The Pearl: Depictions of Life In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, a destitute pearl diver finds a giant pearl with which he hopes to buy peace and happiness for his family. Instead, he learns that the valuable pearl can not buy happiness but only destroy his simple life. Throughout the fable, there is a constant theme woven through the characters and setting which encompasses the struggle among social classes to become successful. Steinbeck, a novelist known for his realistic depictions of life, portrays this motif through Kino, the doctor, Coyotito, and the town of La Paz. John Earnst Steinbeck, author of The Pearl and many other stories, was born on Febru