significant change occurs in her character, also. As Kino's wife, she accepts him--even in his rage as he attacks her:

She knew there was murder in him, and it was all right; she had accepted it, and she would not resist or even protest.

Juana will follow Kino, wherever he takes her and their baby. However, there is strength in Juana that shows itself in Chapter V. After Kino kills his attacker, it is Juana who hides the body, soothes her husband "as she would quiet a sick child," and makes him understand that they must flee. Juana had not lost her soul to the pearl. She had struggled valiantly to retain their old life, but she faces the reality of their new circumstances:

All of the time Juana had been trying to rescue something of the old peace, of the time before the pearl. But now it was gone, and there was no retrieving it. And knowing this, she abandoned the past instantly. There was nothing to do but to save themselves.

As Kino and Juana then run for their lives, trying to save themselves and their baby, each has become a significantly different person.

Kino, a hardworking father and a native, does his best to provide for his family as a pearl diver. Upon Coyotito's being stung by a scorpion, he immediately takes action to ensure the safety of his child. By his societal standards, a doctor is the wisest recourse.

Being a poor man, he is turned away from medical aid. Instead of seeking an immoral route, such as thievery, he proceeds to consult his devout, faithful wife. She prays to God for a natural blessing from the earth, one which still requires hard work on the part of her husband.

After retrieval of the pearl, Kino and Juana receive the aid they need. Kino, suddenly feeling ambitious, doesn't dream of buying things for himself with the dreamt-of profits. Instead, he talks about moving away to a town with more opportunities for his family. He mentions an education for his son and a nicer house for his wife. Even in success, he puts the good of his loved ones first.

After the attempted theft of the pearl, Juana maintains her faith. She values the safety of her family more than the money from the pearl, especially now that her son has been treated. Despite not having a way to directly pay the doctor for his services, she's unwilling to compromise her principles. Only when Kino's goals are protected by violence does she question him. And even then, she only does this briefly, maintaining her faith in him and their marriage.

Their marital harmony and willingness to comply with the colony's standards, despite its inherent racism and classism, are evidenced throughout the novella. Despite the murder committed in order to defend their dreamt-of future, with the loss of their son, they return to the colony for justice's sake.

The beginning of the novel show the goodness of Kino and Juana explicitly.  Kino works the "land" to provide for his family (farms the oysters in the sea) while Juana provides maternalistic comfort to both her baby and husband.  They live simply and humbly.  The appearance of the pearl is the beginning of the destruction of that harmony as Kino dreams of bigger and better things for his family (not a bad pursuit but full of conflict.)  The scene with the market people when Kino tries to sell his pearl shows this conflict.

Kino has a traditional provider mentality, in that, he sees others as a block to his success and riches and therefore treats them with suspicion. Because of his way of seeing things, he is competitive. He finds a rare pearl and immediately comes to the conclusion that everyone who knows about it will want to steal it or trick him into selling it at a low price. Throughout the story his obsession with the pearl distracts him from the illness of his infant son. In the end, he kills his own son because of the pearl. It's not really because of the pearl, itself, but what it represents--what people want to take away from him. The moral of the story is that which is truly our own--the child--cannot be taken away.

Juana has a more primitive/spiritual mentality. She is aware of how negative thoughts and actions can lead to a negative outcome. She sees the problem of the pearl as a lesson about human greed and spiritual truth. For example, even at the beginning after the doctor leaves when Kino wants to hide the Pearl again she thinks it is a harbinger of something bad to come. Nearer to the end of the story she takes off with the pearl and tries to throw it in the sea. At this point she really believes that the presence of the pearl is what is causing her baby to be sick.

At the start of this incredible novella, it is clear that Kino and Juana enjoy a very close and intimate marriage. Note, for example, the description we are given of the family unity which they enjoy, in spite of their poverty and need:

Juana sang softly an ancient song that had only three notes and yet endless variety of interval. And this was part of the family song too. It was all part. Sometimes it rose to an aching chord that caught the throat, saying this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole.

The images of domestic harmony and unity that the first chapter gives us as both Kino and Juana carry on their roles in a way that speaks of an intimate relationship are changed however as the pearl enters their lives and Kino becomes more obsessed by it. We are shown that their marital harmony is disrupted by this evil force, and the impact that the pearl has on it. You might want to consider the way that Kino reacts when he catches Juana trying to return the pearl to the sea.

As a married couple, Kino and Juana at first seem very comparable. They share the same values of hard work, devotion to their baby boy, and sense of community. They seem to conform to traditional gender roles, with him as breadwinner and her in charge of the home. We soon come to understand, however, that Juana is a respected partner within the marriage. While Kino is swayed by dreams of riches, she prudently sees that wealthy, powerful people will never stop trying to gain the upper hand, which, in regard to the pearl, means cheating Kino. She is religious and more of a realist, whereas he is an optimist and idealist to the point of having highly unrealistic expectations of fairness and justice.

A character sketch is an analysis of a character, detailing physical characteristics and personality traits. You'll want to include a description of what you think the character looks like, how he or she behaves, and descriptions of talents or abilities, and beliefs.

For the physical description, write what the character looks like and dresses like. Include details about age, height, weight, physical build, state of health and any distinguishing marks or conditions (scars, tatoos, etc.) that the author has written about. Describe the things that the character does or is capable of doing, using examples from the text.

For a description of personality, describe how the character reacts in various situations. Again, use examples from the story to illustrate these emotional traits of the character.

To write character sketches for Kino and Juana, you will start with the fact that they are Mexican American. That probably means they have black hair and olive-toned skin. Then describe some of the things each one does and what their personalities are like, and use examples from the book.

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