Written in the mid-1940s, The Pearl addresses numerous social issues that gained prominence at that time and that remained among the chief concerns of late twentiethcentury society. Among them are a growing awareness of the more sinister aspects of colonialism and the domination of native peoples by European settlers, the powerlessness of the economic underclass, and the illusory nature of the "American Dream" of financial prosperity.

Uneducated in the methods of western medicine and the victims of racial prejudice, Kino and Juana are turned away when they seek the help of the doctor in treating Coyotito's sting. The doctor, a representative of the colonial elite, compares the family to animals in a blatant expression of his racial contempt. In The Pearl, Kino's racial and economic powerlessness is further demonstrated in dealings with the priest and the pearl dealers, both of whom attempt to take advantage...