THE PEARL by JOHN STEINBECK is a compact yet powerful story about a humble family whose lives are upended after their young son is stung by a scorpion. 

When a miraculous recovery sends Kino and Juana out to sea, they discover the mother of all pearls. A fortune to which they have never known. 

As word of their pearl spreads, the couple is forced to confront the greed, envy, and violence that the pearl awakens in others and themselves. Though fewer than 100 pages, the story sharply illustrates how sudden wealth can demand a devastating price.

Juana stands out as the moral center, her intuition and warnings offering clarity that Kino tragically ignores. In the end, the family’s loss underscores the novel’s enduring message: not all blessings are what they seem.

hindsight: brief and haunting