The Pearl Group

Question:

sherine92
sherine92
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Write any important lesson that you have learned from the novel The Pearl.

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Posted by sherine92 on Friday August 21, 2009 at 5:12 PM and tagged with happiness, important lesson, kino, moral, the pearl, theme.

Answers:

  1. ms-charleston-yawp
    ms-charleston-yawp Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    My absolute favorite moral lesson from The Pearl is as follows:  When one depends upon materialism/wealth/money for happiness, true happiness can never be obtained.  The tragedy within The Pearl happens precisely because of the precious object in its title.  Kino's family is destroyed.  Kino's friends turn from him.  Kino's town is in disarray.  In fact, even the precious gift of life as a whole is severely disrupted in The Pearl with the death of Kino's son.  In my opinion (although controversial in public school circles), happiness must be found within one's self, within Jesus Christ, and within one's family in order for true happiness to be achieved.  Any other source of happiness is but a false promise of the future. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/pearl/themes

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    Posted by ms-charleston-yawp on Friday August 21, 2009 at 5:51 PM

  2. kkosach
    kkosach Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.  That would be the lesson I choose as important, although there are many.  Kino wants to find the "pearl of the world" and all of rewards thereof.  Unfortunately, though he gets his wish, he is then treated like an idiot by the pearl buyers, robbed by a fellow villager, and ultimately almost killed by hunters.  The greatest price, of course, is Coyotito's death.  So, although he really wanted the pearl and got it, it was not without misery.

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    Posted by kkosach on Friday August 21, 2009 at 9:34 PM