廿賱賶 馗乇賮 .. 賲賳 賮賯乇 廿賱賶 睾賳賶 .. 賲賳 卮賯丕亍 廿賱賶 乇丕丨丞 .. 賲賳 丨賱賲 廿賱賶 賵丕賯毓 賲爻鬲賯亘賱賷 賲亘賳賷 毓賱賶 賲毓胤賷丕鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱丨賱賲貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 鬲鬲匕賰乇 兀賳賾 丕賱兀毓賷賳 賰賱賾賴丕 爻鬲氐賵亘 賳丨賵賰貙 賵兀賳賾賰 賱賳 鬲賰賵賳 匕賱賰 丕賱賳賰乇丞 丕賱匕賷 賰賳鬲賴 賲賳 賯亘賱貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 爻鬲毓乇賮 兀賳 亘丕亘 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賯丿 丕賳賮鬲丨 丕鬲噩丕賴賰貙 賵兀賳 丕賱丨爻丿貙 賵丕賱丨賯丿貙 賵丕賱廿爻鬲睾賱丕賱 爻鬲賰賵賳 兀亘乇夭 賲賱丕賲丨 賴匕丕 丕賱亘丕亘 丕賱賲賮鬲賵丨 .. 賮賴賱 爻鬲賯丕鬲賱 丨鬲賶 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 責 賵賴賱 爻鬲鬲丨賲賱 賵鬲鬲賲乇丿 毓賱賶 賰丕賮丞 丕賱鬲賯丕賱賷丿 賵鬲賳丕囟賱 賲賳 兀噩賱 匕賱賰 責 賵廿賱賶 兀賷 賲丿賶 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱氐賲賵丿 賵爻胤 毓賵丕氐賮 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賲乇毓丿丞 責 ... 賴匕賴 賴賷 賯氐丞 丕賱賱丐賱丐賱丞.
兀丨亘 賴匕丕 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賯氐氐貙 丕賱賯氐氐 丕賱亘爻賷胤丞貙 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞貙 丕賱睾乇賷亘丞貙 賵丕賱噩匕丕亘丞 噩丿丕 .. 賵賱賰賳 賲丕 毓卮賯鬲賴 賴賳丕 氐乇丕丨丞 賴賵 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘貙 匕賱賰 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘 丕賱匕賷 丕賰鬲卮賮鬲賴 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丞 " 氐賵乇丞 丿賵乇賷丕賳 睾乇丕賷 " 賱賱賲卮丕賰爻 兀賵爻賰丕乇 賵丕賷賱丿貙 賵氐丕丿賮鬲賴 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賱賲胤賵賱丞貙 匕賱賰 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘 丕賱匕賾賷 賷噩賲毓 亘賷賳 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱毓賲賯 賵丕賱賵氐賮貙 賮賯乇丕鬲 氐毓亘丞 亘丨賵丕乇丕鬲 賰孬賷賮丞 賵兀丨丿丕孬 賲孬賷乇丞 鬲毓氐乇 毓賯賱 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賵鬲噩毓賱賴 賲乇賰夭丕貙 賮丕鬲丨丕 毓賷賳賷賴 賲丨賲賱賯丕 賵賲亘丨賱賯丕 賮賷 丕賱噩賲賱貙 賲毓賷丿丕 賯乇丕亍丞 亘毓囟 丕賱毓亘丕乇丕鬲貙 賷鬲賵睾賱 賵賷睾賵氐 賮賷 丕賱賲毓丕賳賷貙 賷丨丕賵賱 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱兀爻胤乇 賵賲丕 亘賷賳 丕賱兀爻胤乇 賵賲丕 鬲丨鬲 丕賱兀爻胤乇貙 賵鬲鬲賱賵丕 賴匕賴 丕賱賮賯乇丕鬲 丕賱毓氐賷亘丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 賵丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賮賯乇丕鬲 爻丕丨乇丞 賲賳 丕賱賵氐賮 丕賱亘丿賷毓 賵丕賱爻丕丨乇貙 賰兀賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賷禺丕胤亘 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賮賷賯賵賱 賱賴: " 丕乇鬲丕丨 賯賱賷賱丕 賵鬲禺賷賱 賰孬賷乇丕. " 賮鬲毓賵丿 丕賱毓乇賵賯 丕賱賳丕賮乇丞 毓賱賶 丕賱噩亘丕賴 廿賱賶 胤亘賷毓鬲賴丕貙 賵鬲乇鬲爻賲 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賷賵賳 賳馗乇丞 丕賱廿乇鬲賷丕丨貙 賵賷鬲丨賵賱 丿丕禺賱 丕賱賯丕乇卅 廿賱賶 噩賵 賷卮亘賴 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲賱賵丕 丕賱毓賵丕氐賮 賲賳 賴丿賵亍 賵爻賰賷賳丞貙 賵賷爻乇丨 丕賱禺賷丕賱 賮賷 丕賱賵氐賮 .. 賵賴賰匕丕 丿賵丕賱賷賰貙 鬲鬲賵丕賱賶 丕賱賮賯乇丕鬲 賲丕 亘賷賳 毓賲賯 賵賵氐賮貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 鬲卮丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賵鬲噩匕亘賴貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲丿 賵丕賱噩夭乇貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱毓賯賱 賵丕賱賯賱亘貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲賳胤賯 賵丕賱毓賵丕胤賮 ..
