The Pearl Women
The quote, “Behind every great man, there is an even greater women,” explains the role of women in John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. This short story was written in 1947 and reflects the thinking of a man during this time period. Kino, who is a poor pearl diver in a small town finds a pearl so great that he and his family would be set for life. But, the pearl ends up bringing more pain than hope to his family. Juana, Kino’s wife, watches as her husband gets more paranoid and cautious the longer they have the pearl. Juana’s actions in The Pearl, show how much the actions of one women can change a whole story. When Kino wakes every day, he is welcomed by the eyes of his wife, Juana. Juana is just like every other women of the time. A women, who is supposed to take care of the children and home while her husband works, she did this job very well. When Kino finds the pearl she supports his dreams the pearl allows Kino to have. Like being able to get married in the church and their son, Coyotito, being able to go to school. Juana supports her husband, but also warns him that the pearl could also bring bad luck upon their family. Juana is correct about their luck, the pearl makes her husband paranoid. Which he has a right to be.
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Someone wants the pearl for themselves and they will kill to have it. Juana has to watch as her home burns down because someone is after the pearl. Kino ends up killing an attacker that came after him. Which means that the whole family has to go on the run. As they leave town Kino stands in the front leading the way to a hopeful freedom, with Juana following behind. Making sure that their tracks are covered. Once again following her husband, wishing that he would just give the pearl back to the ocean. The ocean gave them the gift, so it is only right that they give it back. In the end, the pearl was not worth what it took from them. Their son, Coyotito, was killed by trackers that had come for Kino. An accident, it was but a life can never be replaced. Kino kills again three trackers with a long working knife. Juana has to watch as she her husband kills the trackers and holds her dead son in her arms. Juana is a strong woman, though she has lost something that cannot be given back. The strength that Juana has is shown as Kino and her walk through town to get back to their village. She stands equal with her husband, with her dead son in her arms. Equal and not behind as she did when they left. For now, they have fought the same battle, even as they escaped with their lives, they lost what really mattered. Losing a child is a position that no mother should have to go through, but cannot always be prevented. The pain of losing their son made them realize that the pearl was not a gift. Pain can change the person’s view of the world. Juana’s pain shifted hers to one that she never thought she would have. That she is an equal to her husband and deserves to be recognized as an equal. Her need to make sure her husband survives put her in the position that caused Coyotito to get hit by that bullet. Was it her fault her son was dead? No, it was not her fault that a man shot a gun and that the bullet hit her son. But all a mother can think is that, this is my fault. Why did I not protect him more? Protection is all a mother wants to give their child. Juana’s actions throughout The Pearl show that family means the world to her. She doesn’t care if they are rich or poor as long as they have each other they will be fine. Juana warns Kino that the pearl is bad news, but also wants the best for her son. For him to grow up educated and be able to be anything that he wants to be. That is all a mother ever wants for he son, to be happy. Juana fails to protect her son and this changes the way she looks at everything as she walks through the village that they ran from. The world has gone bland and the sounds muffled through her grief. She will never be the same again as long as she lives. Women react differently than men to life.
Yes, men and women can have the same thoughts, but their actions are almost always different. Kino reacts outwardly with actions and Juana reacts inwardly with subtle words to Kino. Juana has a huge but subtle role in The Pearl. She watches but rarely speaks her mind, which is common for women in the 1940’s. Juana is the perfect women for this story. She is strong in a way that women today don not have to be. Today women can be strong on the outside, she could not. She has an inner strength that shows through the whole book. Her actions speak louder than her words ever could. Juana’s role in this story was to be a mother and care taker of her son. The question is did she succeed in filling that
role?
Someone wants the pearl for themselves and they will kill to have it. Juana has to watch as her home burns down because someone is after the pearl. Kino ends up killing an attacker that came after him. Which means that the whole family has to go on the run. As they leave town Kino stands in the front leading the way to a hopeful freedom, with Juana following behind. Making sure that their tracks are covered. Once again following her husband, wishing that he would just give the pearl back to the ocean. The ocean gave them the gift, so it is only right that they give it back. In the end, the pearl was not worth what it took from them. Their son, Coyotito, was killed by trackers that had come for Kino. An accident, it was but a life can never be replaced. Kino kills again three trackers with a long working knife. Juana has to watch as she her husband kills the trackers and holds her dead son in her arms. Juana is a strong woman, though she has lost something that cannot be given back. The strength that Juana has is shown as Kino and her walk through town to get back to their village. She stands equal with her husband, with her dead son in her arms. Equal and not behind as she did when they left. For now, they have fought the same battle, even as they escaped with their lives, they lost what really mattered. Losing a child is a position that no mother should have to go through, but cannot always be prevented. The pain of losing their son made them realize that the pearl was not a gift. Pain can change the person’s view of the world. Juana’s pain shifted hers to one that she never thought she would have. That she is an equal to her husband and deserves to be recognized as an equal. Her need to make sure her husband survives put her in the position that caused Coyotito to get hit by that bullet. Was it her fault her son was dead? No, it was not her fault that a man shot a gun and that the bullet hit her son. But all a mother can think is that, this is my fault. Why did I not protect him more? Protection is all a mother wants to give their child. Juana’s actions throughout The Pearl show that family means the world to her. She doesn’t care if they are rich or poor as long as they have each other they will be fine. Juana warns Kino that the pearl is bad news, but also wants the best for her son. For him to grow up educated and be able to be anything that he wants to be. That is all a mother ever wants for he son, to be happy. Juana fails to protect her son and this changes the way she looks at everything as she walks through the village that they ran from. The world has gone bland and the sounds muffled through her grief. She will never be the same again as long as she lives. Women react differently than men to life.
Yes, men and women can have the same thoughts, but their actions are almost always different. Kino reacts outwardly with actions and Juana reacts inwardly with subtle words to Kino. Juana has a huge but subtle role in The Pearl. She watches but rarely speaks her mind, which is common for women in the 1940’s. Juana is the perfect women for this story. She is strong in a way that women today don not have to be. Today women can be strong on the outside, she could not. She has an inner strength that shows through the whole book. Her actions speak louder than her words ever could. Juana’s role in this story was to be a mother and care taker of her son. The question is did she succeed in filling that
role?