The Pearl Greed

If you were given the chance to obtain unimaginable riches at the cost of your sons life, would you take it? Would it be evil to take that chance? In the book The Pearl by John steinbeck, Kino was given the same opportunity. Kino had found the pearl of the world. With this pearl Kino had a choice to make. Would Kino’s decision bring out the evil inside? Or will his decision expose a new honest side of Kino that was already there? The pearl influenced everyone around it, to commit corrupt acts they wouldn’t have otherwise committed. This makes us believe that the pearl was evil, not honest, because it had an malicious influence.
“She knew there was murder in him, and it was alright; she had accepted, and she would not resist or even protest.” (Steinbeck, 59). After Kino hits Juana, she looks in his eyes, and the author states that she knew there was murder in him. This exemplifies the pearl’s evil, because it changed Kino enough for others, including Juana, to notice a change in him. Kino was a kind, generous man, who loves his family and his people. But after finding the pearl, it changes Kino into a greedy, selfish man, with enough murder in him for Juana to take notice. The pearl is evil because it changed Kino in this way.
As previously stated the pearl is evil and has corrupted Kino.
Not only has it done that, but it has also become apart of Kino's soul and this has affected Kino's life in terrible ways. “This pearl has become my soul,’ said Kino. ‘If I give it up I shall lose my soul.” There is no doubt that the pearl is evil, so the fact that the pearl has become Kinos soul shows that is has changed him into an evil man. In the beginning the song of the family was apart of Kino's soul, that is no longer true. The song of the family has been pushed aside and been replaced by the song of evil now ringing in Kinos ears. The pearl has not only changed Kino, but has taken over his life and become a part of him. This further proves the evil of the
pearl. There is reason to believe the pearl is honest because it brings out the true nature of Kino about how he is evil and greedy. Some could say that in the beginning of the story, Kino is a loving and nice person. But as the story progressed, the pearl brought out the true nature of Kino, how he is greedy and not as caring of his family. If the pearl had not come into Kino’s life he would have never seen his true self. Some could say that this side of Kino was already there, it just took the pearl to expose it. So is the pearl evil or honest? There is reason to believe it is honest, when you consider that the pearl may be exposing an honest side of Kino that was already there. However, there is more reason to believe the pearl is evil. The pearl changed Kino into a selfish, greedy, murderous man. Not only that, but it took over his life, and become a part of who he was. For these reasons, we choose to believe the pearl is evil.