Comparing Steinbeck's Loss Of Innocence And Coming Of Age

In Steinbeck’s writing, there is usually change in character. Whether it be losing something or gaining something, the people in Steinbeck’s writing always go through some sort of change, for better or for worse. The two that are most defined are Loss of Innocence and Coming of Age. Loss of Innocence refers to change in a character who was very innocent and pure before something, but lost that innocence and that purity after an event. It usually alludes to someone who is good turning into someone who is bad.. Coming of Age, on the other hand, refers to change in a character who was immature and careless before, but became mature, caring, and thoughtful afterwards. Coming of Age talks about someone who is immature turning into someone who is mature. While both of these topics demonstrate change, they are both

Before gaining the pearl, Kino was a kind young man who worked hard to keep his family alive. He was not a criminal, nor did he have bad intentions in life. He loved family, because that’s all he had. But Kino then discovers the pearl and his life is changed, for the worse. We see this when Kino “looked into the [pearl] for his rifle, but he saw only a huddled dark body on the ground with shining blood dripping from its throat...And in the pearl he saw Juana with her beaten face crawling home through the night...And there in the pearl Coyotito’s face, thick and feverish from the medicine” (69). When Kino looks into the pearl, he hopes to see a rifle and other things he wants, but he only sees the body of a man he killed, the body of Juana who he had beaten, and Coyotito, who was sick. All of these bad things that happened to Kino happened because of the pearl and what it brought. Before the pearl, Kino would never kill a man. Before the pearl, Kino would never beat his wife. And before the pearl, Kino would always put his family first. But with the pearl, Kino lost all of his innocence, and changed for the