Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines the extent to which the pursuit of unreal goals, terms here as “Illusions of Prosperity,” alienates individuals from reality, using John Steinbeck’s The Pearl (1945) as a case study. Focused on Kino, the protagonist, the narrative explores how his discovery of a large pearl sets off dreams of social elevation and economic freedom within a colonially dominated Mexican village. The analysis reveals that despite the pearl’s promise of erasing historical humiliations and bringing prosperity, it ultimately leads to Kino’s psychological and social alienation, reflecting a broader critique of the materialistic pursuit under colonial influence. This paper highlights how personal aspirations, when intertwined with colonial and capitalist ideologies, can lead to disillusionment and societal estrangement.
Author: Bineta Sarr
Institution: Cheikh Anta Diop University
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4401526440