Impact Of Social Realism On Moralistic Perspectivesin John Steinbeck’s The Pearl

Abstract

The Present Paper introduces Kino as a man with responsibilities towards his family and values learnt from life. In this article, we bring out the true essence of life not being materialistic but by relinguishing a lavish life style . Kino is described as a self-learner with personal ideas, thoughts about his actions and place in his town.

Kino’s acquisition of The Pearlfrom sea tests his character  which has been already complicated by his ‘Pride, idealism, greed, strength, despair and honor’ which guides all men of those times.

Kino wants to sell the pearl in order to send his son to school and prosper ; so he demands a fair price to buyers but the greedy towns men decides to rob him instead showcasing  ‘The World’ corrupted values of the society. Steinbeck implicates Social Realism to the extent the society is exacting on the psyche of Kino’s small family and the subsequent realization of not being moral amidst the greed and corruption in making money for oneself. The irony is of implicating morality of men and is the crux of the novel. It tries to differentiate self-respecting idealism of few to all men to greed.

Kino wantins to live in reality, decides to throw the pearlaway.  He flung it, to disassociate with the ‘sense of possession and insanity’, that drew him to greedy buyers. His act of decadence vanishes as he relinquishes his final rare asset ‘the pearl’. This renunciation helps him to regain peace for his soul.Hence,The Pearlis a ‘parable’wheresalvation is relevant to the current age.