The boat is a symbol for family, and now that the boat has been destroyed, the family is now being destroyed. Steinbeck used darkness for the villagers that burnt down Kino’s home. The determination that Kino has to keep the pearl is starting to become destruction. With everything that had happened to Kino and his family. Kino is ready to start a new life with his family. If the pearl could be sold, the money that they get from the pearl will help Coyotito go to school and have a good life. As Kino is starting his new life by escaping he hears the music of the pearl in his head. Steinbeck presents Kino as an animal because as the novel progress, Steinbeck presents Kino as a wild animal that is being hunted by the villagers.
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.”
Steinbeck writes, “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 death” (87). At this point, Kino has lost everything: his sanity, his respect for human nature, his son. As Kino denies the pearl buyer’s deals, he is setting himself on the path to self destruction, and is blind at what is yet to come. Little did he know that he was going to lose his whole world, but he just had to keep the pearl. Because of Kino’s greediness, his son was the victim of
The difference between Kino at the beginning of The Pearl and the ending is the amount of happiness Kino has. In The pearl on page 89 John Steinbeck states " And in the surface of the pearl he saw Coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot away." At the beginning of the story all Kino had was happiness because he would finally be able to give his son the life he deserved with the fortune that he would obtain from selling the pearl.
First, Kino’s call to adventure with Coyotito being savagely stung by a scorpion and Kino having to find money for the doctor to pay for Coyotito’s medical treatment, second,Kino’s allies that will be by his side no matter what and lastly the examples of how Kino is truly a tragic hero. In John Steinbeck's novella, The Pearl the text gives many hints and clues that the novel follows the pattern of a Hero's Journey. This essay will cover the 3 main aspects of Kino's Journey which eventually leads to his ultimate sacrifice. My claim is significant and relevant to The Pearl because without the three main aspects to Kino’s Journey, the novel would not be the award winning, captivating book that it
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.
My illustration depicts the sun setting behind the Gabilan Mountains near a farm with two figures watching the sunset behind a fence. The two figures represent Lennie and George, the taller being Lennie and the latter being George. They are standing behind a fence watching the sunset over a small independent farm. This symbolises how their dream of their own few acres is quickly setting. The fence adds to this symbolism by barring them from obtaining their dream, the American Dream.
Throughout the story, Steinbeck displays Kino’s animalistic and childlike traits in various ways. An example would be Kino howling at the discovery of the pearl, similar to a wolf howling to the moon (pg.
There are many metaphors that can be found within The Pearl. But specifically, the description of the beach at the beginning of chapter 2 is a metaphor for Kino’s town, and the people in it. It is very similar to the metaphor of the Pool in Cannery Row, which will later be discussed in this essay. Steinbeck gives his readers a clear image of “the water’s edge [which was] a rubble of shell and algae... little lobsters popped in and out of their tiny homes in the rubble... the sea bottom was rich... the poison fish, lay on the bottom...” (Steinbeck, Page 18) This is a very powerful description of the ocean front which Kino lives near. Steinbeck clearly is metaphorically describing what life is like in this town. The land of the town can be described with “shell and algae” and the “little lobsters popping out of their tiny homes” are the poor people in this town, they live “in the rubble.” But once you dive down deeper, readers see the “rich” ocean bottom where the “poison fish lay on the bottom,” those poison fish are the wealthy of the town. Again, such powerful, metaphorical language was used by Steinbeck in order to describe the town. He sympathizes with the poor because of the language he uses when he describes their homes, tiny and in
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.
The author shows a continuous moral in the story. The author suggests that greed in the root of evil. The author states , “For Kino was a well- liked man; it would be a shame if the pearl destroyed him.” This phrase also foreshadows future events and conflicts in the story.
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.’
Main character Kino embodies the prey-like qualities of the Indian population, experiencing firsthand the power of racism. When his son falls seriously ill, Kino’s lack of knowledge prevents him from treating his son, and he is forced to seek the assistance of a European doctor. Yet as he arrives at the doctor’s lavish home, the recollection of European cruelty surges in his mind and “. . . [rage] [swells] in him . . . his lips [draw] tight against his teeth - but with his left hand he [reaches] to take off his hat”(Steinbeck 9). As anger begins to dominate Kino’s emotions, his instinctual actions grow more primitive and animal-like. His “lips draw tight against his teeth” like an animal at bay, furious yet forced to comply with his indomitable foe. In spite of his anger, Kino must adhere to his plebeian duties, and like a dutiful pet, he resolves to show submission and respect towards the Europeans by taking off his hat. In a sudden turn of events, Kino stumbles upon a pearl of immeasurable value. When the news reaches the doctor, he offers his assistance under the assumption that Kino will repay him with the pearl. At the thought of the Europeans’ harsh
In ‘The Pearl” the songs symbolize Kinos feelings or emotions throughout the book. Kino feeling sad or hopeful or calm is all shown in the songs. Since the story is told in third person or in a narrator's point of view normally you aren’t told how the characters are feeling but Steinbeck uses the songs to portray how Kino’s feelings none the
The music in Kino?s head represents his conscience in the real world. It warns him of bad by the Song of Evil, it makes him feel good by the Song of the Family, and the Song of the Pearl reminds him of all the things the pearl brought him. In the end, the irony of the story is that even a good person can be lead off course by his feeling of inner responsibility to provide for his family. Kino?s actions are being motivated to raise Coyotito in greatness, which eventually leads to the death of Coyotito (Kino?s greatest loss). Many desires in life can lead to disaster.