John Steinbeck wrote the novel The Pearl based on his own personal experiences. John Steinbeck also completed many other novels. John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath prior to writing The Pearl. The Grapes of Wrath was an achievement for Steinbeck for he won many achievements for his writing. He won the annual National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize and was also rewarded with the Nobel Prize in 1962 for this novel. ("Wikipedia")
John Steinbeck wrote The Pearl in 1947 while he was at the top of his career after winning the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath. By the time Steinbeck was writing The Pearl he already had become accustomed to the fame. The novel is a parable, which means a lesson is taught. The pearl in this novel becomes a metaphor for Heaven because Kino, the main character makes the pearl itself his priority and life. The pearl is always in his mindset. Kino thinks of all the joys of having the pearl as well as living with God in Heaven. Steinbeck uses the parable to reflect the American dream of success. Steinbeck was able to quickly rise to fame and fortune and was able to prosper quickly, as well as Kino was.
A second inspiration for The Pearl is the tale of a Mexican boy that was told in Steinbeck’s Sea of Cortez. The boy in the original tale wanted to use the clothes to purchase alcohol, clothing, and sexual activity. (Cogan) Some of which were portrayed in Steinbeck’s novel The Pearl. Several points from the tale including the rapacious dealers and the attacks on the boy to find the pearl Steinbeck did include in the final copy of the novel.
Overall, Steinbeck wrote the novel The
Cited: Cogan, Allen. "The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck." . MexConnect , 15 February 2006. Web. 3 Oct 2012. . "John Steinbeck - Biography". Nobelprize.org. 3 Oct 2012 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio.html "The Grapes of Wrath." Wikipedia. N.p., 02 October 2012. Web. 3 Oct 2012. .