The Pearl; John Steinbeck

I−Title
How does the title point to the main idea?
The main idea is that never let something change you.This family found this pearl for one reason that in the
end didn't matter because what they were trying to avoid happened that is that Coyotito died.Througout the
story we see thid man called kino fighting for the wealth and benefit of his family that turned him into a
greedy man.Never let one thing keep you from persuing your goal that is in this case your pearl.this tottaly
realtes to the title The pearl.
a−Author:
John Steinbeck (1902−1968), born in Salinas, California, came from a family of moderate means. He worked
his way through college at Stanford University but never graduated. In 1925 he went to New York, where he
tried for a few years to establish himself as a free−lance writer, but he failed and returned to California. After
publishing some novels and short stories, Steinbeck first became widely known with Tortilla Flat (1935), a
series of humorous stories about Monterey paisanos.
Steinbeck's novels can all be classified as social novels dealing with the economic problems of rural labour,
but there is also a streak of worship of the soil in his books, which does not always agree with his
matter−of−fact sociological approach. After the rough and earthy humour of Tortilla Flat, he moved on to
more serious fiction, often aggressive in its social criticism, to In Dubious Battle (1936), which deals with the
strikes of the migratory fruit pickers on California plantations. This was followed by Of Mice and Men (1937),
the story of the imbecile giant Lennie, and a series of admirable short stories collected in the volume The Long
Valley (1938). In 1939 he published what is considered his best work, The Grapes of Wrath, the story of
Oklahoma tenant farmers who, unable to earn a living from the land, moved to California where they became
migratory workers.
Among his later works should be mentioned East of Eden (1952), The Winter of Our Discontent (1961), and
Travels with Charley (1962), a travelogue in which Steinbeck wrote about his impressions during a
three−month tour in a truck that led him through forty American states. He died in New York City in 1968.
b−Point of view
This novel I written by the social point of view.These people didn't know how much that pearl meant to Kino
and his family and they only try to put them in danger.This adresses to the isuues of poverty,wealth and injust
society.
c−Vocabulary
1.covey−nidada
2.suppliant−suplicante
3.estuary−desembocadura del rio
4.bulwark−baluarte
5.poultice−emplasto
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6.semblance−aparencia / mascara
7.distillate−destilar
8.subjugation−subyugación
9.countenance−cara,rostro,semblante.
10.graft−injerto
11.rampart−baluarte
12.stalwart−fornido / leal
13.collusion−confabulacion,conclusion.
14.divert−desviar.
15.fonded−acariciar
16.irresolution−irresoluto
17.cleft−partido
18.avarice−avaricia
19.lament−lamento
20.leprosy−leproso
II−Setting
The pearl is set in and around La Paz,Mexico in 1942 to 1943.
Examples
−They live by the sea in a fish shack.
−When he tries to sell the pearl in La Paz,Baja California.
−When they plan to canoe to the capital of the Gulf.
III−Characters
a−Main Character
The protagonist is Kino a honest dignified,poor fisherman and pearl driver who works to support his family.he
is the protagonist because he is theone who finds the pearl of the world and the novell is practically all te time
talking about Kino.
b−Second Characters
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1.Juana−Kino's wife and Coyotito's mother a strong and fast−decision maker serves as a contrast to kino
himself.Juana represents the women in this novel.She remains steadfast throughout the novel and devoted to
maintaining her family.
2.Coyotito−the infant son of Kino and Juana.He's stung by a scorpion in desperate need of the local doctor's
help this is not easily because of their way of life.Coyotito is killed in the end by a bullet.
3.The Doctor−He refuses to treat Coyotito for a scorpion sting when kino and Juana cannot pay enough.He is
blamed and hated in the community,especially due to his racism toward the people.His interested in the family
only ocurrs after he hear of Kino's find of The Pearl of th World.
4.Juan Tomas−the older brother of Kino.He warns kino against the pearl.He agrees to help Kino to escape
after he killed a man.
5.Apolonia−She allows Kino and Juana to escape after he killed a man in self defence.
6.The trackers−a group of men determined to steal the pearl from Kino.
IV−Problem
I think this novel has the three conflicts.Man against man because he has to fight with the other people so they
didn't steal the pearl.Man against Nature because the scorpion stung his son coyotito.Man against himself
when he finds himself becoming from a honest dignified poor man to a greedy sociopath who is very brutal
and protective.
V−Plot
Kino,Juana and Coyotito live in a modest house by the sea.Kino and Juana wake up.Juana says I love you to
Coyotito.Then a scorpion stings coyotito in the shoulder.The whole village heras the cry of Coyotito and
offers to help.Kino and Juana leave to the docotor with Coyotito.When they arrive at the doctor's gate they are
turned away because they are poor natives who cannot pay enough.Kino and Juana take their family canoe out
to the estuary to go diving for pearls.Juana prayer's for a large pearl are answered when kino surfaces with the
largest pearl either of them has never seen which he called The Pearl of the World.Kino lets out a triumphant
yell at his great fortune.The news of Kino's pearl spreads through the town.The doctor goes to their house to
examine the baby.Claiming that the poison will strike in one hour,he administers some medications on
Coyotito .As time pases the condition of the baby worsens.The doctor comes again and used a different potion
on the baby and seems to have cried him.An attempt to steal the pearl while they were sleeping ocurred but
failed.The next day kino tries to sell the pearl,he is cheated by the pearl buyier and his comrades.Kino knows
that he has been cheated and decides to go to the capital to sell the pearl there.Juana realizes that the pearl is
bringing great evil into their lives.Juana attempts to throw the pearl back into the ocean the next mornin.Kino
is able to find her at the last second and takes the pearl back and hits Juana in the face.Kino is attacked by a
mysterious man.He stabs back by killing the man in self defense.They realize that the peace isn't behind them
and they try to get away.They plan to canoe over the Gulf of the capital but find out that the canoe is
broken.When they return,they find out that their house is burned down.They hide out in Kino's brother house
for protection.The next day the leave.kino spots their enemies and takes sheletr with Juana and Coyotito in a
small cave.The trackers make a camp near the family.Kino prepares to kill the trackers when he hears
whimpers and cries of Coyotito.Kino attacks and kills all three trackers only to find out the one he shot and
killed was Coyotito.Kino and juana return to the town and kino threw the pearl into the sea.
VI−Author's Purpose
I think the purpose that the author was trying to say in this novel was to show how money a pearl in this case
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can change peaople and the rasicim at that time put in danger the poor people.
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