Apr 04, 20 the death of coyotito in the book the pearl, a man named kino finds this large pearl, and he starts to think of all of the things that he could buy. Appropriately, his cries in the cleft of the mountains leads the trackers to believe they are hearing a coyote pup. And kino thrust the pearl back into his clothing, and the music of the pearl had become sinister in his ears, and it was interwoven with the music of evil. Steinbeck originally conceived of the pearl as a film, and you can definitely tell by reading it. The pearl is initially a symbol of wealth and happiness for kino and juana. Kino, his wife juana, and his baby boy coyotito have to leave town and go to the capital of mexico to sell their pearl. Before kino reaches home, the news of the discovery of the pearl has spread. In the pearl, steinbeck enriches every aspect of the story with symbolism from the setting, to characters, and the plot itself. Apr 23, 2011 the pearl of the book s title is a symbol, which develops from a paradise of hopes and dreams, to a destructive centre of evil. The greed and evilness started to control kino, and he ended up killing a few people just to save this pearl.
The pearl, john ernst steinbeck the pearl is a novella by american author john steinbeck, first published in 1947. Honest names for all the books on your english syllabus. Although short, the pearl by john steinbeck can be a challenging read. Greed is the main evil force that the parable is meant to warn against. An evil and erie find in the pearl by john steinbeck essay 77 words 6 pages. Kino says out loud what he plans to do with the pearl. In the end, kino and juana return to the village with a dead coyotito. They tell of kino, the fisherman, and of his wife, juana, and of the baby, coyotito. Again, like the previous night, juana begs kino to throw the pearl back into the sea, but kino again refuses to because he envisions the pearl being sold and the money being used to fund coyotitos education. Kino begins to doubt the pearl s worth, but decides to sell it at the capitol himself. And in his dream, coyotito was reading from a book as large as a house, with letters as big as dogs, and the words galloped and played on the book. For this book report, i have chosen to read the book, the pearl. Coyotitos name derives from the nahuatl word coyotl and in spanish is the diminuitive for coyote.
This event is significant to the story because without the attack of the scorpian, kino and juana would have no purpose in finding the perfect pearl to help coyotito recover from the scorpion sting. Again, like the previous night, juana begs kino to throw the pearl back into the sea, but kino again refuses to because he envisions the pearl being sold and the money being used to fund coyotito s education. The doctor is greedy and only treats coyotito after hearing of kinos pearl. First, she finds the pearl, and then notices kino and the dead man. Heres a vocabulary list from john steinbeck by chapter. Kinos hand shook a little, and he turned slowly to. The irony, of course, is that kino desires to sell the pearl for the highest possible price. Because coyotito is an infant, he is helpless to improve his situation and thus at the mercy of those who provide for him. What is the symbolism of the scorpion in the pearl. In the pearl by john steinbeck, kino and juana are driven by their love for their infant son, coyotito.
In an effort to save her family, she convinces kino that they must flee immediately. John steinbeck in this novel, the pearl, a pearl diver in the gulf of mexico named kino finds the pearl of the world, one of the largest pearls this town has ever seen. When coyotito is stung by a scorpion, his mother tries to suck out the poison, but wants to take him to a doctor. The pearl takes on another meaning, a representation of greed and envy because everyone else wants it, and it became a part of everyones dreams. She drags the corpse into the bushes, and agrees to go get coyotito while kino prepares the canoe. If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it. When kino looks into the pearl and sees only the tragedies that have befallen his family, he begins to believe that the pearl is cursed, but he still cannot part with it. Symbolism is a useful tool in storytelling because it helps the author add a deeper meaning to the story.
Because the pearl is a parable, the meaning of the pearl itselfthe novellas central. Kino, the novellas protagonist, is a young mexicanindian pearl diver married to juana. If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone takes his own meaning from it and reads his own. A great way to expand your vocabulary is to read a book with words that you dont know yet. Kino and juana take coyotito down near the sea, where juana uses a.
The pearl the pearl is a novel by american author john steinbeck. Essay on symbolism in the pearl by john steinbeck 1500 words. What stings coyotito as he lies in his hanging box bed. Here, the fateful account of kino, an impoverished pearl diver, his wife juana, and their infant son coyotito, is a moving parable illustrating the importance of social structuresfamily, village, and townin the lives of individuals as sources of knowledge, strength, and inspiration, contrasted with the corrupting influence of wealth.
