No other work comes to mind as swiftly and strongly concerning the subject of greed as Steinbeck’s novella, The Pearl. A Mexican folktale, The Pearl is a warning to those who seek riches beyond their needs, who dare to keep asking for more and more rather than be grateful for what they have in the first place.

Kino, the main protagonist in The Pearl, is an impoverished pearl diver, a trade that has run in his family for lifetimes. He lives with his hardworking young wife, Juana, and their tiny baby, Coyotito. Together they struggle to simply get by day by day, but it is obvious that they do so caring deeply about one another and sharing a true family love.

Their tiny trio is threatened one day when Coyotito is stung by a venomous scorpion. Kino panics, as he is unable to afford a doctor; he goes in search of a pearl to cover the cost of healing his son. He unexpectedly discovers a giant pearl that’s as big as a seagull’s egg, which is sure to change his family’s luck for the good. However, instead of using The Pearl to pay a doctor and cure his son, Kino seeks more and more money for the object, certain that not only can he use the funds for his son’s health but also to secure his family’s fortune for life.

Instead, Kino and his family find nothing but heartache, and eventually the loss of their baby due to the greed that the pearl brought with it. After Coyotito’s tragic death, Kino curses the pearl as nothing but evil and casts it back out into the gulf. Though Steinbeck’s message has been deciphered as some to be about socialism, or classism, or even simply staying in your place, there’s no doubt that it’s also about family and being appreciative of what you’ve got.

Remember the story of the two men who meet, one complaining about life and the other joyously grateful for his life? Both are in similar situations, just with different views. God looks down and tells the whiny man, “You think your life is bad? I’ll show you what bad is!” and, smiling at the grateful man, “Your life is good? I’ll show you what good is!” The Pearl is quite like that, only much more eloquent and equally heartbreaking at once. It’s a fantastic story for young readers, as well as those who wish to revisit the Steinbeck classics or even Mexican fables.