Opportunity And Hope In Elie Wiesel's The Pearl

In The Pearl, Kino’s pearl can be seen to represent dreams and the consequences of those dreams. When Kino discovers a large and expensive Pearl, he begins to imagine all of the things he can now afford, and becomes obsessed with obtaining his dreams as shown in The Pearl, “‘This Pearl has become my soul,” said Kino, “If I give it up I shall lose my soul’” (67 Steinbeck) Kino’s hope to become rich, and have a better life took him over, and he could no longer settle for what he previously loved. When people have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, they forget that they were once satisfied in their previous life because they have the opportunity to improve it. Near the end of the book, as Kino had fled from his reality in an attempt to sell his Pearl, “He looked into his Pearl to find his vision… but he saw only a huddled dark body on the ground with shining blood dripping from its throat.” (71 Steinbeck) The pearl provided Kino with the opportunity to pursue his dreams, and because he was unable to throw away the Pearl and settle, he lost his house, his canoe, and his baby son. His hopeless pursuit of his dreams caused him to scorn his once happy life, and return to his home in misery.

His family was really close and they loved each other without money. His obsession with the pearl caused his son Coyotito to die. Kinos tends to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something he does not have but appreciating and recognizing what he does have. Throughout the pearl” Kino and his family learned this the hard way. The pearl demonstrates Kino was already making a hard skin for himself against the world”(29). Kino changes his character throughout the story by his thoughts and actions. In the first chapter of the novel kino is presented as a loving protect her husband who wants nothing more than support for his family. Furthermore to know was cruel to his wife after he found the pearl. Having a lot of money but not being happy is worse than being happy and not having money. Perhaps, people should learn the having a lot of money is not as important as

In the novella, The Pearl, written by John Steinbeck, a pearl diver named Kino is eager to find a pearl to help his son, Coyotito, after he was stung by a scorpion. After the doctor refuses them treatment, Kino coincidentally finds ‘The Pearl of the World’. Originally, it was just supposed to help them with the payment for Coyotito's treatment, but it leads to other happenings. People start hating Kino, and are jealous of his pearl. Trackers try to hunt him down in the mountains to kill him and get the pearl, but that’s not what Kino has in mind. Coyotito is accidentally shot in the head, and that starts a fire in Kino. Anger-filled, he kills the trackers. As Kino and Juana arrive home, they are described to be different people, and it's all

After the death of Kino's son he was no longer happy and he probably never will be. The pearls purpose was to provide for Coyotito. Kino was going to give his son an education so he could have a decent life when he was older. Therefore without Coyotito the pearl had no value to Kino.

Although Kino performed many heroic acts, he also acted foolishly in various circumstances. He lives with his wife Juana and his son Coyotito. The novel tells his story when he happens to find a large pearl in the beach that has the capacity to either bring him death or happiness. After finding this big pearl, he believes that this is going to the beginning of a new chapter for him and his family because poverty was eventually going to leave them. His foolishness was first seen when he announced the pearl that he had found making everyone to try to steal it from him. Knowing the worth of the pearl, he should have kept the information to himself and sold it later. After seeing what people were able to do to him because of the pearl, he should have just sold it at the price the buyers said because it eventually led to the death of his son. The buyers only referred to it as a ‘fool’s gold’ and that it was not worth anything. Kino’s greed put his family in danger and caused the death of his only son. Even after he was convinced that the pearl was evil by his wife, he says, "The pearl has become my soul. If I shall give it up, I

Throughout the book there are many themes and the one I chose to use was greed. Greed was present in many instances like; the doctor didn't want to help Coyotito because Kino and Juana couldn’t pay him what he wanted. He finally decided to help after he heard that they had found a perfect pearl and he wanted it for himself. The priest wanted it to help repair and make changes for the church. “It came to the priest walking in his garden, and it put a thoughtful look in his eyes and a memory of certain repairs necessary to the church”(Steinbeck 34). The pearl buyers also demonstrated greed because they tried telling Kino that it was worth nothing and that it was too big. Kino was a happy and hardworking father until he had found the pearl. The pearl changed him and it turned mean and greedy. When Juana tried throwing it back Kino fought her for the pearl back left her on the beach. Also, the many attackers who tried taking the pearl away from them, which made it to where they were trying to kill Kino, Juana, and Coyotito so they can get the pearl. The biggest symbol that represents greed was the pearl.(Symbolism in the Pearl)

Throughout the book you see how the pearl causes Kino’s inner animal to take over which causes him to do irrational things. For example, in the book, it states,” Kino looked down at her and his teeth were bared.” (Steinbeck 59). When Kino bares his teeth it shows he is becoming more and more animal like. This shows that Kino is thinking more with emotions than logic and Steinbeck portrays him as a snarling animal. It continues in the next sentence when Steinbeck uses the simile ,”He hissed at her like a snake.” This shows that the pearl is taking away Kino’s and his family’s humanity.

