How Does Kino And Juana Encounter A Deadly Scorpion Symbolize

Steinbeck uses suspense in “The Pearl” to make scenes more interesting and show how the characters react in their surroundings. The author uses an example of suspense when a scorpion is hanging over Coyotito’s sleeping area. He builds suspense by showing how Kino and Juana react to the conflict that is happening around them. Steinbeck uses description such as “The thorned tail jerked upright” to build tension between Kino, Juana, Coyotito, and the scorpion. The author also uses songs to build suspense in his story. While tension is being built by the scorpion and how Kino is reacting, he adds the “song of evil” which is what Kino is hearing while the problem is occurring around them. This is

In the novel, The Pearl, the author John Steinbeck uses many similes and metaphors to communicate the theme of how liking something leads to the need to protect it through a strong will and instincts. When Kino seems to be obsessed with the pearl, in the middle of the night she attempts to protect him from it by throwing it away, “And like a shadow she glided toward the door.” (58) This quote uses a simile to emphasize how Juana truly values Kino, so she is trying to protect him by getting rid of the pearl, and she is sneaking out as stealthily as a shadow to try to help Kino. Later, Kino returns the favor when he protects Juana and Coyotito: “He was an animal now, for hiding, for attacking, and he lived only to preserve himself and his family.”

But her joy didn’t last for very long. A few days after the pearl was found, Juana cried, “It will destroy us all,” “even our son.” There was also another incident, where Kino was badly wounded, “There was a long deep cut in his cheek from ear to chin, a deep, bleeding slash.” After this occurred, Juana said, “Kino, this pearl is evil. Let us destroy it before it destroys us. Let us crush it between two stones. Let us-let us throw it back into the sea where it belongs. Kino, it is evil, it is evil.

Kino has been ambushed during the night and has killed someone. Juan Tomas recommends him to get rid of it because it has caused a lot of trouble. “"I was attacked in the dark," said Kino. "And in the fight I have killed a man." "Who?", asked Juan Tomás quickly. "I do not know. It is all darkness – all darkness and shape of darkness." "It is the pearl," said Juan Tomás. "There is a devil in this pearl. You should have sold it and passed on the devil. Perhaps you can still sell it and buy peace for yourself."” (Steinbeck 64) Yet, Kino’s actions still don’t convince him to take Juan Tomas’s advice, as a result Kino faces the biggest tragedy he has experienced which is losing his son, Coyotito.

John Steinbeck’s The Pearl follows the story of a Mexican-Indian family who lived in a small village on the coast of the Baja peninsula during the colonial era in Mexico. Kino works tirelessly as a pearl diver to provide for his wife, Juana, and Coyotito, his son. Although he was poor, he and his wife were initially satisfied with their lives. However, Coyotito’s scorpion sting and the discovery of the Pearl of the World opened Kino’s eyes to a much larger world. His simple, peaceful life was marred by the violence and conflict that the pearl brought. The pearl, which incited greed in all who come in contact with it, changed from a symbol of hope to that of chaos and misfortune.

Steinbeck begins the novella by introducing the type of life that was lived by Kino before the discovery of the pearl, and the effect it had not only himself but its effect it had on his family. As Kino watches the ocean he remembers an ancient song from his culture the “Song of the Family” as he remembers this song he takes pleasure in watching his wife do her chores. Kino remembers this moment has a perfect morning like any other mornings. As Kino eats his breakfast he is aware of a scorpion that arrives at Coyotito crib. As the scorpion bit Kino’s son he remembers another ancient song the “Song of Evil”. Steinbeck presents the divides the town in two types - the old natives and the new Christian settlers. Steinbeck uses techniques to distinguish between the native Indians and the more cultured Europeans.

Kino is beginning to realize how at first the pearl seemed to have brought fortune and good to his family, but it really had only brought evil to the family. By the end of the story, Kino and Juana have lost their son, Coyotito, and they wish things were back to the way they were before they found the pearl. Kino then throws the pearl back out into the ocean where he had found it: “And the music of the pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared” (90). The music disappearing as the pearl sink back into the ocean symbolizes the evil leaving the family: now that the pearl has left, so has the evil. Kino now understands that their “wealth” has brought nothing but evil and has destroyed both himself as well as his family. Not only does Steinbeck use the motif of music to express the theme that good fortune, wealth, and prosperity steer even the most innocent of people towards a path of evil and corruption, but he also uses the motif of light and dark imagery.

