The Oyster and the Pearl

693 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The importance of kindness essay

1. Do you think that it is right to allow Clay to believe that there is a pearl in the oyster? Explain your answer.

Ans. Clay is a poor, innocent boy. He wants money to put in an ad for his disappeared father. His father had left home a month ago. Clay knew that the basic reason for his leaving home was money which was a constant cause of dispute between his mother and father. Harry's effort to give the boy a hope of a pearl in the oyster is the virtuous act of human side of him. Perhaps no happiness could have been bought for three hundred dollars that Harry was going to give to the boy. He wanted the boy to have enough money to do something to bring his father back to the family.

2. In your opinion, why is the writer willing to buy the pearl? What has he received in return? What does he mean by saying: "As far as I'm concerned, the whole thing's a pearl."

Ans. In my opinion, the writer wants to help the little boy in his efforts to bring his father back. He is certainly moved to the quick after knowing all about the boy and his family. For him the whole thing has given him such a rich experience of human emotional life that is worth three hundred dollars he pays for the oyster. In fact, seeing a small boy struggling so hard to shoulder the miseries of his family is in itself a pearl of human traits that is why the writer makes this statement." As for as I'm concerned, the whole thing's a pearl."

3. What has attracted Harry and other people to O.K.-by-the-Sea? Is it the kind of town that appeals to you? Do you think that it resembles an ideal town? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans. Small in population and unimportant in any commercial sense, this town is like a gem in the crowd of heartless city life. The people are poor but honest and loving. The family units are closely knitted. Though they have little means to earn their livelihood, they have the wealth of contentment. Accordingly, these are the attributes of the people of O.K.-by-the-Sea, which has attracted Harry and other people to this town. This is the kind of town that appeals to me. A place where people possess such qualities as honesty, love and sacrifice and I am sure that it will certainly appeal to everyone.

Show More
Related

  • Applying Foster's How to Read Literature like a Professor to The Pearl by Steinbeck

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...the rich (higher class) refuse to help the poor (lower class). Having this included in The Pearl,definitely shows you that their are many social problem in their culture. Finding familiar elements in literature can improve your understanding and enjoyment of the reading. I believe this because when you make a connection with the story you tend to have better understanding because you can relate it to other literature you have read and see the similarities. It also adds to your enjoyment of the book because when you see these connections it gives you a deeper meaning of what the other is say. It also allows you to predict possible events to come in the story. I would definitely recommend reading How to Read Like Literature Professor before you read your next novel. Doing so would not only further your skills as a reader, but also improve your enjoyment of reading.

    Read More

  • The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your fancy bids, assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all." This is an open invitation for you, the reader, in the short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." Ursula K. Le Guin is simply inviting you to become her main character. How might you accept or deny this malicious request? It is quite simple, really. To accept it is to read on, and to deny it is to disembark in the endeavor. The city of joy, your own Omelas, is developing continuously in your head. How sweet it is. The image of the bay surrounded by the mountains with Ursula's white-gold fire enchanting the air. Oh, and one cannot forget the tantalizing orgy custom fit to your most personal delights. Can you even begin to imagine the mere possibility of an association between religion and sexual pleasure without the possible deviance of human authority? It all seems nearly ovenvhelming. The fascination continues with every moment of lustful anticipation. One cannot deny their own perversion long enough to stop engaging in a plot that might encourage it. But there is a catch of course, for there is always a catch. This particular one is quite deviant really, for this city is a complete deception. It is a place of lamentation and punishment. It is a prison that simply provokes the archaic smiles described within the sentences. How best can one describe the goal of such a story? I believe I shall attempt to do so by describing the main character, you of course! You are presented with three stages and then you are given three questions. In the end, it will be your duty to determine the final event.

