Symbolism in "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck Novels were created to show a very simplistic view in great depth. The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, takes a novel to its most unadulterated form. Steinbeck does this by conveying life symbolically. Through symbols, Steinbeck offers the reader a more clear look at life and its content. Kino plays a role of a young diver who lives in a small village on the coastline of Mexico. Kino is thought of as, " ‘a wise, primitive man' " (French 128) who is hungry for fortune because of the great pearl, which he discovers. As Steinbeck unfolds The Pearl, he presents Kino as a, "angry, frightened, but resolute man, determined to keep what he