A: The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, is about Kino, a fisherman, his wife Juana and their baby Coyotito. One day Coyotito is stung by a scorpion and his parents go to the doctor, because they want him to heal the baby. But the doctor wants much money, which they don't have, for it. Kino, Juana and the baby go home, get their boat and ride to the reef where Kino then dives and looks for pearls that he could sell to earn money. He finds a huge one and the next day they want to sell it. But Kino believes that the traders want to trick him by not giving him enough money, so he wants to sell it in the big city. Before they begin their trip to the city they get attacked by other men, because everyone wants the beautiful, extremely big pearl. Kino kills one of the men who attack him to get the pearl.

B: When Kino and Juana finally want to begin their trip they realize that a hole is in their canoe and that all their stuff is burning, because there is a fire in their house. So Kino, Juana and Coyotito start walking all the way to the capital, but on their way three men follow them, because they have found out that Kino killed their friend. After about a half day, when it gets darker, they rest at a pool and drink something. Afterwards they climb up the hill for another ten minutes and then decide to stay in a little cave. But just a few hours later they realize that the men have also climbed up the hill and are now at just the same pool where Kino, Juana and Cojotito had been some hours ago. Kino and his family can't pass by them without being noticed or killed so Kino tells Juana to keep the sick Coyotito quiet until he has one of the men's weapon and can defend them.

C: He then slowly, quietly climbs down the hill and is very near to the man with the weapon who guards the other two sleeping men, when he hears something crying again and again, just loud enough so the man can hear it. The guard wants to shoot in the direction of the cave, but Kino attacks the man, takes his weapon and kills him, as well as one of the now awake men. The other man wants to climb up the mountain, but Kino shoots him before he even gets to it. Kino gets back to his wife Juana, who had cried since Coyotito had been killed by a stray bullet. They walk back home, carrying Coyotito. When they get home the two of them start a new life by trying not to think about their dead baby and throwing away the pearl in the wide ocean.

Based on a summary written by Miriam Nessel (grade 8 ESL2 student).