    Read More

  • Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas By Ursula Le Guin

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    Omelas is described as a city in a fairy tale. It is a city towered by sea and encircled by mountains and has a cheerful sweetness of the air. It has beautiful public buildings and spacious private homes with red roof and painted walls, magnificent farmer markets, green parks and avenues of trees. Omelas is a very prosperous city. It has every bit of luxury, comfort and exuberance that it can offer its residents. Even in the text it is urged to imagine Omelas: “O miracle! but I wish I could describe it better. I wish I could convince you. Omelas sounds in my words like a city in a fairy tale, long ago and far away, once upon a time. Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your own fancy bids, assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all” (Le Guin; Page-2). People from other towns come to Omelas during festivals. It is a centre of attraction to all. The people in Omelas are happy people. They are religious but not dogmatic. They are independent and have freedom to do whatever they want. They do not use swords or keep slaves. They have the sense of victory and celebration of courage. As a whole Omelas is descri...

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The Ones Who Walk Away From The Omelas

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    Though much emphasis is put on the natural beauty of Omela’s people and its environment, a lot remains to show its darker side which is hidden from the innocence of the kids until they reach the age of 10 (Le, Guin, 65). This is a total contrast to the lovely exhibition of the city and its harmony. It indicates a cruel society that exposes a child of years to unnatural suffering because of utopic beliefs that the success of the town is tied to the kid suffering. Other members of the town leave Omela in what seems like the search for an ideal city other than Omela. But do they get it?

    Read More

  • Journal Topics for Erica Joan Dymond´s The Handmaid’s Tale

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    Erica Dymond’s critical essay accurately describes the weight and symbolism Atwood places on the oyster/pearl relationship in the book. By using extensive concrete details, she creates ethos and shows her thorough knowledge of the book. The oyster and pearl references can go unnoticed by one who is not searching for it as they are lightly sprinkled throughout the book, and, although emphasis is not placed on them, they carry great significance.

    Read More

  • The Pearl By John Steinbeck: Theme Analysis

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    John Steinbeck’s novella, The Pearl, is written as a parable, which allows the reader to interpret its themes in their own way. It can take place in any time period, with any setting, and using any protagonist. The themes Steinbeck used throughout his book are universal and can applied to anyone’s lives. Its contrasting portrayal of good and evil creates a clear understanding of themes such as greed, illusions, and humanity and reason versus animalism and instinct.

    Read More

  • Hugh O'Neill as the Tragic Hero of Making History

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    When the Spanish finally agreed to help and announced they will land at Kinsale, a large distance from them, O?Neill at once spots the difficulties, ?Kinsale is out of the question. If the insist on landing in the south?tell them to cancel the expedition.? Only Harry understood the complications, ?We?d have to march an army through the full length of the country to join forces with them.? He now faced a huge dilemma, this support has been long awaited and should he turn it down, not only would he resign himself and his people to a life with which they are unhappy, but he would also face an uproar. He had the difficulties of a politician with much to lose and, after a lifetime of sitting on the fence with many contrasting alliances, he made a decision, which may well end in disaster, but possibly with much worse consequences for him than his people. We see many of them turn and support the English after the Battle of Kinsale fails, when O?Neill asks who, O?Donnell replies, ??they?re crawling in on their hands and knees and offering hostages and money and whatnot.? This is something that O?Neill cannot really do (despite his letter to the Queen).

    Read More

  • The Pearl John Steinbeck Literary Analysis

    543 Words  | 2 Pages

    A fascinating and intriguing novel, The Pearl shares the story of a man named Kino, and how greed can affect his life forever. When Kino finds the “Pearl of the World”, it affects everyone, not just him. John Steinbeck, the author of this novel, uses intricate literary devices in order to give the reader the sense of greed that engulfed Kino and his surroundings. Literary devices such as foreshadowing, symbolism, and characterization all help this story come to life. Kino’s family, his personality, and his town, all changed when one pearl landed in Kino’s hands.

