The Pearl written by John Steinbeck is a parable, a story that teaches a moral lesson. This novel centers on a poor Indian family, who lives in a scrub hut along the Gulf of Mexico and near the village of La Paz. The family consists of: Kino, fisherman and pearl diver, his wife Juana and their grandson Coyotito. One day, while diving, Kino discovers a large pearl that he calls “the pearl of the world” (22). The theme of a literary work is defined as the central idea, concern, or purpose of life that a writer wishes to convey. There may be several themes identified in a literary work; However, in the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck, the author uses the pearl to develop one of the most essential universal themes in literature, that of humanity's struggle against violence. An example of this universal theme of humanity's struggle against violence that occurred in this novel was when Kino violently attacked his wife to prevent her from throwing away her "precious" pearl to the sea. . . he threw himself at her, grabbed her arm and snatched the pearl from her. He hit her in the face with ...