Steinbeck leads some of us to believe the main conflict of the book is coyotitos scorpion sting, but it is just a complication. Get everything you need to know about coyotito in the pearl. And because the story has been told so often, it has taken root in every mans mind. And kino heard the music of the pearl, distorted and insane. Kino and juanas efforts to save him by finding a big pearl with which they can pay a doctor prove to do more harm than good. The pearl themes and symbols a research guide for students. By the end of the novella, the pearl embodies the greed that exists within each persons heart.
Book summary kino, the novellas protagonist, is a young mexicanindian pearl diver married to juana. The book is classified under the genres fiction, and novella. It highlights different themes and gathers new meaning as the plot progresses. The reaction to steinbecks nativity storywith kino, juana, and coyotito as his holy familywas unimpressive. The pearl meaning the pearl the pearl is a novel by. Because the pearl is a parable, the meaning of the pearl itselfthe novellas central symbolis never explicitly defined. The biblical parable the pearl also recalls a wellknown biblical parable from the new testaments gospel of matthew, often called the parable of the pearl of great price. Its the music of their life together and reflects their peaceful interaction with one another, even in silence. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. In the introduction section, it was noted that one interpretation for this novel is an.
The the pearl quotes below are all either spoken by coyotito or refer to coyotito. The songs in this book are important because they add historical and cultural depth to both the setting and the characters. The pearl john steinbeck page 2 read online free books. Coyotitos name, juan thomas and juana warning about the pearl being dangerous, and the discussion abou the pearl that might be what are some symbols in the pearl. At first, the pearl represents a stroke of divine providence.
It is the story of a pearl diver, kino, and explores mans nature as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil. Later, juana rises in the dark, takes the pearl from the hut, and goes to the beach. In the pearl by john steinbeck, a spider stings coyotito, the infant son of juana and kino. These publications praised the novel as a major artistic triumph and emphasizes how steinbeck understands the universal significance of life. There are many themes, what the characters gain and how it changes them, how does gaining and losing wealth and power affect people, and how the story compares to todays society.
They could not find any pearl dealers to buy their pearl because all the. In the pearl he saw coyotito sitting at a little desk in a school, just as kino had once seen it through an open door. The pearl by john steinbeck point pleasant beach school. And kino drew back his arm and flung the pearl with all his might. The character of coyotito in the pearl from litcharts the creators. The pearl cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. However, the pearl dealers try to lowball him, saying that the pearl is so big that no one will want it. And then darkness spread over the page, and with the darkness came the music of evil again, and kino stirred in his sleep. As the novel opens, kino is very much absorbed in what he calls the song of the family, the daytoday goings on of his growing household. Their lives seem rather peaceful, but their tranquility is threatened when a scorpion bites coyotito. This is a quick summary and analysis of the pearl by john steinbeck. The character of coyotito in the pearl from litcharts the. The death of coyotito in the book the pearl, a man named kino finds this large pearl, and he starts to think of all of the things that he could buy.
By the end of the book, with the murder of baby coyotito, the pearl only represents death, pain, and misery. He is a simple man who lives in a brush house with his wife, juana, and their infant son, coyotito, both of whom he loves very much. Nov 12, 2017 the pearl is initially a symbol of wealth and happiness for kino and juana. Kino and juana watched it go, winking and glimmering under the setting sun. After kino finds a great pearl, he becomes increasingly ambitious and desperate in his.
Essay on symbolism in the pearl by john steinbeck bartleby. The pearl by john steinbeck in the town they tell the story of the great pearl how it was found and how it was lost again. The pearl dealers are greedy and want to trick kino into selling his pearl for less than its worth. With the pearl, kino can do all the things that he has never dared to do before. John steinbeck in the town they tell the story of the great pearl how it was found and how it was lost again. Coyotito is a character in the 1947 novel, the pearl, by john steinbeck. With the money realized from the sale of the pearl, coyotito would be able to get an education and transcend his parents lifestyle. The key symbol of the pearl generates the theme of the destructive nature of greed throughout the book. By the end of the book, with the murder of baby coyotito, the. In the book, the pearl, there is one main instance where kino, juana, and coyotito gain something and it changes them and their lives throughout the whole book. Kino watches as coyotito sleeps, but sees a scorpion crawl down the rope that holds the hanging box where coyotito lies. Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. The rifle symbolizes a deep change in kinos character.