    Read More

  • Literary Criticism Of The Pearl

    1555 Words  | 4 Pages

    “And Kino heard the music of the pearl, distorted and insane” (89). In The Pearl by John Steinbeck, a poor pearl diver and his family finds the pearl of the world and their life changes. These words reflect a once perfect pearl that changes throughout the book. The Pearl, the doctor, and the pearl buyers’ appearances manipulate Kino and his family and they discover that these objects and people are not what the first appear as. Through the use of characterization and symbolism, the author illustrates how first appearances are deceitful.

    Read More

  • Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

    1463 Words  | 3 Pages

    Focusing a small part of the novel in the city of Cape Town and most in the country parts of Salem allows the readers to contrast the settings and see how each section of the tow...

    Read More

  • The Pearl, by John Steinbeck

    885 Words  | 2 Pages

    Kino, Juana, and Coyotito go back to the beach and row out to an oyster bed, where he begins to search for the pearl. As Kino continues to search, Juana takes things into her own hands after being refused by the doctor and sucks the poison out of Coyotito and then puts seaweed on the wound, unknowingly healing him. Meanwhile Kino gathers several small oysters but suddenly comes across a particularly large oyster. He picks the oyster up and returns to the surface. When Kino opens the oyster he discovers the pearl. Word that the pearl has been discovered travel through the town quickly. People in the town became jealous of Kino and his family which eventually leads to a great deal of harm.

    Read More

  • The Pearl Literary Analysis

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    If you were given a million dollars, what would you do? Spend it in a short amount of time? Or save it responsibly for the future? Many would say the latter, confident that they will accomplish that. But for a few, it doesn’t turn out that way. In the book, The Pearl, a family, Kino, Juana and their child, Coyotito, go through various hardships after they have found a pearl, eventually losing everything they had loved. With three examples from the novel, I will explain what the pearl in the book symbolizes.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Greed In The Pearl

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Matthew 26:16 it says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Truly, the question posed in this quote is one that applies to the main character, Kino, in John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Steinbeck composes a narrative, in which the characters are driven by unrelenting greed, resulting in disastrous consequences. Steinbeck is an exemplary author in the genre of tragic, fictional literature. Indeed, Steinbeck effectively utilizes elements of fiction including characterization, symbolism and conflict in order to convey the theme that misery is inevitable when a person’s insatiable greed precedes it. Steinbeck capably uses characterization to show the reader how the characters evolve as the story progresses, while demonstrating how their insatiable greed led to their downfall. Likewise, Steinbeck utilizes symbolism in the story to give seemingly mundane objects a more profound and substantial meaning, that foreshadow the outcome of the characters’ unquenchable greed. Furthermore, Steinbeck effectively uses different types of conflict, namely internal and external, to communicate to the reader the struggles that follow a greedy heart. Through the use of these elements of fiction, Steinbeck is able to show how greed affects these characters and the unavoidable misery that follows. By reading this essay, the reader will understand how Steinbeck uses various elements of fiction to demonstrate the devastating effects of a person’s greed in a world where the evil in people is often far greater than the goodness in people.

    Read More

  • Mirror for Man - Understanding the Definition of Culture

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Having lived in London last year, for my junior year, I am able to relate to the viewpoints of Kluckhohn; as I traveled to many places dripping with their own uniqueness and culture. In London, I experienced the afternoon tea break and although not conforming to it, the societies acceptance of bathing only a few times a week. In Holland, I depended on bicycles as my main source of transportation for miles around, and viewed the old windmills and thatched roofs that are so typical in the country.

    Read More

  • Humanity's Struggle with Greed Depicted in John Steinbeck's The Pearl

    887 Words  | 2 Pages

    This parable entitled The Pearl written by John Steinbeck teaches each reader a lesson. Steinbeck uses the universal theme of humanity’s struggle with greed to represent his central idea, or concern about life that he wanted to convey his novel. In conclusion, John Steinbeck meant for his readers of The Pearl to take his powerful theme or message of humanity’s struggle with greed and provide their own interpretation as it pertains to their own lives.

    Read More

More about The Oyster and the Pearl

Open Document