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Dwayne Hardin

Professor Martin

ENG 102

3 July 2021

Applying Postcolonial Critical Theory to The Pearl

In John Steinbeck’s novella The Pearl the reader follows the story of Kino, a Native

American man set in the 1940s, and his wife and child. When Kino discovers a pearl that can

bring unfathomable wealth the trajectory of his life is drastically changed. By observing the

story through the lense of Postcolonial critical theory one is able to uncover Steinbeck’s

commentary on themes such as race, community, power, and wealth. We can start to see this

in the perspective in which the story is being told. Steinbeck intentionally chose to tell this story

through the eyes of a poor Native American man. This is a demographic of people who have

been countlessly dehumanized by White Americans at the time. By telling this story through

the eyes of Kino, it makes the reader ( a majority being white people) empathize with him.

In the story itself we can see symbols related to the previously stated themes. One

example is the Doctor and his significance in the story. He is a comparatively wealthy white man

who has little disregard for those without wealth. We can see how his race and wealth

translates to control over others when we encounter his servant, another Native American man

who is subjected to abiding by the words of the doctor, going as far as being reluctant to speak

his own native language. The doctor uses Kino’s lack of education, wants to protect his family,

and fear to gain control over him. We can also observe attempts to take advantage of Kino in

the pearl dealers. The buyers set the illusion of choice and free market when in reality they all
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abide by one governing force thus being able to manipulate and distort the value of Kino’s

prized pearl. We can see how wealth can change a person completely by the juxtaposition in

character between Kino before he had the pearl and after. At first Kino is a fulfilled man

dedicated to his family and community but after acquiring wealth he cannot stop himself from

turning his back to the rest of the world in order to protect this wealth. Steinbeck is trying to

emphasize the negative effects that wealth can have and the hardships that people in a lower

class face to escape a world of poverty.