THEME

Theme of challenges

 “Life is all about managing challenges.”

Life is all about managing challenges and in the novel “The Pearl” by John Steinbeck we can see
how Kino, the main character in the story faces all the challenges.
First of all, when Kino’s son Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, Kino blames himself for being
unable to save Coyotio from the sting. The doctor refuses to treat Coyotito because Kino is poor.
Kino discovers a valuable pearl but when the news of his discovery spreads, everyone tries to gain
from it. His peaceful life is destroyed as he becomes obsessed with the pearl and starts hiding the
pearl in different places to ensure that it is not stolen.
The pearl buyers plot not to offer a good price for the pearl and Kino plans to sell his pearl in the
capital to make a better life for his family.Kino is suspicious about everyone and is even prepared to
kill anyone to protect the pearl. An intruder tries to steal the pearl but Kino puts up a fight and is hit
on the head. When he is attacked the second time, he has a deep cut on his chin and scalp. Juana and
Kino quarrel as Kino is pulled by his wishes and Juana by her love for her family, When Juana tries
to get rid of the pearl, Kino goes after her and beats her savagely. He has transformed from a happy
and contented husband to an aggressive and suspicious man. He refuses to listen to his wife and even
his brother. His brush house is burnt down and his canoe is destroyed.
Misfortune strikes when Kino kills a man who tries to steal the pearl from him. Kino has to flee
La Paz immediately and as they set off Kino discovers that three trackers are following them. He
finally attacks and kills all of them but tragedy strikes as one of them shoots Coyotito, mistaking him
for a coyote pup.
Kino manages to overcome the challenges in life when he finally realises the evil that the pearl
represents. He finds great strength from his faithful wife, Juana to overcome all the challenges and
finally gets rid of the pearl that causes him and his family all the hardship.

Theme of courage

‘The Pearl’ portrays the theme of courage. Kino is a simple fisherman who leads a simple life. His
life is turned upside down when he tries to solve his problems by looking a priceless pearl. However,
after finding the pearl, he encounters worse problems than poverty.
The finding of the pearl tests Kino’s courage to the limit. The doctor who had insulted Kino becomes
friendlier while the priest is more approachable. He is hunted by greedy and unscrupulous people.
Kino has to kill a thief in self-defence. After the incident, his house is burnt. He and his family have
to flee to the mountains to hide. However, the murderous trackers go after him and follow him to the
mountains.
Kino shows courage throughout his ordeal in the face of racial discrimination and greed from the
unscrupulous doctor and the trackers. Holding on the pearl is a brave act although it attracts the
wrong people. But, eventually when his baby dies, he throws it away and it takes courage to do so.
Juana shows courage when she stays by Kino’s side all the way. She knows her life is in danger too
but she perseveres with her support and love. She courageously suggests throwing the pearl away.
Kino hits her but her courage does not fail her.
MORAL LESSONS

In the novel ‘The Pearl’, one of the moral lessons I have learnt is that one must not be greedy. Kino
shows how greedy people can be, including those who are supposed to help others. When he tries to
get treatment for his baby for a scorpion sting, the doctor refuses to give treatment as Kino cannot
pay him. The priest is also not interested in Kino’s welfare because he is a poor Indian. When Kino
finds a priceless pearl, then only do the doctor and priest become interested in his well-being.
Another moral lesson I have learnt is that one must not be envious of another’s good fortune.
Kino’s neighbours begin to feel envious of him. Trackers who want the priceless pearl follow Kino
to the mountains. They even try to kill him to get the pearl. Unfortunately, the baby becomes the first
victim of the vicious cycle of greed.
Racial discrimination is practised by the town people. The doctor and the priest are literally void of
any sense of righteousness when they discriminate against the poor Indians. The moral lesson is
discrimination of any kind will only threaten the society.
The story portrays one good moral value, that is, love of family. Juan Tomas is willing to help his
brother when he is pursued by the trackers. Kino does not want to put his brother’s family in danger
by staying with them. So, he runs to the mountain. Juana shows strong family love when she follows
Kino into the mountains. She supports his every decision.
In short, greed, envy and discrimination are damaging while family love is highly valuable.

