The pearl by John Steinbeck

The pearl by John Steinbeck

First 50 pages- The pearl starts out with showing how simple life is in Kino's small village.  I like how even though life was so simple and stricken with poverty, it was all Kino knew, and therefore he was content. I also really like how there are different songs, like the song of the family. Kino's day unfolds normally until his son, Coyotito, is stung by a poisonous scorpion. Kino and his wife Juanna, race of to the local doctor. however, the doctor is so greedy he doesn't see Kino's sick child, and leaves them to deal with the problem themselves. The family then is blessed when Kino finds a giant pearl, and the news of their blessing spreads to the doctor, who now wants to help the child. this part in the book might be my favorite because it shows how wealth can completely change someone. The doctor who refused to see them now is helping them because of the news of this pearl. it also showed how the doctor would cheat people out of their possessions, because he was the only doctor and he couldnt be replaced.

so far i believe there are no "bad" characters in this book, just the greedy doctor. Kino is a humble, pure man, and Juanna is a kind, caring wife. they seem to be a good match, but after the pearl is found Juanna has her doubts. she believes it s bad luck for the family, and for a while shares Kinos enthusiasm about the pearl before she becomes scared for the future of the family.

the news of Kino's remarkable find has swept throughout the village, which i find a bit funny and true. when ever something drastically good or bad happens to someone, it is suddenly everyones business, and in no time at all everyone knows. however, the pearl is starting to make Kino greedy. Juanna is scared that it has cursed the family, when Kino believes it is a miracle. i found the part where Kino is attacked in the night by some strange creature a bit confusing. did it symbolize an intruder trying to take the pearl? or foreshadowing that only bd things can come from the treasure.

second 50 pages-
 As i read into the pearl, i realized that slowly the pearl was corrupting Kino. At first, he fantasized about all the happiness it would bring his family. Kino goes to the market to sell the pearl to pay the doctor, yet no vendor will pay the price he thinks the pearl is worth. thinking he is being conned out of his new found wealth, he returns home to leave at a later time to travel to a distant city to sell it. meanwhile his wife thinks it is bringing bad luck to their family, and urges him to throw it away.

The next part of the story is also very confusing for me. Juanna, doing what she thinks is right, attempts to throw away the pearl. Kino follows her, beats her up, and she accepts it, knowing that she needs Kino to live. she also realizes the old, simple life the once knew and loved is gone. then Kino gets attacked by a starnge person, whom he kills. the part that confuses me the most is when Kino feels worse about his canoe being vandalized than him abusing his wife, and his house being burnt down. here is a direct coment from the book from Kino "The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of the boat. for a boat does not have sons, and cannot protect itself, and a wounded boat does not heal." wouldn't it be worse if a man died than a boat because a man has sons left without a father. and a boat can be repaired!!!

Kino is now on the run from bounty hunters who are searching for the pearl. maybe it was them who set his house on fire and destroyed his boat. but he is tracked by them up into the mountains. remember how there where different songs? the pearl has a song of evil, which Kino now believes. the family run from the trackers for a long time. the family hides in a cave above the trackers, then stealthily kills them.

The final part of the story makes sense. Kino and his family return and they throw away the evil pearl. overall it was a good read with a good message. the wealth and greed of the pearl was too much for kino and it brought misfortune upon him. if he would have just sold it to the merchant many lives would have been spared. I thought how they had the song of family, evil and other songs was pretty cool. it showed how simple their life was.