THE PEARL ESSAY: Pursuit of Material Wealth Does Not Bring Happiness In the story The Pearl the main theme is: ambition for wealth and property causes the destruction of man. The story was written from the perspective of the working or low class, which allows the readers the opportunity to reflect how materialism and its pursuit lead to the downfall of man. Steinbeck clearly illustrates this theme through the following characters: the doctor, the priest, and Kino the main character of the novella. The priest in the novella is illustrated as a man of greed and false values. For example, "…it put a thoughtful look in his eyes and a memory of uncertai