The Pearl Greed
The Pearl Essay
Hope, greed, power, and opportunity are all created by one pearl. In the book The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck does a beautiful job portraying greeds affects. Steinbeck does this by using only a pearl as a symbol. The pearl is not used as one symbol though. It symbolizes good and evil at many different times. The pearl is a symbol that changes throughout the course of the story. The pearl first represents hope, opportunity, and wealth. When Kino and Juana were in desperate need of money, they found a magnificent pearl and instantly their world changed. The pearl would allow them to gain respect and live a life without poverty. It could send their son to school and give them a better life. “‘My son will read and open the books, and my son will write and will know writing. And my son will make numbers, and these things will make us free because he will know- he will know and through him we will know’” (26). The pearl not only makes Kino and Juana wealthy, the pearl also gives them a chance to provide for their son. When there is a change in a person's life, hope is found. …show more content…
The pearl of the world was so beautiful everyone wanted it, and some were even willing to use violence to steal it away from Kino’s family. Shortly after finding the pearl, Kino stabs a man to protect his precious pearl. He is so blinded by greed, he does not realize the pearl will bring destruction.. “His eyes and voice were hard and cold and a brooding hate was growing within him” (38). Kino starts to become obsessed with the pearl. It alters him into something evil and vengeful. He starts to believe that without the pearl he and his family are worthless. Juana tries to warn Kino of the pearl’s danger, but he does not listen. People easily overlook danger when they are blinded by
Hope, greed, power, and opportunity are all created by one pearl. In the book The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck does a beautiful job portraying greeds affects. Steinbeck does this by using only a pearl as a symbol. The pearl is not used as one symbol though. It symbolizes good and evil at many different times. The pearl is a symbol that changes throughout the course of the story. The pearl first represents hope, opportunity, and wealth. When Kino and Juana were in desperate need of money, they found a magnificent pearl and instantly their world changed. The pearl would allow them to gain respect and live a life without poverty. It could send their son to school and give them a better life. “‘My son will read and open the books, and my son will write and will know writing. And my son will make numbers, and these things will make us free because he will know- he will know and through him we will know’” (26). The pearl not only makes Kino and Juana wealthy, the pearl also gives them a chance to provide for their son. When there is a change in a person's life, hope is found. …show more content…
The pearl of the world was so beautiful everyone wanted it, and some were even willing to use violence to steal it away from Kino’s family. Shortly after finding the pearl, Kino stabs a man to protect his precious pearl. He is so blinded by greed, he does not realize the pearl will bring destruction.. “His eyes and voice were hard and cold and a brooding hate was growing within him” (38). Kino starts to become obsessed with the pearl. It alters him into something evil and vengeful. He starts to believe that without the pearl he and his family are worthless. Juana tries to warn Kino of the pearl’s danger, but he does not listen. People easily overlook danger when they are blinded by