What is the setting of "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck?

The setting of "The Pearl" is La Paz, a Mexican coastal village in Baja California Sur. The classic novella by John Steinbeck tells the story of a poor diver who discovers a valuable pearl that he sees as the solution for his poverty.

The diver, named Kino, encounters greed and violence as he tries to sell the pearl. Kino is beaten and his baby is killed, causing Kino and his wife to see the pearl as bad luck. Kino eventually returns the pearl to the ocean. Steinbeck published the novella in 1947 after being inspired by a folk tale he heard while vacationing in the Baja area.