Interest In Kino And His Pearl example essay topic

Kino's lack of material items did not keep him from happiness. That is until he thought it was possible to acquire a greater amount of wealth and increase his happiness through the pearl. In turn, this resulted in the downfall of Kino and his family. Kino's life before the pearl brought him satisfaction and contentment. He was a loving husband and father. "Juana is driven, although instinctively as a woman to heal the family, nevertheless in reality to act for the man to protect the family".

(Karsten 6) He raised and took care of them. Kino loved Coyotito; His son was his pride and joy. He brought together Kino and Juana and made them a family. There is also Juan Tom " as, Kino's brother, who supported Kino throughout his life. "We do know that we are cheated from birth to the overcharge on our coffins. But we survive.

You have defied not the pearl buyers, but the whole structure, the whole way of life, and I am afraid for you". (Steinbeck 70) Kino had few possessions. He had his home, a brush hut, which provided protection and shelter. In addition, a canoe, this is a family heirloom. It was passed down from grandfather to father to son. "Kino and Juana came slowly down to the beach and to Kino's canoe, which was the one thing of value he owned in the world".

(Steinbeck 19) "It was once property and source of food, for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something". (Steinbeck 19) Kino also had the song of the family. The song brings a feeling of unity. ".. the Song of the Family is identified along with other unnamed songs, the heritage of Kino's people, in the calm beginning of the story... (Karsten 2) Many changes and alterations were brought about by the pearl.

Kino immediately began to make a list of things that he wanted to buy with the pearl's wealth. He has an opportunity for social mobility and acts upon it. Among the many things on his list were an official marriage, new clothes, a rifle, and education for his son. Instantaneously, Kino's desires became cloudy. "There was no certainty in seeing, no proof that what you saw was there or was not there". (Astro 29) Kino then started doubting his dreams and the pearl became misty and cloudy.

Kino's community thought of him differently because of his sudden acquired wealth. Suddenly the town developed an interest in Kino and his pearl. All of the sudden, everyone wanted to know Kino not because of Kino but because of the pearl. "Every man suddenly became related to Kino's pearl and only one person stood in the way and that was Kino, so that he became curiously every man's enemy". (Astro 29) The only obstacle that stood in the way of someone else's wealth was Kino. If someone wanted the pearl, Kino was the only thing from stopping that desire.

The community became greedy themselves and wanted a piece of wealth that he possessed. The richer people showed an interest in Kino and his wealth. Mysteriously the doctor decided to treat Coyotito's scorpion bite after he found out about Kino's rare discovery of the pearl. The priest became interested in Kino's wealth when he thought the money could be used to renovate his church. Kino was overcome with greed, which changed his and his family's way of living. He began to take things for granted because he shut out his "old life" only thinking about what the pearl could give him.

Juana thought that the pearl was evil and that something was going to happen to the family. Juana attempted to throw the pearl back into the sea. However, Kino strikes Juana for her wrong doing. She realized that the pearl had definitely overcome Kino with greed and evil.

"Juana realized the irrevocable change and accepts it to keep the family together... ". (Karsten 2) "This pearl has become my soul... If I give it up I shall lose my soul".

(Astro 30) Kino, Juana, and Coyotito flee the community because he killed a man in a struggle over the pearl. "The dark ones" burned Kino's brush hut down. Juan Tom " as and his family provided protection for him and his family until they could flee the area. Kino was losing many things very close to him due to his insistence on keeping the pearl and pursuing its potential wealth. His hut was burned to the ground, and his canoe was destroyed.

"The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. For a boat does not have sons, and a boat cannot protect itself, and a wounded boat does not heal". (Steinbeck 80) Coyotito was killed by one of the trackers. When he was killed, the link between the family was also destroyed. Due to the evil the pearl brought, Kino decided that enough damage was done. Therefore, he decided to get rid of the pearl.

Kino hurled the pearl back into the sea. This gesture symbolized defeat in that the pearl brought so much evil and greed that Kino was defeated by it. It could also mean that he finally overcame his greediness and threw his troubles away back where they came from..