賯氐丞 賯氐賷乇丞 乇丕卅毓丞 賵爻丕丨乇丞 兀乇卮丨賴丕 賱賰賱 卮禺氐 賱賲 賷賯乇兀 賯氐丞 兀賵 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳匕 賵賯鬲 胤賵賷賱貙 賵兀乇卮丨賴丕 兀賷囟丕 賱賲丨亘賾賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘.
賵賮噩兀丞 .. 丕賱丌賳 亘賷賳 賷丿賷賰 丕賱賵爻賷賱丞 賱鬲丨賯賷賯 丨賱賲賰貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 兀賳鬲 丕賱丌賳 鬲賳馗乇 亘毓賷賳賷賳 夭丕卅睾鬲賷賳貙 鬲賳馗乇 廿賱賶 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵賴賵 賷禺鬲賱胤 亘丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱貙 賲丕 賰丕賳 丨賱賲丕 爻賷氐賷乇 丨賯賷賯丞貙 鬲夭丿丨賲 丿丕禺賱賰 丕賱禺賵丕胤乇 賮鬲毓亘乇 丕賱兀賲賳賷丕鬲 賲賳 丕賱賲丕囟賷 廿賱賶 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 賵鬲禺鬲賱胤 賵鬲鬲丿丕禺賱 賮賷睾丿賵丕 丕賱賲丕囟賷 賵賴賲丕 賰兀賳賾賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賵賷睾丿賵丕 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱 丨賯賷賯丞 賰兀賳賾賴 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲賳 賯亘賱 乇爻賲丕 毓賱賶 禺賷丕賱貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 亘賷賳 賷丿賷賰 丕賱丌賳 鬲匕賰乇丞 鬲賯賱賾賰 賲賳 賵廿賱賶 .. 賲賳 丨丕賱丞 廿賱賶 丨丕賱丞 .. 賲賳 賵囟毓賷丞 廿賱賶 賵囟毓賷丞 .. 賲賳 馗乇賮 廿賱賶 馗乇賮 .. 賲賳 賮賯乇 廿賱賶 睾賳賶 .. 賲賳 卮賯丕亍 廿賱賶 乇丕丨丞 .. 賲賳 丨賱賲 廿賱賶 賵丕賯毓 賲爻鬲賯亘賱賷 賲亘賳賷 毓賱賶 賲毓胤賷丕鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱丨賱賲貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 鬲鬲匕賰乇 兀賳賾 丕賱兀毓賷賳 賰賱賾賴丕 爻鬲氐賵亘 賳丨賵賰貙 賵兀賳賾賰 賱賳 鬲賰賵賳 匕賱賰 丕賱賳賰乇丞 丕賱匕賷 賰賳鬲賴 賲賳 賯亘賱貙 賵賮噩兀丞 .. 爻鬲毓乇賮 兀賳 亘丕亘 丕賱卮賷胤丕賳 賯丿 丕賳賮鬲丨 丕鬲噩丕賴賰貙 賵兀賳 丕賱丨爻丿貙 賵丕賱丨賯丿貙 賵丕賱廿爻鬲睾賱丕賱 爻鬲賰賵賳 兀亘乇夭 賲賱丕賲丨 賴匕丕 丕賱亘丕亘 丕賱賲賮鬲賵丨 .. 賮賴賱 爻鬲賯丕鬲賱 丨鬲賶 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 責 賵賴賱 爻鬲鬲丨賲賱 賵鬲鬲賲乇丿 毓賱賶 賰丕賮丞 丕賱鬲賯丕賱賷丿 賵鬲賳丕囟賱 賲賳 兀噩賱 匕賱賰 責 賵廿賱賶 兀賷 賲丿賶 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕賱氐賲賵丿 賵爻胤 毓賵丕氐賮 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賲乇毓丿丞 責 ... 賴匕賴 賴賷 賯氐丞 丕賱賱丐賱丐賱丞.
