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Discuss evil in the pearl
Symbolism of the pearl in the novel
What is the symbolism in the pearl
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The Pearl’s symbolism through the book is expressed in may forms, meaning that the Pearl had two sides, Evil and Pleasant. Through this book, many people, especially in Kino’s family. For Instance, at the end of the book, the most evil shines when his only son, Coyotito passes away brutally because of the pearls effect on his family. Kino on the other side, sees the hope and fortune the Pearl has to offer. For example “In the pearl he saw Juana and Coyotito and himself standing and kneeling at the high altar, and they were being married.” (page 24) At this part, he goes on to describe all the desires that would come true in effect of finding the pearl. On the other hand, when people start attacking the family for the pearl, and Kino kills
The Princess Bride is a fiction within a fiction, toying with the levels of reality. To accomplish the ingenious insanity that is The Princess Bride, author, William Goldman, brought together a variety of variables. The book is literally layers of information to analyze. Everything is questionable and made to leave you in controversy. Though the book had many things that make it an outstanding piece, from Goldman's interruptions to its unique beginning, the thing that plays the biggest part is Goldman's use of symbolism. Every aspect of the book seems to stem from somewhere or have some deeper meaning. This could just be our own imaginations or Goldman's intent, but one thing is for sure- Goldman wrote the book to force our imaginations to take over and think for themselves in this fictional fairytale where everything you read is false.
1. I think it is ironic that Kino is being followed by trackers because all throughout the story, Kino makes connections with animals. Kino and Juana are compared to being animals that are chased down by hunters. As Kino is supposedly an animal, it is ironic because trackers are known to follow animals. Just like animals, Kino and Juana try to escape the hunters, going to the mountains, where there is high elevation, something an animal would do. Another example of Kino’s comparison to an animal is when Kino needs to find a strategy in which the trackers won’t see him, so he takes off his clothes (what us, humans wear), as an animalistic technique, since animals don’t wear clothes. His own son also “becomes” an animal, at least to the trackers, who think the baby’s cry was a coyote cry, and this causes Coyotito’s death by a gunshot from them. This also brings us to the irony of Coyotito’s name, and as readers, we find out why he was named this at the end of the story. Steinbeck also describes the characters literally as animals; for example, “Kino hissed at her like a snake, and Juana stared at him with wide, unfrightened eyes like a sheep before the butcher.” Not only does this help us picture what is going on, but the author is also trying to make more references to animals. These are only a few of the examples of when the author creates animal imagery/ reference, but because the author compares Kino and his family to animals so often, it is ironic how they is being followed by trackers.
Readers can tell from the statement that many of the people Kino encounters after finding the pearl become bitter “friends”. At this point, Kino and Juana begin to realize that the pearl is bringing bad luck upon them. They are taken advantage of by the doctor and he decides to visit them after knowing they have the pearl. “This pearl is like a sin”(56). Juana begins to realize the pearl is bringing them bad luck, but Kino still trusts that it’s a gift. Readers can also assume that people are trying to take the pearl when Kino is suddenly attacked during the night. “Blood oozed down from his scalp and there was a long…”(56). Readers can now confirm that the pearl has changed and now represents evil. The pearl also begins to destroy Kino and Juana’s relationship as they have different opinions on what to do with the pearl. After Kino wakes up and follows Juana when she wakes up and walks out, readers know he has started to lose full trust in her. “He rolled up to his feet and followed her silently as she had gone” (58). Through the symbolism of the pearl and what it brings upon Kino and Juana, the author emphasizes how the pearl is not what it first appears to be, which was
At the end of the story, Kino resolves his internal conflict by throwing the pearl back into the sea. Kino would always would walk in front of Juana, by the end of the story Kino and Juana would walk side by side to show that they are equal. Kino and Juana have to live with the loss of their new born baby Coyotito, and the pearl back into the sea. Kino has realized that the peal has taken Coyotito life so he threw it back in the sea. Kino had to throw the pearl back into the sea, it was the right thing to do after the pearl was bringing evil to him and it the was destroying his
In the novel The Pearl, written by John Steinbeck, Kino is a poor, hardworking man who dives for pearls as a living. Kino?s lover, Juana, fathered his baby boy, Coyotito. One day while fishing, Kino finds a giant pearl referred to in the story as ?The Pearl of the World?. He thinks it will bring him great wealth and status. Kino planned to marry Juana in a church and send Coyotito to school with the enormous profit he would gain from the pearl. While trying to sell the pearl, Kino?s greed and lust for money turned out to cause the destruction of his family.