It might be that steinbeck is alluding to the pearl of great price from the gospel of matthew. In that way, reading the pearl can be a helpful exercise. And in the surface of the pearl he saw coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot away. Nov 07, 2012 in the pearl by john steinbeck, a spider stings coyotito, the infant son of juana and kino. What is the major conflict of the book, as established in the end of chap. As the novel opens, kino is very much absorbed in what he calls the song of the family, the dayto. The story, first published in 1947, follows a pearl diver, kino, and explores mans nature as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil. In the surface of the great pearl he could see dream forms. It was also kind of eerie that coyotitos got a lot worse after the doctor had given coyotito medicine. Kino and juana throw the pearl back into the sea after coyotito is killed by the trackers.
The symbol of the pearl in the pearl from litcharts the. Oct 21, 2017 here, the fateful account of kino, an impoverished pearl diver, his wife juana, and their infant son coyotito, is a moving parable illustrating the importance of social structuresfamily, village, and townin the lives of individuals as sources of knowledge, strength, and inspiration, contrasted with the corrupting influence of wealth. The pearl what stings coyotito as he lies in his hanging box bed. Juana acts quickly and sucks out as much poison as she can, but the babys shoulder is still swelling. The inciting event of john steinbecksthe pearlis found in chapter 1, when coyotito, the son of juana and kino, is stung by a scorpion.
Jun 20, 20 however, the pearl dealers try to lowball him, saying that the pearl is so big that no one will want it. State one direct quote from the book to support the overall reaction of the people in the town to the news of kinos pearl. Which means that coyotito was killed by his father, kino but accidently. The manner in which this event occurs is worthy of analysis. Nevertheless, though the nature of the pearls symbolism is left to each readers interpretation, this symbolism seems to shift over the course of the work. The book the pearl has a very strong moral and plot. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This is ironic because the tracker who shoots coyotito thinks that it is a baby coyote crying, but it is actually.
Kino begins to doubt the pearls worth, but decides to sell it at the capitol himself. In john steinbecks the pearl, rich symbolism is used to convey the message of the parable being told. The scorpion that stings coyotito in chapter 1 symbolizes a seemingly arbitrary evil that, because. The pearl is a parable, the meaning of the pearl itself the novellas central symbol is never explicitly defined. Tragically, however, the infant coyotito becomes not the liberator of mexicos poor and indigenous but the innocent victim of the greed aroused by the giant pearl. At first, kino seeks to buy medicine for his sick son, coyotito, with the money that would come from sale of the pearl. The pearl has changed throughout the story from a sign of hope, to a sign of greed, death, and deceit.
Within the reflection of the pearl, kino sees only tragedy, such as coyotitos dead body and the body of the men kino kills in order to protect the pearl. He sees the man that he had killed reflected on the surface of the pearl, as well as a vision of his baby coyotito with his head shot off. Kino got a rifle from the tracker who was sitting on the horse he killed all three of them and accidently one bullet killed his son coyotito. Coyotito embodies the familys survival and his death symbolizes the destruction of the family. The pearl is a novella by the american author john steinbeck. It soon becomes clear, however, that finding the pearl is not good fortune at all. The character of coyotito in the pearl from litcharts. Coyotito kino and juanas only son, who is stung by a scorpion while resting in a hammock one morning. That the story was originally published under the title the pearl of the world supports this argument. Symbolism in the pearl by john steinbeck 1499 words.
Kino is a dignified, hardworking, impoverished native who works as a pearl diver. When kino first opens the oyster in which it lies, the pearl seems to signify that god is looking favorably on kino and juana. The doctor as a symbol develops the theme of oppression. And coyotito was dressed in a jacket, and he had on a white collar, and a broad silken tie. The first chapter of john steinbecks the pearl introduces a rural indigenous mexican family of three, kino a young father, his wife juana, and their baby coyotito. Youve got everything from camera pans to a thematic musical score.
Like his father and grandfather before him, kino is a poor pearl diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to spain. Emily, eleanor, lucas and john the song of family is the melody that kino hears often when he is with his family, and in their routines. The reaction to steinbecks nativity storywith kino, juana, and coyotito as his holy family. Symbols of the pearl conclusion bibliography charminarpearls. Coyotito is the infant son of juana and kino in john steinbecks the pearl. In his rage, kino flings the pearl back into the sea, where it settles into the sand and disappears. The pearl was published in 1947 to coincide with the films release, though it had earlier appeared as the pearl of the world in the december 1945 issue of the womans home companion.