Discussion Topic

Character Analysis and Development in Steinbeck's The Pearl

Summary:

In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, Kino, the protagonist, is a hardworking and traditional man deeply connected to his heritage. Initially content with his life, Kino's discovery of the pearl ignites his ambition and greed, leading to significant character transformation marked by violence and obsession. Juana, his wife, is practical and faithful, often conceding to Kino's decisions despite her beliefs. The novella explores themes of greed and societal oppression, with characters like the colonial doctor embodying exploitation and indifference.

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What are the character traits in Chapter 1 of Steinbeck's The Pearl?

The main character is Kino.  Kino is an aboriginal in Baja California.  He is a fisherman, and he lives in a brush hut in a village by the sea with his wife Juana and their baby Coyotito.  Kino feels a deep connection to the past.  Heritage is very important to him.  He loves his wife and child, and considers his role as provider important.  Masculinity is important to him. 

Kino has a violent temper, as evidenced by his reaction to the scorpion who bit his son.

Then, snarling, Kino had it, had it in his fingers, rubbing it to a paste in his hands. He threw it down and beat it into the earth floor with his fist, and Coyotito screamed with pain in his box. But Kino beat and stamped the enemy until it was only a fragment and a moist place in the dirt. (Ch. 1) 

Kino continues...

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to attack the scorpion long after there is no value in doing so.  Kino is a passionate man.  When Juana wants to take Coyotito to the doctor and the doctor refuses them for not having money, he gets angry again and punches the gate, injuring his hand.  It is another useless angry gesture of hopelessness. 

Juana is Kino’s steadfast mate.  She is always there for him.  Her eyes are open as soon as his are in the morning.  She takes care of him and their son, making them breakfast.  When the scorpion attacks, she says prayers in old magic and sucks the poison out while her husband hovers helplessly by. 

But Juana had the baby in her arms now. She found the puncture with redness starting from it already. She put her lips down over the puncture and sucked hard and spat and sucked again while Coyotito screamed. (Ch. 1) 

Unlike Kino, who lashes out in helpless anger, Juana acts in a mixture of practicality and hopefulness.  She believes in the old magic, yet she calls for a doctor.  Both of these are acts of dreaming, because neither are likely to help.  Yet at the same time she takes practical action in sucking out the poison. 

The doctor is another important character in this chapter.  He represents the colonial establishment.  The people of the village know the doctor. 

And they knew the doctor. They knew his ignorance, his cruelty, his avarice, his appetites, his sins. They knew his clumsy abortions and the little brown pennies he gave sparingly for alms. They had seen his corpses go into the church. (Ch. 1) 

To him, the Indians are animals. He refuses to treat Kino because he doesn’t have money.  He considers himself above all of them, and couldn’t care less that a baby is sick. 

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What are the character traits of the characters in The Pearl?

The protagonist of The Pearl, Kino, is a traditional hard-working man who takes great pride in his dignity and unwillingness to give in. He has tremendous love for his wife and child, which strongly motivates him to continue his grueling work. After finding the titular pearl, his ambitions skyrocket, and he becomes obsessed with the idea of freedom from oppression.

Juana, Kino's wife, holds a significant faith in religion. She prays for good fortune, and once Kino discovers the pearl, she begins to believe that the pear holds evil powers. She is a headstrong individual, though she often compromises her own beliefs or ideas in favor of Kino's.

Coyotito is an infant and consequently has few noteworthy traits. Instead, he serves as a plot device; when he is stung by a scorpion, Kino becomes obsessed with the idea of acquiring enough money to send him to the proper doctor, and the plot is thus set in motion.

Juan Thomas is Kino's brother who remains an influential and supporting figure for Kino. A man with strong family values, he becomes concerned when Kino finds the pearl. He hopes for the best for Kino and his own family.

The doctor Kino asks to help Coyotito is a European colonial who feels dissatisfied with his current lifestyle. An arrogant man who thinks he deserves better than he has, he shows his greed when agreeing to help the infant only after learning about the pearl.

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Which character changes the most throughout the novella, The Pearl?

The main protagonist, Kino, changed significantly throughout the story. In the beginning, Kino is content with his lot. He may be living in comparative poverty, but he is happy with his wife and child. He has sufficient means of making a living through pearl diving. When he discovers the pearl, however, everything changes. He undergoes a paradigm shift in seeing what the possibilities of his life might be. Though his thoughts of material improvement are not much, but it is a step up and away from his current life. Greed enters his heart and he becomes extremely protective of the pearl, even striking his wife Juana when she tries to throw the pearl back into the sea. He becomes violent through his protectiveness, killing a man who may be trying to steal the pearl. As a result, he must leave his home, becoming a fugitive. The violence continues, killing three more men. His baby son is also killed in the struggle. He and Juana return home, presumably to face the consequences. Their contentment is destroyed. Throwing the pearl back into the sea may not stop the consequences, but it ends the presence of evil in their lives. He is a free man, much as he was in the beginning.

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