Horace, an ancient Roman poet, once said, "He who is greedy is always in need." This quote clearly describes the main theme or message of The Pearl by John Steinbeck. The Pearl is a parable that teaches a moral lesson and expresses the theme that the greed a person may have with materialism can lead to events that will determine their destiny or that of others around them. This novel tells the story of a poor Indian family, who lives in a small scrub hut along the Gulf of Mexico and near the neighboring village of La Paz. Steinbeck demonstrates the theme of greed through Kino's obsession with keeping his "Pearl of the World" in order to ensure a better future for his family; however, in doing so, Kino puts his family's lives in danger. An example used by Steinbeck in this novel that demonstrates this theme of greed that lives in all of humanity is when Kino visits the pearl buyers to sell his "Pearl of the World". Pearl buyers are not competitive; they have a monopoly on the pearl market in this region of Mexico. That's why they offer Kino low prices for his "big and clumsy" pearl. Although Kino is a poor and uneducated Indian, he still has the ability to think logically. Realizing that he has not been offered a fair price for his pearl, Kino declares: "I am deceived. My pearl is not for sale here. I will go, perhaps even to the capital" (52 ). Kino's reactions and words show the greed shown by the pearl buyers in offering Kino such a low price for his precious pearl. Although the pearl buyers know what Kino's pearl is really worth, they feel the need to deceive him by giving him fewer pesos than his pearl actually deserves. In doing so, they secure a greater profit and thus illustrate the theme...... middle of paper...... more even if it means taking from the poor. All in all, John Steinbeck uses his novel and a parable called The Pearl to teach his readers a moral about how humans are instinctively greedy, which can turn something perfect and beautiful into something evil and wicked , both physical and mental. Early in the novel, the pearl is described as being "clear and perfect", while later, the pearl is described as having a "curious darkness" to its surface. In the end, the pearl is ugly and gray. If people let greed take over and are not careful, something beautiful and perfect can turn into something bad and evil. Because of Kino's greed, he lost his humanity and became more animal-like than ever, proving the pearl's wickedness and the greed that exists within all of humanity. Works Cited The Pearl by John Steinbeck