When Kino a poor Indian pearl-diver finds 'the Pearl of the world' he believes that his life will be magically transformed He will marry Juana & their son Coyotito will be able to attend school Obsessed by his dreams Kino is blind to the greed & even violence the pearl arouses in him & his neighbours Written with lyrical simplicity The Pearl sets the values of the civilized world against those of the primitive & finds them tragically inadequate