兀丨亘 賴匕丕 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賯氐氐貙 丕賱賯氐氐 丕賱亘爻賷胤丞貙 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞貙 丕賱睾乇賷亘丞貙 賵丕賱噩匕丕亘丞 噩丿丕 .. 賵賱賰賳 賲丕 毓卮賯鬲賴 賴賳丕 氐乇丕丨丞 賴賵 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘貙 匕賱賰 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘 丕賱匕賷 丕賰鬲卮賮鬲賴 賮賷 乇賵丕賷丞 " 氐賵乇丞 丿賵乇賷丕賳 睾乇丕賷 " 賱賱賲卮丕賰爻 兀賵爻賰丕乇 賵丕賷賱丿貙 賵氐丕丿賮鬲賴 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞 丕賱賲胤賵賱丞貙 匕賱賰 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘 丕賱匕賾賷 賷噩賲毓 亘賷賳 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱毓賲賯 賵丕賱賵氐賮貙 賮賯乇丕鬲 氐毓亘丞 亘丨賵丕乇丕鬲 賰孬賷賮丞 賵兀丨丿丕孬 賲孬賷乇丞 鬲毓氐乇 毓賯賱 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賵鬲噩毓賱賴 賲乇賰夭丕貙 賮丕鬲丨丕 毓賷賳賷賴 賲丨賲賱賯丕 賵賲亘丨賱賯丕 賮賷 丕賱噩賲賱貙 賲毓賷丿丕 賯乇丕亍丞 亘毓囟 丕賱毓亘丕乇丕鬲貙 賷鬲賵睾賱 賵賷睾賵氐 賮賷 丕賱賲毓丕賳賷貙 賷丨丕賵賱 賯乇丕亍丞 丕賱兀爻胤乇 賵賲丕 亘賷賳 丕賱兀爻胤乇 賵賲丕 鬲丨鬲 丕賱兀爻胤乇貙 賵鬲鬲賱賵丕 賴匕賴 丕賱賮賯乇丕鬲 丕賱毓氐賷亘丞 丕賱乇丕卅毓丞 賵丕賱噩賲賷賱丞 賮賯乇丕鬲 爻丕丨乇丞 賲賳 丕賱賵氐賮 丕賱亘丿賷毓 賵丕賱爻丕丨乇貙 賰兀賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賷禺丕胤亘 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賮賷賯賵賱 賱賴: " 丕乇鬲丕丨 賯賱賷賱丕 賵鬲禺賷賱 賰孬賷乇丕. " 賮鬲毓賵丿 丕賱毓乇賵賯 丕賱賳丕賮乇丞 毓賱賶 丕賱噩亘丕賴 廿賱賶 胤亘賷毓鬲賴丕貙 賵鬲乇鬲爻賲 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賷賵賳 賳馗乇丞 丕賱廿乇鬲賷丕丨貙 賵賷鬲丨賵賱 丿丕禺賱 丕賱賯丕乇卅 廿賱賶 噩賵 賷卮亘賴 丕賱兀噩賵丕亍 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲賱賵丕 丕賱毓賵丕氐賮 賲賳 賴丿賵亍 賵爻賰賷賳丞貙 賵賷爻乇丨 丕賱禺賷丕賱 賮賷 丕賱賵氐賮 .. 賵賴賰匕丕 丿賵丕賱賷賰貙 鬲鬲賵丕賱賶 丕賱賮賯乇丕鬲 賲丕 亘賷賳 毓賲賯 賵賵氐賮貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 鬲卮丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賵鬲噩匕亘賴貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲丿 賵丕賱噩夭乇貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱毓賯賱 賵丕賱賯賱亘貙 孬賳丕卅賷丞 丕賱賲賳胤賯 賵丕賱毓賵丕胤賮 ..