Originally, Kino and Juana had went to the doctor to see if he could treat Coyotito’s scorpion wound. He declines because he is discriminating of Kino’s race and that he does not have enough money. Later, when he learns that Kino has found ‘the pearl of the world,’ he decides to go back to Kino’s village and treat Coyotito. He did so out of greed for the riches of the pearl. He knew when he reached Kino’s brush house that Coyotito was already healed, but out of greed, poisoned him with a ‘medicine’ that he have the infant so that he would gain the riches of the pearl. He also offered to keep the pearl safe with him, and knowing that Kino would probably look at the hiding place of the pearl, he watched greedily. This greed is shown when the doctor is having a conversation with Kino after ‘saving Coyotito’s life’, “The doctor shrugged, and his wet eyes never left Kino's eyes. He knew the pearl would be buried in the house, and he thought Kino might look toward the place where it was buried. "It would be a shame to have it stolen before you could sell it," the doctor said, and he saw Kino's eyes flick involuntarily to the floor near the side post of the brush house.” Whether it was the doctor who assembled the attacks on Kino’s home, we do not

The short novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck is based on an old folktale and is about a man named Kino, his wife named Juana, their baby named Coyotito, and the struggle they face when Kino finds the pearl of the world. Steinbeck shows that materialism and greed, left unchecked, can lead to immoral behavior through the characters of the town doctor, Kino, and the three attackers. Steinbeck uses the doctor as a symbol to represent the materialism and greed, left unchecked, can lead to immoral behavior. This seen when the town doctor refuses to treat the dying Coyotito. The narrator states, “Have I nothing better to do then cure insect bites for ‘little Indians’?

When Coyotito gets poisoned by the scorpion towards the beginning of the novella, Juana immediately springs into action and takes a leadership role. She guides her family in trying to save Coyotito. During this moment, her eyes were described as “cold as the eyes of a lioness” (9). The doctor wouldn’t come to Coyotito so Juana instead takes the initiative and brings Coyotito to the doctor. In addition, Juana frequently advises Kino to discard the pearl as she feels that it is only bringing evil to their family.

Evil is shown by the doctor many times during the story. At first, he refuses to treat Coyotito because his parents have no money. When the doctor heard of Kino and Juana's fortune in finding "the pearl of the world", the doctor boasts that they were patients of his while thinking of a better life for himself in Paris. This greed and lust cause him to plot ways to gain wealth. Coyotito is healed by the time the doctor comes to Kino's straw

In the beginning of the story, it discloses that Kino’s son Coyotito was wounded by a scorpion, and he and his wife Juana took him to a close doctor, who declined healing because they didn’t have money to pay. However, news of Kino finding a valuable pearl fetches out the greed in the doctor and he makes a house call to

Kino, Juana, and their baby Coyotito live in poverty. One day Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, but the doctor won’t treat him because they have no money. Kino finds a large pearl while diving and is excited because the pearl will bring him wealth and medical care for his baby. When the town finds out about the pearl, they plot against him. No one will pay a fair price for the pearl, the doctor poisons the baby, and a burglar breaks into their home. Juana wants to get rid of the pearl, but Kino refuses. Juana takes the pearl, but Kino beats her to get it back. Kilo is attacked by a group of men. During the fight, Kino drops the pearl and a gun goes off. Kino kills one of the men. Juana finds the pearl and gives it back to Kino. They

The Pearl written by John Steinbeck is a parable, a story that teaches a moral lesson. The focus of this novel is on a poor Indian family. The family consists of three members: Kino, a husband, father, and fisherman, Juana, his wife and loving mother; and Coyotito their infant son. This indigent family lives in a small brush hut along the Gulf of Mexico by the town of La Paz. One day Coyotito, is bitten by a scorpion; a scorpion sting can be deadly to a baby. Kino and Juana are very worried over the health of their baby; therefore, they hope to find a pearl worthy enough for the doctor’s payment to the doctor to treat Coyotito. With luck on their side, Kino finds a pearl the size of a seagull’s egg; he calls it “The Pearl of the

Sometimes one’s savior can also be one’s destroyer. This is a lesson that stems from The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Coyotito, Kino’s son, is bitten by a scorpion and requires medical attention that Kino cannot afford. Kino then finds a “great pearl, perfect as the moon” (Steinbeck, 19). “The Pearl of the World” (21) was supposed to avail Kino and his family, but ultimately ruined them.