SYMBOL

 The symbolism of the pearl

The pearl which is as large as a sea gull’s egg is a symbol of both good and evil in the novel. After
the pearl is found, Coyotito recovers from the scorpion bite. Juana and Kino build their dreams on
the pearl. It brings momentary happiness for Kino and his family. It is a symbol of hope for this poor
family. However, the pearl brings along despair and sorrow for the founder. While Kino dreams of
wealth and affluence, evil and misfortune come his way.
The pearl symbolizes the illusiveness of irrational dreams. One must work hard to earn a living.
Greed to possess wealth will only bring losses. Kino loses his good family life, his son and his home
because of the pearl. The pearl makes Kino brutal as he hits Juana. He even commits murder.
The pearl is also a symbol of greed and corruption. The pearl buyers are out to cheat Kino. The
doctor forgets his professional ethics in wanting to possess the pearl. The priest has ulterior motives
when he visits Kino in his house.
ENDING
 state whether you like or dislike the ending.
I dislike the ending of the novel “The Pearl” whereby Kino threw away the greatest pearl in the
world.
I think Kino should not throw away the pearl after going through all the hardship. He was
injured in his head when he fought off a man who had come to his brush hut to steal the pearl. Later
he had to fight off yet another attacker. He killed his attacker when he was attacked the third time
and had to run away from the village. Furthermore Kino and his wife Juana lost their beloved son
when he was shot by one of the three trackers who were following Kino. After going through all the
disaster, Kino should not throw away the pearl as throwing away the pearl would not bring Coyotito
alive, neither would it reduce their suffering.
I think Kino should have taken the pearl to the city and sold it for a good price. The money
from the sale of the pearl would enable Kino and his wife to lead a more comfortable life. They
could start their life all over again elsewhere instead of returning to La Paz as that would only bring
back sad memories. Moreover, Kino’s brush hut has been burnt to the ground by the attackers and
his canoe was also damaged. Therefore, there was nothing much for Kino and his wife in La Paz.
Besides that Kino had killed one of the attackers so the authorities (police) would be looking for him.
Therefore it would be better for Kino and his wife to go elsewhere.
I dislike the ending of “The Pearl” because I would like it to end on a happier note because the
ordeal or sufferings that Kino and his family had to go through was never ending. They had to go
through difficulties one after another right from the time the doctor refused to treat Coyotito who was
stung by a scorpion. When Kino found the pearl, the buyers tried to cheat him and he was even
injured by the thieves who attacked him. Kino did not gain anything from the pearl. In fact he lost his
house, his canoe and his baby son, Coyotito. After all the sufferings, Kino and his wife Juana should
finally be able to sell the pearl and start a new life. Instead it had ended in a sad tone.

 what you think about the ending of the novel.

‘The Pearl’ by John Steinback has a very sad or tragic ending. This tragedy brought Kino back
to his senses. Coyotito’s death proved to Kino that nothing should be more important than the safety
of his family. He not only lost his son, but also become a killer, killing the trackers like a machine.
Kino has changed from a gentle and contented man into one who was posseseive, suspicious, violent
and aggressive. In the end, Kino realised that the pearl was the cause of all his sufferings and he
himself threw the pearl back into the sea.
The pearl proved to be evil just as Juana had feared. Instead of bringing wealth, the pearl had
brought Kino a lot of problems and trouble. Juana on the other hand could see the negative influence
of the pearl. She remained sensible and retained moral values over the promise of wealth. She
remained patient with Kino although he would not listen to her advice. She stayed with him
eventhough he hit her and even followed him when he ran away from the village, to the mountains.
She was wise and finally Kino trusted her wisdom and threw away the pearl.
The ending also showed that Kino and his wife, Juana went back to their village where they
belong. Their life before the discovery of the pearl was peaceful. Hence, going back to the village
where they belong might bring peace upon them. Therefore, there was still hope for them despite
everything that had happened. Futhermore, Kino and Juana still had each other.
ENJOY THE NOVEL
 Do you enjoy reading the novel? Why?

