The Pearl Symbolism Essay

At the beginning of the story they both felt content and happy as show in this quote “Sometimes it rose to an aching chord that caught the throat, saying this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole.”. They did not even speak because their understanding was so great. But after Kino found the pearl his relationship steadily deteriorates as shown in this quote “"Kino," she said huskily, "I am afraid. A man can be killed. Let us throw the pearl back into the sea." "Hush," he said fiercely. "I am a man. Hush.”. That shows that as time goes by Kino is acting ruder and harshly to Juana all because of the greed the pearl caused. Another example is "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. But Kino's face was set, and his mind and his will were set” this quote shows that Juana is becoming increasingly fearful yet Kino is sure this is the way and is willing to do whatever is necessary to become wealthy. This causes a strain between their relation. Finally the worst thing Kino commits is the act of attacked Juana. He is described as a snake hissing at her and hitting her that makes her fall. He even continues to kick her after she has fallen and she accepts it and knows he may even murder her. This shows that Kino has broken all limits of humanity and is being consumed by

Good vs. evil, greed, social oppression, we see it all around us and more importantly it shows up in the books we read. The themes good vs. evil, greed, social oppression, they all show up the book The Pearl, by John Steinbeck to help you find general topics in the story and to show the reader the impact that the different themes have on the story. In The Pearl the many themes in the book help you see big and small impacts to characters and the world around them, the themes also help you convey the main idea of the story. The book The Pearl, by John Steinbeck has different themes that incorporate into the story, and impact the book from the beginning to the end. All of the themes throughout the book work together and impact the story

“But in the song there was a secret little inner song, hardly perceptible, but always there, sweet and secret and clinging, almost hiding in the counter-melody and this was the song of the pearl that might be, for every shell thrown in the basket might contain a pearl” (Steinbeck 17). This is something that might forever deceive us, because of its 'sweet' counter-melody. This is the deception of money. It still happens today- people confuse money with power, because in some way, money can lead to power, and it's not always a good thing. Money is not the answer to everything, as it can serve to beguile people, confusing them between what they think they want, and what they really do want or need. In the book 'The Pearl' by John

The pearl in general, meant opportunity and hope. Opportunity because it could have helped anyone who was poor be able to reach a higher level that they weren’t able to get without the pearl. An example of getting to a better place would be by getting a rifle,

Pearl is one of the biggest symbols in the book, and she even comes up before the A does. Pearl is just as much of a symbol as a character; she represents the price

In The Pearl, the pearl that Kino retrieves from the depths of the ocean initially represents hope, or a brighter future to its owner Kino, because it has a high monetary value, Kino and society believe. In addition, it also showcases that God might be looking favorably at Kino and his family. “Kino lifted the flesh, and there it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon. It captured the light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence. It was as large as a seagull’s egg.

The Pearl has very prominent morals about evil, riches, and greed. Because of the pearl Kino and Juana find, the family has to suffer many hardships. The pearl planted evil thoughts into their minds and lives. It teaches them about how material objects can bring misfortune and destruction in a previously stable and loving environment. Before the pearl, Kino, Juana, and Coyotito, lived a happy life and were content with what they had. After the pearl, however, they want to have more

The pearl's evil infects Kino like a ravaged disease and consumes his mind. He starts off with good intentions, but they become twisted. He wants to sell the pearl and use the money to better his family's lifestyle. He has dreams and goals that each depends on the pearl selling for a good price. Juana sensing the evil and greed coming from Kino attempts to destroy it. Kino beats her unmercifully. "He struck her in the face and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side...He hissed at her like a snake and she stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before a butcher." Juana sees through the outer beauty of the pearl and knew it would destroy Kino and herself. Kino's vision from the soul becomes blurred by the possible prosperity the pearl will bring. The evil invades Kino's life as well as everyone he knows and loves.