賯氐丞 賯氐賷乇丞 乇丕卅毓丞 賵爻丕丨乇丞 兀乇卮丨賴丕 賱賰賱 卮禺氐 賱賲 賷賯乇兀 賯氐丞 兀賵 乇賵丕賷丞 賲賳匕 賵賯鬲 胤賵賷賱貙 賵兀乇卮丨賴丕 兀賷囟丕 賱賲丨亘賾賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱兀爻賱賵亘.
February 22, 2023
The great parable (and tragedy) of our time.
July 3, 2009
Poor pearl diver in South America finds giant-ass pearl, decides to sell it and use the money to buy medicine for his baby, who just got bitten by a scorpion. The mierda hits the fan, people die, everything generally goes to hell in a handbasket, and it all happens in about the space of time it took you to read this review.
Verdict: meh.
Read for: 10th grade English
Verdict: meh.
Read for: 10th grade English
May 12, 2023
乇賲丕賳賶 賰賵鬲丕賴 (亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 丕賶 禺賵亘 丕夭 噩賳丕亘 爻乇賵卮 丨亘賷亘賶)賵 賲孬賱 丿賷诏乇 丌孬丕乇 噩丕賳 丕卮鬲丕賷賳 亘賰 禺賵丕賳丿賳賶 賵賮賵賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴 .
乇賵丕賷鬲賶 丕夭 賷賰 丕賮爻丕賳賴 賰賴賳 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 賲乇丿賲 賵 爻乇夭賲賷賳 賲賰夭賷賰 賰賴 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲 賵爻賷乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘丕 鬲賳丕爻亘 丨噩賲 賰賵鬲丕賴 乇賲丕賳貙亘爻賷丕乇 鬲賳丿 賵 爻乇賷毓 丕鬲賮丕賯 賲賶 丕賮鬲丿 賵禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 亘丿賵賳 禺賵丕賳丿賳 鬲賵囟賷丨丕鬲 丕囟丕賮賶 賵 噩夭卅賷丕鬲 亘賷賴賵丿賴 賴賲乇丕賴 亘丕 卮禺氐賷鬲 丕氐賱賶 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 睾乇賯 丿乇 丕賷賳 賯氐賴 賵 賮乇噩丕賲 賲乇賵丕乇賷丿 賲賶 卮賵丿.
賰賷賳賵 賲丕賴賷诏賷乇 賰賴 夭賳丿诏賶 丕賵 亘賴 丿賵 亘禺卮 賯亘賱 賵亘毓丿 丕夭 賷丕賮鬲賳 賲乇賵丕乇賷丿 鬲賯爻賷賲 賵 亘丕 賴賲賴 乇卮丕丿鬲 賴丕 賵噩賳诏賷丿賳 賵賲賯丕賵賲鬲 賴丕 賶 丕賵 亘丕 鬲賱禺賶 賴丕賶 夭賳丿诏賶 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 鬲爻賱賷賲 噩亘乇 乇賵夭诏丕乇 賵爻乇賳賵卮鬲 賲賶 卮賵丿.
賯爻賲鬲賶 丕夭 賲鬲賳 賰鬲丕亘貨
-賷賴 鬲賮賳诏貙鈥ωㄙ勝� 卮丕賷丿 亘賴 鬲賮賳诏賲 亘禺乇賲!
賵 賴賲賷賳 鬲賮賳诏 亘賵丿 賰賴 賴賲賴 爻丿賴丕 乇丕卮賰爻鬲.鬲賮賳诏 丕夭 賲丨丕賱丕鬲 亘賵丿 賵丕诏乇 賲賶 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 賮賰乇賽 丿丕卮鬲賳 賷賰 鬲賮賳诏 乇丕 亘賴 匕賴賳 禺賵丿 乇丕賴 亘丿賴丿 賴賲賴 賲乇夭賴丕 丿乇 賴賲 賲賶 乇賷禺鬲 賵 丨丿賶 亘乇丕賶 丕賲賷丕賱卮 賵噩賵丿 賳賲賶 丿丕卮鬲.夭賷乇丕 诏賮鬲賴 丕賳丿 賰賴 丌丿賲賷夭丕丿 賴乇诏夭 爻賷乇 賳禺賵丕賴丿 卮丿. 賷賰 趩賷夭 賰賴 亘賴 丕賵 丿丕丿賶 趩賷夭 丿賷诏乇賶 賲賶 禺賵丕賴丿.丕賱亘鬲賴 丕賷賳 诏賮鬲賴 乇賳诏 賲匕賲鬲 丿丕卮鬲貙丨丕賱 丌賳賰賴 丕賷賳 賰賷賮賷鬲 賷賰賶 丕夭 禺氐丕賷氐 亘卮乇 亘乇噩爻鬲賴 亘卮乇 亘賵丿 賵賴賲賷賳 禺氐賷氐賴 丕賵 乇丕 亘乇 丨賷賵丕賳丕鬲貙賰賴 亘賴 丌賳趩賴 丿丕乇賳丿 乇丕囟賶 丕賳丿 亘乇鬲乇賶 賲賶 亘禺卮賷丿.
