The Peral by John Steinbeck

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.

Kino in The Pearl creates the theme of greed and power can make one’s downfall. In the book Juana (Kino’s wife) hears evil music with the pearl and fears it will tear apart the family and the village. So she sneaks out in the early morning with it and tries to get rid of it to free her family from evil but gets caught in the action by her husband who goes savage. “Her arm was up to throw when he leaped at her and caught her arm and wrenched the pearl from her. He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side...Kino looked down at her and his teeth were bared. He hissed at her like a snake…”(page 58-59) This shows how greed and power can make one’s downfall because the greed of the pearl and the idea of what riches it could bring to the family and the whole village which makes Kino fill with rage when he sees Juana trying to get rid of

She even says in the book “ I knew there was murder in him” meaning the pearl brought out this strange and unnoticed evil part of him she had never seen before. He struck Juana in the face with a closed fist and kicked her in her side when she was lying on the ground. After that, he said “I am man” which was very strange if you are familiar with Kino he never acted like that or ever even laid a hand on her. Now you probably can tell that the pearl changed Kino and brought him to the low level of hurting other people that he cared dearly

Kino is one of the main characters in John Steinbeck’s book, The Pearl. At first, Kino was very simple, and he only cared about the village and the people in it, especially his family. After Kino discovers the pearl, Kino transformed himself from a hardworking family man to a violent murderer driven by greed.

Before Kino found the pearl, he wasn’t exposed to great hardship or struggle. When he found the pearl, Kino became very greedy and he experienced immense pain and loss. Furthermore, the pearl also caused Kino to lose his innocence. When Kino allowed evil and pain to take over his perspective of life he became angry. The first time Kino killed someone was when a man broke into Kino’s house in attempt to steal the pearl. Later in the book, Kino and his family we being shadowed by trackers in pursuit to kill him and his family and steal the pearl. After the trackers fired upon Kino’s child, Kino became filled with rage and the pearl grew gray and he let evil take him over: "And in the surface of the pearl he saw Coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot away. And the pearl was ugly; it was gray, like a malignant growth. And Kino heard the music of the pearl, distorted and insane” (pg. 89). Kino then killed those who were in pursuit of him and shot at

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.

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

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

As soon as everyone found out, he found a huge pearl, the doctor came hoping to get it or get payed (Steinbeck 702). Kino was anger he had never felt that kinda anger before; after everything that happened to his son now he is willing to help because they will be rich. The doctor some how convinced Kino to let him help by; getting him sick again to then heal him (Steinbeck 701). Later one once Kino goes to the capital to trade his pearl once he left, after turning down there offers, a man tried to jump him and steal the pearl. Kino then stabbed a man out of rage and self defence (Steinbeck 704). This was just the beginning of Kino’s anger and and bad luck. Then his wife Juana tried to take the pearl away from him and drop it into the ocean, but Kino pushed her to the ground and beat her. Kino had all the anger and rage in the world right now, and he took it out on his wife that he loved (Steinbeck 708). Once the family arrived home; they realized there house was on fire and they had to hide hoping to get away from everyone that wants the pearl. They hide once the people new where they were they ran and so did

When Kino first finds the pearl, he becomes a different person, and that shows us how ambition can change people. He becomes greedy, and then starts to treat his wife differently. Kino also became very ambitious for the worth of the pearl. When the dealers see the pearl and say it isn’t worth much, Kino ceases to view the pearl with optimistic delight and instead focuses on its sale with determined ambition. From this point on, that ambition continues to hurt him, to the point where his son, Coyotito, dies.

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.

A determined individual named Kino encounters a pearl of which he decides holds a lot of value. Bent on the possibility that the pearl could bring wealth and luck to his family, Kino goes through an expedition where progressively he begins to lose himself to greed. Regrettably, Kino realizes this too late and finds that his conviction to gain more and more power than he first had in mind, leads him to utter corruption.

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 plays a big part in the story. It brings down the family, changes Kinos way of thinking, and his priorities. When Kino first find the pearl it brings him hope which is shown through the quote “In the surface of the great pearl he could see dream forms.” (Steinbeck 19) this shows how his hope that things will get better for his family. The hope that he has is also shown when he is talking to everyone. He starts to talk about his dreams and there are four of them “We will be married- in the church. He spoke softly.” (24) This is the first of his hopes. The second

What if something seems so worthwhile, you would risk everything to try to get it? The Pearl by John Steinbeck focuses on a man named Kino. Kino found a pearl whose value was so great that it could potentially give his family everything they wanted. But Kino quickly lost sight of what really mattered and let suspicion, anger, and fear overtake him. Throughout the book, Kino’s family is subjected to multiple tragedies. A tragedy is an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, like a serious accident. Kino caused the tragedies his family experienced because he only cared about the pearl, had no control over himself, and didn't listen to others.