Discussion Topic

Kino's Possessions, Profession, Transformation, and Aspirations in The Pearl

Summary:

In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, Kino's most valuable possession is his inherited canoe, essential for his livelihood and family sustenance. After discovering an enormous pearl, Kino dreams of transforming his life by marrying Juana in a church, acquiring new clothes, and sending his son, Coyotito, to school. However, the pearl incites envy, turning Kino into "every man's enemy" and leading to several attacks against him. Despite his aspirations, the pearl brings misfortune, culminating in tragic consequences.

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What is Kino's most valuable possession in chapter 2 of The Pearl?

Kino’s canoe is his most valuable possession in chapter 2.

Kino is very poor.  He lives in a hut and looks for pearls for a living. He is unable to pay for his baby’s medicine when he gets bitten by a scorpion.

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. It was very old. (ch 2)

Kino’s grandfather brought the canoe from Nayarit, Mexico.  He passed it to Kino’s father, who passed it to him.  It is his only mode of transportation, his only property, and his only income all rolled in one.  It is his only protection against starvation, “for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something.”

Until Kino finds the pearl, this is his life.  Unfortunately, finding it does not help him much because...

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it is worth so much that he can't sell it.  As a result, many people try to take advantage of him.  Everyone wants something from him, thinking he is a rich man.  Yet he can't buy medicine or feed his family with his valuable pearl.  The canoe is still worth more in the end.

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How did Kino become "every man's enemy" in The Pearl?

When someone suddenly has a stroke of good luck, it is easy for those around them to become jealous. When Kino first finds the pearl he believes it is the key to success for his family, especially for little Coyotito. Kino doesn't simply want medical care for his child; he begins to imagine his life differently than he ever has. He wants to be married in the church and desires to send his son to school. The problem is that other people have become jealous; they too want the pearl and the good fortune it could bring. 

Steinbeck clues us in on the stirrings of hatred and desire amongst the other characters in the story.

“Every man suddenly became related to Kino's pearl, and Kino's pearl went into the dreams, the speculations, the schemes, the plans, the futures, the wishes, the needs, the lusts, the hungers, of everyone, and only one person stood in the way and that was Kino, so that he became curiously every man's enemy.”

Envy is quick to take control in the town; it spreads roots and grasps hold of anyone who realizes that "the pearl of the world" exists. Suddenly everyone wants what Kino possesses. The only thing standing in the way of that desire is Kino himself.

Steinbeck succinctly compares this envy to the very same venom that is spreading through Coyotito. Envy, it turns out, is a poison that is spreading through the town very much like the scorpion venom rushing through the baby's veins.

“The news stirred up something infinitely black and evil in the town; the black distillate was like the scorpion, or like hunger in the smell of food, or like loneliness when love is withheld. The poison sacs of the town began to manufacture venom, and the town swelled and puffed with the pressure of it.”

Thus, like the venom of the scorpion, jealousy and desire envelop the town, making Kino the target of their hatred and “every man’s enemy.”

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In "The Pearl," what does Kino plan to have after selling his pearl?

After finding the Pearl of the World, Kino initially thinks about saving his son’s life by paying for the doctor’s services. Kino then begins fantasizing about his future life as a wealthy, privileged man. In chapter three, Kino’s daydreams about finally marrying Juana in a church. Kino then begins to imagine their new, expensive clothes that they will wear on their wedding day. Kino even pictures Coyotito wearing a blue sailor suit with a yachting cap during the wedding ceremony. Kino then daydreams about purchasing a new iron harpoon along with a rifle. In addition to dreaming about owning a Winchester carbine, Kino imagines Coyotito sitting in school and earning an education. Kino views the pearl as a way for his son to attain knowledge, which will finally make his people free. Tragically, the pearl brings adversaries to Kino’s doorstep, and he is forced to leave his tranquil life behind in order to keep the pearl.

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Why was Kino attacked in The Pearl?