Yes, I enjoy reading the novel ‘The Pearl’. It is a story about how the main character, Kino, finds a
pearl that he assumes will change his life, but in the end, discovers that it brings much misfortune to
his family.
I enjoyed ‘The Pearl’ because it explores the theme of hope and hopelessness. When Kino, a poor
Mexican-Indian fisherman finds the pearl of the world, to him it is a symbol of hope. It is his ticket
out of the poverty he lives in. It means a better life for him and his family. Little does he realize the
hope will soon become hopelessness, when he loses his only son in his desire to sell the pearl. All
seem hopeless again. Kino finally throws the pearl away, and once again we see a glimmer of hope
that things will return to normal. The exploration of this theme reflects something that all of us go
through at some point in our lives. There are times when we feel all hope is gone and then,
something comes along to give us hope and even then, that can be taken away again.
Besides that, I enjoyed the book because it explores the issue of social discrimination. Kino, as a
Mexican-Indian, is discriminated against by the Spanish, portrayed here by the doctor. The
discrimination by one social class against another is explored by the author and it reminds me that
social discrimination exists in all forms and in all societies. it also drives home the point that this
discrimination should be eradicated.
‘The Pearl’ is a good story. It has relevant themes and messages that I can relate to and those are
universal and timeless.

 Explain why you enjoyed reading this novel and say how the writer made it memorable
for you.
Sample (a)
I enjoyed reading ‘The Pearl” because it shows the real love and concern of parents towards their
only child. Kino shows real love when he crushes the scorpion between his fingers, rubbing it to a
paste. After that, he throws it down and stamps it to the ground. Juana, being a concerned mother,
takes the baby into her arms, puts her lips down over the puncture and sucked the poison out. Kino
also dives into the deep sea to get precious pearls just for his son’s treatment.
This story also shows how a precious pearl can cause much sorrow and changes one’s life. Before
the discovery of the pearl, Kino is portrayed as someone who is poor, happy and contented in life.
However, the discovery of the pearl makes him obsessed with the pearl and starts hiding it in
different places. Kino and Juana have to flee from their village like fugitives. In the end, the death of
his son, Coytito, has finally brought him back to his senses.
The writer also makes the story memorable because the story teaches us that greed if not controlled
will eventually destroy us. Greed makes Kino go on hoping for the highest price for his pearl. Greed
transforms Kino from a loving husband into a brutal one as he strikes violently at his wife who tries
to destroy the pearl. Kino eventually loses his son who accidentally shot at by one of the trackers
who pursue him for the pearl.
Besides, the writer manages to develop Kino’s character amazingly. He is described as constantly
devoted to his family’s safety. For example, he is willing to be captured by the trackers in order to
save his family. The discovery of the pearl is the turning point in Kino’s life. He desires no personal
gain as he only wants to sell the pearl for the sake of his family. As he becomes obsessed with the
pearl, he is described as turning into a killing machine.
Because of these qualities, I find that novel is interesting and the writer has made it memorable for
me.
Sample (b)
I enjoyed reading ‘The Pearl’ because there are a lot of suspense elements which colour the plot of
the story. These will make one wonder what will happen next and eager to finish reading the whole
story. One of them is when the scorpion is moving on one of the ropes. A sting from the scorpion
could kill. Another example is the event when Kino and his family run away form the trackers. Kino
can barely breathe when the trackers study the ground for a long time to find his trail. Can they get
him?
Besides, the writer has made this novel memorable to me when he includes some special features
such as the use of songs. Kino hears the Song of family when he feels warm and safe. But, in times
of danger, the Songs of Evil or Enemy is heard by Kino, for examples, before the scorpion stings
Coyotito and when the doctor arrives to get his share of wealth. Sometimes, Kino also hears a
combination of songs, such as he hears the Music of the Pearl and the Family when he is comforted
by the thought of how the pearl holds opportunity for him. Indeed, the use of songs as a motive to
run through the whole novel makes my reading very memorable.
Furthermore, I also enjoyed reading the novel because it teaches us many good values. One of those
is that greed if not controlled will eventually destroy the community. The pearl attracts a host of
greedy people like the doctor, the priest, the attackers and trackers. These people are willing to
poison a child and to kill Kino and his family in order to get the pearl. The greed of others destroys
any chance for Kino to find happiness in life. The doctor is greedy, he will only treat Coyotito if
Kino had money. His attitude will make so many people suffer and die. The priest is greedy for
donations to repair his church. His action will make people distrust the church and disbelieve in God.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed reading this novel and it is a memorable one for me.

