The lesson of "The Pearl" is often summarized as "be careful what you wish for." However, a deeper reading reveals it is also about the impossibility of escaping one's social caste without severe punishment. Kino's crime was not finding the pearl, but daring to leave his station. Readers exploring social justice themes often turn to the pearl pdf to support this interpretation. The universe conspires against Kino not because he is greedy, but because he dared to hope for more than a fisherman is "supposed" to have.
