The Treasure Of Lemon Brown Theme Essay

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In both “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers and The Pearl by John Steinbeck, the protagonists struggle with internal conflicts that ultimately change what they view to be important in life. Greg, who is attending high school, wants to play basketball, but is unable to as a result of poor grades. Kino, a man who loves his family more than anything, loses focus when he becomes drived by the prospect of riches. Both characters face challenges that eventually lead them to see what truly matters in life. First, both Greg and Kino have strong beliefs regarding what matters in life. For example, “He [Greg] stood to go upstairs, thought of the lecture that probably awaited him if he did anything except shut himself in his room with his math book, and started walking down …show more content…

To demonstrate, “Greg pushed the button over the bell marked “Ridley,” thought of the lecture he knew his father would give him, and smiled” (Myers 26). This shows that Greg’s internal conflict of doing the right thing and listening to his father’s lectures or doing the wrong thing and having fun is resolved because Lemon Brown made Greg realize that lessons one learns early in life (e.g. Greg’s father’s lectures and Lemon Brown’s lesson on family love) sticks with them their whole life. This also demonstrates that Greg considers his father’s lectures to be more of a treasure that basketball because the lectures shape his life more significantly. Moreover, in The Pearl, “Kino drew back his arm and flung the pearl with all his might” (Steinbeck 89-90). This reveals the resolution of Kino’s internal conflict because he realizes that there are things more important that money. This also shows that Kino now values and appreciates Juana and their equality whereas before Kino was focused on being the leader of his family. Basically, Kino and Greg have different views on what is important in life than they did in the

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