Towards the beginning of the novella, Kino ends up finding the Pearl of the World, which is the most spectacular, massive pearl ever found in the region. The news of Kino's discovery travels through the village and town at a rapid speed and everyone knows that Kino possesses the most expensive object in the region. Kino's fortune brings him many enemies as jealous townspeople envy his amazing pearl. Kino is attacked on three separate occasions by criminals attempting to steal his expensive pearl. Kino is first attacked in his home at night and is struck over the head. After attempting to sell the pearl in town, Kino is attacked for the second time and suffers a laceration across his face. When he is attacked for the third time, Kino ends up killing the attacker and is forced to flee his village. Overall, Kino gets attacked three times by people who are trying to steal his expensive pearl.

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What is Kino's occupation in The Pearl by John Steinbeck?

Like all of the other village men in The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Kino makes his meager living by diving for pearls. 

Kino has one prized possession: his canoe. It is the

one thing of value he owned in the world. It was very old. Kino's grandfather had brought it from Narayit, and he had given it to Kino's father, and so it had come to Kino. It was at once property and source of food, for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something, It is the bulwark against starvation.

With Juana and Coyotito in the canoe, Kino rows to a spot above the oyster beds, near all the other canoes from his village. Kino thinks about these oyster beds, the source of great riches for his country's kings over the years. Now it is a place for him to eke out a hard living for his little family.

He slips carefully into the water so he does not stir up the mud and cloud the water. knows that pearls are happy accidents, and it takes luck or a miracle to find one. He cuts the oysters from their homes and places them in his basket, staying below the surface until his lungs are on fire. This is

the Song of the Pearl That Might Be, for every shell thrown in the basket might contain a pearl. Chance was against it, but lick and the gods might be for it. And in the canoe above him Kino knew that Juana was making the magic of prayer.

Kino is young and can stay under for two minutes, and on this day (found in chapter two of the novella) he finds something extraordinary.

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What would Kino do with his riches in The Pearl?

In chapter three, Kino begins to dream about everything he can purchase after selling his extremely rare and expensive pearl. When Juan Tomás asks Kino what he will do now that he has become a rich man, Kino immediately dreams about getting married in a church. He then imagines Juana wearing a new shawl and skirt while he is wearing new shoes and clean white clothes. He also imagines Coyotito wearing a blue sailor suit during the wedding ceremony. Kino then begins to dream about purchasing a new harpoon as well as a Winchester carbine rifle. Kino also imagines his son learning in school and getting an education. Kino believes that the Pearl of the World will give his son the opportunity to become literate and climb the social ladder. Tragically, Kino underestimates the oppressive nature of colonialism and the negatives attached to possessing such a valuable, expensive object.

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If you were Kino in The Pearl, what would you do?

I cannot write this assignment for you, but I am happy to provide you with some ideas to help you get started.

Kino is faced with many difficult decisions and stressful situations in this text. Reflect on the choices he had to make and consider whether or not you think he made the right ones. If you feel he did, explain why you think it was right and why you would have done the same thing. If you think it was wrong, explain why you feel this way and what you would have done instead.

In this text, Kino finds a great pearl that is worth a lot of money. He intends to sell the pearl to pay for medical expenses for his son, and he also hopes to have a wedding ceremony and send his son to a good school. However, once people find out that he has the pearl, they will not leave him alone. One of the most critical decisions Kino has to make is whether or not he will sell the pearl to the local brokers or if he will go to Mexico City to sell it. This is a decision you should reflect on in your response. If he had sold the pearl at this moment, it may have spared the life of his son later on. However, at the time he felt that he would have received a better offer in Mexico City, and he didn't know what would happen to his son, so his reasons for not selling make sense. Put yourself in Kino’s shoes, as someone who does not know what will happen later on, and consider what you would have felt tempted to do.

Another critical decision you should reflect on is when Kino gets rid of the pearl at the end of the story. After his son is killed, Kino realizes how much bad luck the pearl has brought into his life. It makes sense why he wanted to get rid of it, but at the same time, he could have built a better life for himself if he had still found someone to sell it to. Consider what you would have done in this situation. For example, you may think that the pearl would always bring bad luck because of the greed it inspired in people. If so, you may write that you would have also thrown out the pearl. However, you might feel like after such a profound loss you would have wanted a life of comfort, and still sold the pearl to earn money.

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