The Pearl

The Pearl

In this story the pearl was a lot of things to many different people. At times it was hope and at other times it was evil and destructive. 3 characters especially regarded the pearl as something very special and for one; it became part of his soul. To one person it meant hope and a future for his family, to another it meant further expansion of wealth, and to the final person it meant a ticket to the top of the pearl business. However as each one tries to protect it or acquire it they see itЎЇs true colors and some of them lose valuable things along the way.

Kino was an ordinary poor diver with a family; that is until he found the pearl of the world. When he finally opened his last oyster and found the pearl the size of a seagullЎЇs egg, Kino was overwhelmed with the joy of finding it and was sure it would bring hope to he and his family. On the surface of this ÐŽoglowing and gloatingÐŽ± (Steinbeck 19) pearl, ÐŽohe could see dreams formÐŽ± (Steinbeck 19). To Kino this pearl meant the gaining of wealth, social status, being able to finally marry Juana in a church. He could also afford to educate Coyotito; something he always dreamed to do. Everything looked well for Kino: that is, until he tried to sell the pearl. The pearl buyers tried to cheat him and didnЎЇt give him a fair price. That is when all the chaos started happening. The pearl had become KinoЎЇs soul. He simply couldnЎЇt give it up. Greed had taken control of him. It effected every decision he made. The pealЎЇs evilness was slowly showing itself. Because of this pearl Kino will put his family in peril several times, beat his own wife, kill a person, and will become something gruesome. He will also lose his most loved possession, Coyotito. It turned out that, to Kino the pearl was an iniquitous object and he had gained nothing from it.

The doctor was a very opulent man, yet he always wanted more. He was a sad excuse for doctor because he would only treat the people who could afford the bill. To him, when he first heard the story of the pearl, it promised him more money, power and, bragging rights. Although it doesnЎЇt state in the text, the fact that the doctor was trying to take the pearl, you can tell when he tricks Kino into looking at the place where the pearl was buried, and ÐŽoKinoЎЇs eyes flick involuntarilyÐŽ± (Steinbeck 36) to where the pearl was hidden. In addition the pearl, in the doctorЎЇs case, urges him to steel it and even murder anyone who gets in the way of his path. Ultimately