The Pearl John Steinbeck
Takes Place in La Paz, Mexico Setting Takes Place in La Paz, Mexico
About La Paz Climate Warm Winters Hot Summers La Paz today currently has 160,000 people and has great shopping, a nice beach-front boulevard, old colonial buildings, and a relaxed atmosphere. Probably the most ‘Mexican’ of the Baja cities, and is a popular vacation and retirement hotspot. Climate Warm Winters Hot Summers Only 6 in. of rain a year La Paz: Means “peace” Is famous for it’s sunsets Is one of the best places in the world for diving & snorkeling La Paz Sunset La Paz Beach City of La Paz
Indians Lived in Grass Huts La Paz in Story (1930's) Indians Lived in Grass Huts Spanish descendants lived in brick houses. The bricks, called adobe, were made of mud, straw, and water The Indians were poor and uneducated, with no knowledge of the outside world. Yet they were an honest and dignified people rich with traditions
A Look at the Town The town of La Paz in the novel is predominantly populated by Spanish -descendant Mexican citizens and rich European settlers. They are much wealthier than the Mexican Indians. Their architecture demonstrates this.
Scorpions Scorpions are eight legged venomous invertebrates belonging to the class Arachnida They are related to spiders, mites, and ticks The tail ends in a bulb-like poison gland or stinger
Scorpions Sharp pincers for grasping Use the venom in their tail to poison and paralyze their prey Usually live in deserts, forests, or caves Over 15,000 different species of scorpions Carnivores 25 species of scorpions are deadly to humans
Pearls Are the oldest gemstones in the world Prized for thousands of years by ancient China, India, Egypt, Rome, and Native American Tribes The pearl in Steinbeck’s story is said to be about the size of a seagulls egg
Pearls Natural pearls are produced by the soft tissue of oysters and clams with no human intervention Natural pearls are rare and valuable. The price of a pearl is based on size, shape, quality of surface, and luster. Most pearls today are cultured pearls, meaning that they are man-made
About Steinbeck Born in Salinas, Cal 1902 Died 1968, in New York from heart attack Won Nobel Prize for literature in 1962 which is the highest honor a writer can receive
Steinbeck Facts Type of author who liked to know his material first hand Many of his works take place in California where he lived Much of his writing focuses on people who have been treated unfairly and unjustly The Pearl was based on real people Steinbeck became acquainted with during his travels In preparation for writing his novels, Steinbeck would often live, work, and be with the people about whom he was to write In the late 1930’s Steinbeck engaged in a lengthy exploration of marine life along the gulf of the California Baja. There he met Indians who became characters in the Pearl and 1st heard of the story of the ‘Pearl of the World’.
References www.mexperience.com www.sandiegohistory.org www.vacationstogo.com http://www.nndb.com/people/846/000031753/ www.desertusa.com http://insects.tamu.edu