THE PEARL ESSAY: Pursuit of Material Wealth Does Not Bring Happiness In the story The Pearl the main theme is: ambition for wealth and property causes the destruction of man. The story was written from the perspective of the working or low class, which allows the readers the opportunity to reflect how materialism and its pursuit lead to the downfall of man. Steinbeck clearly illustrates this theme through the following characters: the doctor, the priest, …showed first 75 words of 564 total…

…showed last 75 words of 564 total…values. The doctor illustrates big business. He takes advantage of the poor and vulnerable. And the Priest represents the institutions who is portrayed as the good, but in fact only want to acquire more wealth. In life, one works hard to achieve success, but once it is found it may result in unhappiness because important values are sacrificed. This novella definitely underlines for the readers that the pursuit of material wealth does not bring happiness.