乇賵丕賷鬲賶 丕夭 賷賰 丕賮爻丕賳賴 賰賴賳 賲鬲毓賱賯 亘賴 賲乇丿賲 賵 爻乇夭賲賷賳 賲賰夭賷賰 賰賴 丕鬲賮丕賯丕鬲 賵爻賷乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘丕 鬲賳丕爻亘 丨噩賲 賰賵鬲丕賴 乇賲丕賳貙亘爻賷丕乇 鬲賳丿 賵 爻乇賷毓 丕鬲賮丕賯 賲賶 丕賮鬲丿 賵禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 亘丿賵賳 禺賵丕賳丿賳 鬲賵囟賷丨丕鬲 丕囟丕賮賶 賵 噩夭卅賷丕鬲 亘賷賴賵丿賴 賴賲乇丕賴 亘丕 卮禺氐賷鬲 丕氐賱賶 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 睾乇賯 丿乇 丕賷賳 賯氐賴 賵 賮乇噩丕賲 賲乇賵丕乇賷丿 賲賶 卮賵丿.
賰賷賳賵 賲丕賴賷诏賷乇 賰賴 夭賳丿诏賶 丕賵 亘賴 丿賵 亘禺卮 賯亘賱 賵亘毓丿 丕夭 賷丕賮鬲賳 賲乇賵丕乇賷丿 鬲賯爻賷賲 賵 亘丕 賴賲賴 乇卮丕丿鬲 賴丕 賵噩賳诏賷丿賳 賵賲賯丕賵賲鬲 賴丕 賶 丕賵 亘丕 鬲賱禺賶 賴丕賶 夭賳丿诏賶 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 鬲爻賱賷賲 噩亘乇 乇賵夭诏丕乇 賵爻乇賳賵卮鬲 賲賶 卮賵丿.
賯爻賲鬲賶 丕夭 賲鬲賳 賰鬲丕亘貨
-賷賴 鬲賮賳诏貙鈥ωㄙ勝� 卮丕賷丿 亘賴 鬲賮賳诏賲 亘禺乇賲!
賵 賴賲賷賳 鬲賮賳诏 亘賵丿 賰賴 賴賲賴 爻丿賴丕 乇丕卮賰爻鬲.鬲賮賳诏 丕夭 賲丨丕賱丕鬲 亘賵丿 賵丕诏乇 賲賶 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲 賮賰乇賽 丿丕卮鬲賳 賷賰 鬲賮賳诏 乇丕 亘賴 匕賴賳 禺賵丿 乇丕賴 亘丿賴丿 賴賲賴 賲乇夭賴丕 丿乇 賴賲 賲賶 乇賷禺鬲 賵 丨丿賶 亘乇丕賶 丕賲賷丕賱卮 賵噩賵丿 賳賲賶 丿丕卮鬲.夭賷乇丕 诏賮鬲賴 丕賳丿 賰賴 丌丿賲賷夭丕丿 賴乇诏夭 爻賷乇 賳禺賵丕賴丿 卮丿. 賷賰 趩賷夭 賰賴 亘賴 丕賵 丿丕丿賶 趩賷夭 丿賷诏乇賶 賲賶 禺賵丕賴丿.丕賱亘鬲賴 丕賷賳 诏賮鬲賴 乇賳诏 賲匕賲鬲 丿丕卮鬲貙丨丕賱 丌賳賰賴 丕賷賳 賰賷賮賷鬲 賷賰賶 丕夭 禺氐丕賷氐 亘卮乇 亘乇噩爻鬲賴 亘卮乇 亘賵丿 賵賴賲賷賳 禺氐賷氐賴 丕賵 乇丕 亘乇 丨賷賵丕賳丕鬲貙賰賴 亘賴 丌賳趩賴 丿丕乇賳丿 乇丕囟賶 丕賳丿 亘乇鬲乇賶 賲賶 亘禺卮賷丿.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,467 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.