Kino is a fisherman and pearl diver. He relies so heavily on it that he calls it his, “bulwark against starvation”. When Kino is desperate for funds to help his son he goes pearl diving. Under the Sea he is greeted by the Song of the Pearl but believes it is too good to be true. When at the surface Kino is skeptical of opening the oyster but Juana pushes him to open it . What he sees is something he never imagined, it is the pearl of the world. Right when Kino opens the pearl Juana sees that Coyotito is getting better. To Kino and Juana the pearl had now become a sign of good luck and a sign of hope. Kino still wants to use the pearl to help his son and his motives are
Most of the evil in The Pearl shows up after Kino gets the pearl. Kino goes from being a righteous man to being a murderer and the assaulter of his wife, Juana. She even goes so far as to say, “Kino, this pearl is evil. Let us destroy it before it destroys us. Let us crush it between two stones. Let us- let us throw it back to the sea where it belongs. Kino, it is evil, it is evil,” (Steinbeck 56). Kino and his tribe, more particularly Juana, have this misconception that the pearl itself is evil, but an object cannot be evil. No, an object does not possess the power of good and evil morals. It is not the object that it is evil it is the people. It just so happens that the object brought out the true nature of evil that has always existed within man. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned,” (Romans 5:12 NIV) Kino saw it as wealth and as his one chance to be more than what the people of the town has said he is. It was the love of money that brought out the evil in Kino. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs,” (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV). Unfortunately, it is the love of money that brings out the evil in Kino, because Kino is a good person with a good
The result of retaining the pearl has been the destruction of his family. Throughout the entire book, The Pearl, narrated by John Steinbeck, the pearl’s symbolism has transitioned from opportunity to greed to destruction. Initially, the pearl represents hope and goodness as he sees it as a way for a better future for him and his family. However, the greed that arises in the community and itself corrupts the pearl’s symbolic meaning. Consequently, Kino’s avarice provokes him to kill a man who attempts to steal the pearl, resulting in the abandonment of his home.
”(57) On their way, attackers heard them and shot a gun into the air hitting the top of a cave that ricocheted onto Coyotito which instantly killed him. Secondly, not only does the pearl symbolize good and evil, it also symbolizes envy throughout the town. Everyone wanted a fine pearl as extraordinary as the one Kino had found.
From the time we read that Kino has found the pearl, we know he is a changed man. Steinbeck helps us figure this out by saying, “Then Kino’s fist closed over the pearl and his emotion broke over him. He put back his head and howled”(20). This line tells that Kino immediately snapped and became another person. We also get the idea that the pearl is evil and that it might start to do different things to Kino and his family. Throughout the story, many people try to tell Kino to destroy the pearl, but Kino does not listen and he does things his own way. This is foreshadowing that the pearl is evil and is doing bad things to Kino. This is another example of how greed can change and corrupt people if they are not careful about their
In the novella The Pearl by John Steinbeck, symbolism is used to show what certain events may represent throughout the story. Symbolism is using symbols to give words a different, more in-depth meaning to a story. During the book, Kino, a poor village man from the Baja peninsula in Mexico, finds the “pearl of the world”. Everyone sees him as the man with the pearl, and not Kino. He needed to find a good pearl after his son, Coyotito, was stung by a scorpion and needed immediate medical attention. Directly following the discovery of the great pearl, Coyotito seems to improve. The selfish doctor gives him more poison, similar to a scorpion’s, so he can make profit off the pearl. From there, the pearl brings nothing but bad luck to Kino and
Kino, is the protagonist in the novella, who is an honest pearl diver that discovers the sacrifices that comes with the struggle for success. Kino dreams and aspirations are for his son to receive a quality education and his wife Juana to get married in the church which the pearl can provide. As Kino seeks to gain wealth and social position through the pearl, he changes from a jovial, fulfilled father to untamed wild animal of emotions, demonstrating the way avarice and greed shatters purity and innocence. Kino’s desire to acquire wealth distorts the pearl unique elegance and goodness, changing it from a symbol of optimism to a symbol of self-destruction. Kino’s greed and self-destruction leads him to become more dubious and suspicious around his peaceful villagers.
This shows how Kino finally views the pearl as a source of danger and evil. He now sees the Song of the Pearl to be joined to the Song of Evil. The Song of the Pearl represents greed and how it can corrupt a person.
In William Saroyan's play The Oyster and the Pearl there is a lot of symbolism. The theme of the play is to take it easy and relax and life will be much happier. Harry Van Dusen is a barber that has a philosophy of "Take it easy." He tries to spread his philosophy by talking to people when he is cutting their hair. It was almost as if the haircuts were just a way of getting people in the barbershop to talk. The hats that Harry wore symbolized the attitude that he was in. The sea symbolizes life. The name of the small town that the story takes place in is called O.K.-by-the-Sea. That name symbolizes that life isn't perfect but by taking it easy it can be more fun. Vivian McCutcheon is a new school teacher that does everything "by the book." She just tries to fit in. This is symbolized by her wanting a poodle haircut. She didn't really want one but she was trying to be like everyone else. Harry knew this and that is why he would not give her the haircut. Harry's philosophy is superior to Vivian's philosophy of fitting in. This is shown by how much happier Harry and everyone else that lives by his philosophy is than Vivian.All the little things in the story have symbolism too. The bottle of sea water stands for the details of life that have to be looked for. Clay and Clark Larrabee symbolize the problems and difficulties that occur in life. Two of the most important symbols in the story are the oyster and the pearl. The oyster symbolizes obstacles that must be overcome to get to hope(the pearl). Beach combing represents looking for the obstacles to get to hope. The pearl is hope. When Clay found the oyster he thought there was a pearl inside.
The day came for Kino, Juana, and Coyotito to go to town and sell the pearl. Kino went to the dealer to only find out that the pearl has no true value, and it drove him crazy because as stated by Steinbeck (1992), “ But kino had grown tight and hard. He felt the creeping of fate, the circling of wolves, the hover of vultures. He felt the evil coagulating about him, and he was helpless to protect himself. He heard in his ears the evil music” (p. 51-52). Kino’s greed was beginning to overtake him.