The Pearl Argumentative Essay
There are many different types of songs used in The Pearl by John Steinbeck; Kino, the main character, hears all of them. He hears the song of the family, the song of evil, and the song of the great pearl itself. However, John Steinbeck shows the advancement of Kino’s character through these melodies. Kino’s character is developed through the motif of the “songs” by making Kino hear them whenever there is danger or evil, whenever Kino is expressing feeling, and showing the oral nature of Kino’s culture.
Kino hears songs whenever he senses peril or evil. For example, when the scorpion is about to sting Coyotito, Kino hears the song of evil.
“Kino 's breath whistled in his nostrils and he opened his mouth to stop it. And then the startled look was gone from him and the rigidity from his body. In his mind a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family, a savage,secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively” (Steinbeck 3). When Kino hears the song, he automatically senses that something is wrong, and that is what alerted him that Coyotito was in trouble. Another example of when Kino hears another bad song is the part in which he senses that something is wrong when he is talking with the priest of the church. “The priest said, ‘It is pleasant to see that your first thoughts are good thoughts. God bless you, my children.’ [...] He (Kino) was glancing about suspiciously, for the evil song was in his ears, shrilling against the music of the pearl” (Steinbeck 14). As the story goes on, and things get worse and worse for Kino and his family, he starts to hear more and more songs; however, he only hears the bad ones, of threat and wickedness. Eventually, near the end of the book, Kino goes insane from all the tragic events in his life. The songs help to express this. This is how he changes throughout the book. Kino also hears songs whenever he is perceiving deep emotion or feeling. Whether
Kino hears songs whenever he senses peril or evil. For example, when the scorpion is about to sting Coyotito, Kino hears the song of evil.
“Kino 's breath whistled in his nostrils and he opened his mouth to stop it. And then the startled look was gone from him and the rigidity from his body. In his mind a new song had come, the Song of Evil, the music of the enemy, of any foe of the family, a savage,secret, dangerous melody, and underneath, the Song of the Family cried plaintively” (Steinbeck 3). When Kino hears the song, he automatically senses that something is wrong, and that is what alerted him that Coyotito was in trouble. Another example of when Kino hears another bad song is the part in which he senses that something is wrong when he is talking with the priest of the church. “The priest said, ‘It is pleasant to see that your first thoughts are good thoughts. God bless you, my children.’ [...] He (Kino) was glancing about suspiciously, for the evil song was in his ears, shrilling against the music of the pearl” (Steinbeck 14). As the story goes on, and things get worse and worse for Kino and his family, he starts to hear more and more songs; however, he only hears the bad ones, of threat and wickedness. Eventually, near the end of the book, Kino goes insane from all the tragic events in his life. The songs help to express this. This is how he changes throughout the book. Kino also hears songs whenever he is perceiving deep emotion or feeling. Whether
Cited: Steinbeck, John. The Pearl. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 1992. Print.