Many people believe that women don’t play an important role in society and for this reason women are looked down upon; casted to the bottom of societies metaphorical food chain. The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, represents a small percent of the way women are treated, for simply being female. It exhibits many ideas as to how people, in The Pearl’s society, view women and treat them, for example, the way Kino treats Juana throughout the story, how she overcomes all the terrible things that inevitably happen to her and how she becomes stronger, for the both of them, in the end. When Juana decides to throw the pearl into the ocean, Kino takes the rage, he felt earlier in the story, out on her without the blink of an eye.

After fighting battles with himself, Kino began to lose his ability to control himself because he was set on his plan for his family that he once saw in the pearl. “He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders and he kicked her in the side.” (Steinbeck 59). Multiple instances have occured since Kino first got the pearl, including two attacks to steal it during the night, as well as thousands of eyes that have stared through him and looked into his soul full of secrets, making him feel scared throughout the day and night, worried that those eyes would turn into attacks on his pearl, which holds the future for his family. After Juana, Kino’s wife had enough jealous stares and greedy attacks, she took the pearl and boldly planned to throw it into the water, for it to drown with the wealth and the struggles attached to it. But, as Kino was constantly aware of everything occurring with the pearl, he didn't care whether it was his wife or a stranger, because he knew he had to attack and prevent the loss of the pearl, especially since he has such a close connection to it. “The pearl has become my soul. If I give it up, I shall lose my soul.” (Steinbeck 67). Kino cannot live without the pearl and as everyday goes by, his connection with the pearl grows stronger, and his

The pearl, in my opinion, was the root of the evil that Kino felt throughout the book. His intentions of the pearl were pure until he laid hands on the cursed object. I do believe the pearl itself was evil, Kino was only a misfortunate carrier. It masked itself as opportunity for Kino and his family, but its version of venom slowly seeped itself into his skin and began to taint his mind. I believe that Kino was in an in-between with him being either greedy or not.

1.In the novella, The Pearl By John Steinbeck, the moral argument is that currency cannot buy happiness. He has the opportunity to have possession of a vast amount of riches but Kino never takes them, instead of selling the pearl and having anything he could possibly want, he gets insanely attached to the pearl the point where he almost goes crazy. He chooses the pearl over almost everything, but thankfully Juana and Juan Tomas realized how pure evil money (in this case, the pearl) can distribute into someone’s life so tremendously and unexpectedly. Kino experiences many different reactions after he discovers the pearl of the world and even has the chance to afford a doctor to tend to his son’s scorpion sting. However Kino ends up throwing

     Novels were created to show a very naive view in great depth. The Pearl is a novel in its most complete form. Steinbeck does this by conveying life symbolically. Through symbols, John offers the reader a clearer look at life and it?s content. He shows major imagery in four ways: Kino, music, Coyotito, and the 'Pearl of the World'.

In the novella, The Pearl, Kino is faced with many decisions that later impact his life in ways that he could never image. The Pearl tells the tale of a great pearl that could change the life of any man. Kino happened to be this man, but this great pearl caused nothing but havoc and harm to come upon his family. When they were running from all of the trouble the pearl had caused them, Kino’s son died, their hut burned down in the attempt to get away, and Kino had become a man of anger and violence.

All of the village people suddenly sparked an interest in Kino once he discovered the pearl, “people with things to sell and people with favors to ask. Kino had found the Pearl of the World. . . .Every man suddenly became related to Kino's pearl, and Kino's pearl went into the dreams, the speculations, the schemes, the plans, the futures, the wishes, the needs, the lusts, the hungers, of everyone, and only one person stood in the way and that was Kino, so that he became curiously every man's enemy” (Steinbeck 23). The pearl does not result in an immediate change in Kino’s personality, but rather how others view him. The pearl symbolizes hope, a trait that Kino previously possessed, but somewhat lost after the incident involving Coyotito’s illness. Kino’s “eyes and voice [became] hard and cold and a brooding hate was growing in him” (Steinbeck 38). At the beginning of the novel, Kino is very optimistic and positive. Therefore, when this hate begins to consume him, it is very unusual, leading us to believe that the pearl has an influence on Kino.