“Perhaps a rifle.” ” (Pg. 30). This quote from the book shows how even though Kino is a good, honest, generous man, the pearl was making him want things even though he didn't need them. Like the rifle, the rifle was always known to be a white man's tool, so when he had a taste of wealth, he started seeing all of these things that he didn't need and just wanted in the pearls reflection. Greed touched the doctor and Kino the same way, although they are two very different people with very different personalities and different desires, greed touched them both. Greed touches every character, big and small, in the book The Pearl. The theme greed brings out everyone's true character and shows what they will do to make their hopes and dreams come true.

Steinbeck uses the Pearl as a symbol to communicate the theme greed is not a good thing by making it almost corrupt Kino, making him very greedy for wealth. Throughout the book The Pearl, Kino is doing things that are influenced by the pearl, starting with heading to the capital to eventually killing a man, all for is greed. Right before Kino attempts to sell the pearl in his hometown, he is not blinded by anger at being cheated. When his brother indirectly suggests he go to other places to know the true price of the pearl, Kino refuses. “’How can we know what is a fair price, if we do not know what the pearl buyer gets for the pearl in another place.’

The pearl takes on many different forms throughout the novella, shape-shifting its way into people’s minds. “This thing is evil," she cried harshly. "This pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us," and her voice rose shrilly. "Throw it away, Kino. Let us break it between stones. Let us bury it and forget the place. Let us throw it back into the sea. It has brought evil. Kino, my husband, it will destroy us." And in the firelight her lips and her eyes were alive with her fear” (43-44). This shows that the pearl has turned Kino’s head, he wants more, and he needs more. Wanting more and needing more comes to a price and Kino is about to pay for it. The pearl has become my soul,” said Kino. “If I give it up I shall lose my soul…”(73). The pearl is not an entity or a spirit, it does not tell Kino what he should do. Kino has infatuated himself with the thought of a better life and he has lost control of his own. “And then Kino’s brain cleared from its red concentration and he knew the sound—the keening, moaning, rising hysterical cry from the little cave in the side of the stone mountain, the cry of

Kino poses the characteristic of self-pride, which eventually brings him and his family down. ". . . I will fight this thing. I will win over it. We will have our chance. His fist pounded the sleeping mat. No one shall take our good fortune from us. . ." Kino has letten the pearl take control over his life, which is indeed tragic because this beautiful and perfect rounded pearl destroys the most valuable thing that kino owns which is his family, however, as kino has let the pearl take over his life, he no longer sees his family as his most valuable posecion, but the pearl.

One action that the longing for the pearl made Kino do is attack a man who attempted to steal it. He was sleeping and he heard something where he buried it and struck in the area with his knife. According to The Pearl, “Then they heard the sound come again, the whisper of a foot on dry earth and the scratch of fingers in the soil” (Steinbeck, 36-37 ). Kino hears someone digging inside of his home and fills with rage. The thought of losing this pearl of the world fuels his rage and he jumps at the attacker and proceeds to stab him.

He imagined a better life for his family. Despite everything that went wrong, despite people telling him to throw the pearl away, Kino continued to believe in the value and importance of the pearl. Early on Juana tried to convince Kino to get rid of the pearl, “‘This pearl is a sin! It will destroy us,’ and her voice rose shrilly ‘ throw it away.’”(John Steinbeck 38). Kino would have ordinarily taken into consideration his wife’s concerns and this was out of character. While under the spell of the pearl, It didn’t matter to him that Juana had his best interest in mind when she advised him to get rid of the pearl. Even after Kino was attacked, he was unwavering in his conviction in the value of the pearl, “but Kino’s face was set, and his will was set” Kino was given many chances to throw away the pearl, but yet he was stubborn and continued to believe in the pearl even though his world was falling apart and even though he could lose

The previously poor Kino was overcome by the thoughts of greatness that the pearl held when he could see the wealth in the pearl and the happiness it would

     Lastly, the Pearl of the World is hard to grasp for because it is significantly realistic to be true, yet it is as far idealistic as possible. Everyone wanted the same thing, but they knew they all would not be able to have it. The material pearl reveals the irony of good fortune in that what should have been the profession of a lifetime, turns out to be a disaster, producing a great