SETTING

 The setting of the novel and how does it affect the way the main character behaves.
In the novel, ‘The Pearl’, the setting is focused around the brush houses of the Mexican Indian
fishermen and pearl divers. Kino, the main character, lives in the brush house. He is not educated and
is poor. He is ignorant of a lot of things and is unable to pay the doctor when his son, Coyotito, is
stung by the scorpion.
The fishermen are oppressed by the rich Spaniards who live in the town. Kino lives a simple life and
when he finds the pearl of the world, he wants to break away from the poverty he is in. He wants to
sell the pearl and give his son an education. He is attacked three times. This happens in his brush
house and the beach as these are vulnerable places with not much security. Kino reacts with anger
and physical force as that is his nature. He is not educated and thus unable to reason things out.
As such, the setting of the rustics and bare brush houses affects the way Kino behaves.
  Describe the setting of the novel. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

Sample (a)
The Pearl is set in a small Mexican-Indian fishing village. Kino and the other villagers are poor
fishermen and pearl divers. They live in brush houses, they lead very simple lives. They dive for
pearls and sell these pearls to the pearl buyers in the town of La Paz. The villagers suffer social
discrimination because of their low status in the society. They have been oppressed by their white
colonizers for centuries.
The Mexican Spanish live in La Paz. They are educated and wealthy. The people who belong to
this group are the doctor, the priest and the pearl buyers. They think they are better than the poor
fishermen and pearl divers.
The town of La Paz is very old and crowded. Kino tried to sell his pearl here. On the outskirts
of La Paz lies the sandy desert. During the day, it is hot and dry but at night one can hear the coyotes
crying and laughing. The desert is covered with dry tress, bushes and cacti.
The climax of the story is set in the mountains, whereby Kino flees to with his family. The
mountain lies to the north of the village. The mountain is rocky and dusty with small caves set in
them. The air is dry and a tiny stream flows down the mountain. Baby Coyotito is killed over here.

Sample (b)
In ‘The Pearl’ by John Steinbeck, the story takes place in a fishing village which is situated near La
Paz. Kino and his family are Mexican Indians, who live in brush houses in the fishing village. Those
who live there work as fishermen and pearl divers, earning very little. Their homes are small, with
their sleeping area consisting of mats on the floor and the fire pit where they cook. They cook using
coal and pieces of brush. The staple food of these people is corn. The people in this settlement live as
a close-knit family. The sea is a source of income to the native Mexican Indians. They catch fish and
dive for pearls in the sea. Even the dogs and pigs depend on the sea for food. Kino has found the
pearl of the world from the sea and in the end he throws the pearl back into the sea.
In contrast, the people in the town are well-to-do and are educated, like the doctor. Most of them are
descendents of Spanish conquerors. The doctor’s house is modern and has ‘brick and plaster walls’.
It is clean with a ‘freshly-washed path’ and has ‘secret garden’ filled with the ‘singing of caged
birds’. Those who live in La Paz mostly hold professional jobs. The town is seen as a colonial unit
with ‘a structured system where each has its own place’.