Poetics of Instinct: John Steinbeck and Emilio Fernández's The Pearl (Spanish Edition)

Emilio Fernández and John Steinbeck first met in 1941. The writer shared with Fernández the story about the fisherman and his pearl, which had taken place in La Paz, Baja California. Fernández then asked Steinbeck to write a screenplay, but the novelist would be occupied for several years before deciding to take on this project. Why would a renowned American writer, with influence over the world of Hollywood, seek out a Mexican director to offer him a story that had not yet been written? Reyes Bercini, without abandoning the theoretical realms of semiotics, rhetoric, and poetics, leads us to discover the tensions and results of the transposition between literature and cinema, through a detailed and specific analysis of The Pearl.

The collaboration between Emilio Fernández and John Steinbeck was an intriguing one, as it brought together a Mexican director and an American novelist. In 1941, Steinbeck shared with Fernández the story of the fisherman and his pearl, which had occurred in the Baja California town of La Paz. Fernández was immediately interested and requested that Steinbeck write a screenplay for the story. However, the novelist would be occupied with other projects for several years before finally deciding to take on this new endeavor.

The question that arises is why a renowned American writer, with significant influence in the world of Hollywood, would seek out a Mexican director to offer him a story that had not yet been written. This collaboration suggests a unique dynamic, one that Reyes Bercini explores in his analysis of the transposition between literature and cinema, specifically in the case of The Pearl.

Bercini's examination delves into the tensions and results that arise when a literary work is adapted for the screen. Drawing from the theoretical realms of semiotics, rhetoric, and poetics, he offers a detailed and specific analysis of the film, shedding light on the complex process of translating a written narrative into a visual medium.

The relationship between Fernández and Steinbeck, and the subsequent adaptation of The Pearl, presents an intriguing case study in the interplay between different artistic forms and cultural perspectives. By examining this collaboration, Bercini invites us to consider the nuances and challenges that arise when literature and cinema converge, and the insights that can be gleaned from such cross-cultural exchanges.

product information: