John Steinbeck was inspired to write his novella The Pearl after visiting the La Paz, Baja California Sur, with his good friend and marine biologist Ed Ricketts on their Sea of Cortez expedition. In the 1930s and 1940s, Ricketts inspired much of Steinbeck’s writing.Click to see full answer. Also question is, what inspired John Steinbeck to write?Overall, Steinbeck drew inspiration from his childhood in the Salinas Valley and his interactions with migrant workers on local ranches in the region to write a novella about the transient, difficult lifestyles of migrant workers.Subsequently, question is, what is the author’s purpose of the Pearl? The author’s purpose for writing this book is to entertain. In the book the author does not try to persuade me in anyway to do anything. The author also does not try to inform me in anyway but the author tries to tell me a story about a man who finds a huge pearl which means that he is trying to entertain me. when did John Steinbeck write the Pearl? 1947 What themes did John Steinbeck write?As it is set in 1930s America, it provides an insight into The Great Depression, encompassing themes of racism, loneliness, prejudice against the mentally ill, and the struggle for personal independence. Along with The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and The Pearl, Of Mice and Men is one of Steinbeck’s best known works.