God had always been there to aid them in their times of need. The first reaction of Juana when seeing the scorpion is a good example of spirituality; rather than attempt to kill the scorpion she began to pray to God for safety. In La Paz the only form of God that the peasants knew was that of the priest of the church. To the peasants the priest was so God-like that were unable to see any faults in his actions. However, the reader is able to determine that the Priest is abusing his position in society. In order to receive the sacraments, the person requesting the sacrament must donate a small amount of money to the church. Whether this is correct or not is a matter of opinion. The church definitely needs funding, but the peasants are unable to donate these funds, but, does that make them unable to receive the sacraments should they want to acquire them? The priest is so set on achieving money and social status that he puts aside the real reason one becomes a priest -- to help, and teach the word of God.
In The Pearl, Steinbeck expresses the fact that man's manifestation for wealth and property leads to the self destruction of man, both mentally, and physically. The priest of La Paz, the doctor, and Juana were all affected by the effects of greed. Whether they are striving for wealth or are in the path of those who are, they are all equally affected. The story of Midas lives on as a caution to those who crave the warmth and comfort of money, beckoning to those who struggle to achieve wealth, and hoping that they will respond, and possibly not put wealth on the top shelf of life.
Everyone has a dream he hopes to achieve, but dreams are not always possible to attain. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, two ranch hands, George and Lennie, find work in Salinas Valley. Lennie, constantly getting into trouble, inadvertently causes the two of them to be run out of town and thus be forced into new work regularly.