For our final class discussion before the exam next week, we addressed theme given that the novella describes itself as a parable. What are the moral lessons illustrated by Kino's quest to improve his station in life ? As Ben discussed how the novella's description of Kino's attempt to escape poverty can be perceived as a sin against God's wishes, we delved into Steinbeck's underlying criticism of this view noting how the author condemns a societal system that traps and subjugates the lower working classes in the name of religion. Ben raised interesting ideas about whether Steinbeck was an anarchist, and we explored how Steinbeck rather than an anarchist was sympathetic to socialism or government intervention to break the entrenched cycles of poverty.We further examined the cruel irony of Kino's wish for a rifle coming true but at the cost of his son's life. After reviewing Ben's very thorough study guide work, I reviewed the steps to writing a literary essay in preparation for the exam.