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The Pearl Wealth

Decent Essays

The chances of finding a valuable pearl are extremely low. In the book The Pearl, Kino found what was called The Pearl of the World. One of the most valuable objects anyone could've had in this time period. Pearls were used for income. The better the pearl, (no irregularities, and not too small or big) the more money you could receive for it. Although wealth is satisfactory, and can bring joy at the moment, it does not equal happiness because once you're wealthy enough, you're not happy anymore, money doesn't buy love, and money doesn't buy family and friends.

Once you've acquired enough money, or even possibly all the money in the world, you really can't be happy since you've already accomplished the goal. In The Pearl, Kino was happy when …show more content…

If anything, the pearl and wealth in general only made Kino and the townspeople more selfish. The stingy doctor for example, was so invested in making a profit, that he didn't even give a second thought about his deceased wife. In the book, it states, "The pictures were religious, even the large tinted photograph of his dead wife, who, if Masses willed and paid for out of her own estate could do it, was in Heaven," (Shmoop Editorial Team). This quote proves that the doctor was too wrapped up in his world full of money that he paid no respects to his wife, especially since he sold most of her belongings to make a quick buck. This also leads to the doctor poisoning Coyotito in order to scam Kino and Juana out of their pearl money when Juana had already cured him. The Pearl states, "She gathered some brown seaweed and made a flat damp poultice of it, and this she applied to the baby's swollen shoulder, which was as good a remedy as any and probably better than the doctor could have done. But the remedy lacked his authority …show more content…

Juana loved Kino regardless if they were poor or rich. The book states, " In the pearl he saw Juana and Coyotito and himself standing and kneeling at the high altar, and they were being married now that they could pay. He spoke softly, "We will be married – in the church," (Shmoop Editorial Team). It shows how Kino and Juana were not even married yet, due to lack of money, but they were still in love. Even before Kino found the "Pearl of The World." Regardless of the situation, Juana still loved and supported Kino, and trusted his judgment and decisions. Kino probably thought that by having money to send his child to school, he'd "buy" Coyotito's love. In the book, it says," In the pearl he saw Coyotito sitting at a little desk in a school, just as Kino had once seen it through an open door. And Coyotito was dressed in a jacket, and he had on a white collar, and a broad silken tie. Moreover, Coyotito was writing on a big piece of paper. Kino looked at his neighbors fiercely. "My son will go to school," (Shmoop Editorial Team). The quote illustrates how hopeful Kino was that his son was going to go to school, learn to read, teach his people how to do the same, and how Coyotito would be very thankful and loving towards his father for giving him that opportunity. Just as you cannot buy love, you can't buy family and friends

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