At the end of the story, Kino loses all hope, vitality, and peace as he throws the Pearl of the World back into the ocean. Kino transforms from being a hopeful, ambitious man to a dejected, traumatized individual. In the beginning, Kino places great hope on the pearl, believing that it will change his future and that of his family.
Why is Kino so obsessed with the Pearl?
Kino becomes obsessed with how the pearl might change his family's lives. Later Kino is simply obsessed with the pearl. The pearl becomes part of his psyche, part of his identity. Kino needs the pearl even though it is costing him everything. The Pearl made his life much worse. Kino finds the "pearl of the world".
How does Kino's face change throughout the story?
His face becomes "crafty" when he thinks of what he must do to sell the pearl. In the next chapter, when Juana tries to dispose of the pearl, he hisses at her "like a snake" with bared teeth, hitting her. However, perhaps most chillingly, in spite of all of these transformations, is what Kino says at the end of chapter five:
What happens at the end of the Pearl of the world?
It is only after Coyotito's death that Kino realizes the destructive nature of the pearl and agrees with his wife that they must get rid of it. At the end of the story, Kino loses all hope, vitality, and peace as he throws the Pearl of the World back into the ocean.
What does Kino say at the end of Chapter 5?
However, perhaps most chillingly, in spite of all of these transformations, is what Kino says at the end of chapter five: "This pearl has become my soul," said Kino. "If I give it up I shall lose my soul." We see here the way that Kino's life has become completely dominated and obsessed with the pearl.
What did Kino lose in the pearl?
Kino loses his self-respect as a husband by beating Juana, his integrity as a law-abiding citizen by killing his attacker, his birthright in the form of the destroyed canoe, and his home, burned to the ground by an arsonist.
How does Kino feel about his life?
As the story opens, Kino is feeling joy and satisfaction with his life. Though he is poor, he lives near family and is respected by the other villagers. He often hears what he calls the Song of Family in his head and recalls the songs of his people from generations past, experiencing a profound sense of peace.
What was Kino like after the pearl?
After finding the pearl, Kino gradually changes to become a completely different man. Though his family is still the center of his actions, he is also driven by his dreams of an escape from their poverty and a desire to give his son a better future.
What makes Kino a good person?
Kino, The Pearl's protagonist, is an extremely simple character, motivated by basic drives: his love for his family, loyalty to the traditions of his village and his people, and frustration at his people's oppression at the hands of their European colonizers.
What does Kino symbolize in the pearl?
Kino represents ambition, for after he finds the pearl he desires to make his life 'better'. He is also courageous in refusing to be taken advantage of by the pearl buyers. Towards the end of the novella, it is his ability to predict what the trackers will to next that enables him to survive.
How is Kino a tragic hero?
Kino's tragic flaw in The Pearl is sometimes simplistically stated as greed. However, his form of greed is different from the greed of some of the other characters. Kino's greed is the greed for a better life and a few material possession that he dreams of having when people ask him what he will do with his riches.
What happens at the end of the pearl?
John Steinbeck's The Pearl ends with an unfortunate denouement. After Coyotito is shot by a watchman, Juana and Kino realize that ''The Pearl of the World'' has brought them misfortune instead of fortune. As a result, Kino ends up tossing the pearl back into the ocean, and it sinks to the bottom.
Is Kino a good person?
Kino, a character from the story "The Pearl," is a prime example of a developing character. From the start through to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband but as time went on he became a selfish, greedy person who would do anything for money.
What kind of person is Kino in the pearl?
Kino is a dignified, hardworking, impoverished native who works as a pearl diver. 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.
Was Kino selfish in the pearl?
Kino, a character from the story “The Pearl,” is a prime example of a developing character. From the start through to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband but as time went on he became a selfish, greedy person who would do anything for money.
Is Kino evil in the pearl?
Similarly, the neighbors are evil when they act upon greed over neighborly respect, and Kino is evil when he acts upon greed over love for his wife. Evil in the novel is an omnipotent, destructive force.
Why is Kino afraid of making plans?
Back on pages 28-29, why is Kino afraid of making plans? The gods do not love men's plans, and the gods do not love success unless it comes by accident. He knew that the gods take their revenge on a man if he is successful through his own efforts. Consequently, Kino was afraid of plans.
What does Kino fear in the pearl?
Answer and Explanation: After finding the pearl, Kino acts fearful the first night. When Juana asks him what he is afraid of, he says he is afraid of everything. In truth, he is afraid of others will come to steal the pearl, and he is afraid of any misfortune the pearl may invite into his life.
What kind of person is Kino in the pearl?
Kino is a dignified, hardworking, impoverished native who works as a pearl diver. 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.
Is Kino a good person?
Kino, a character from the story "The Pearl," is a prime example of a developing character. From the start through to the end, he develops drastically. At the beginning, he was thought out to be a good loyal husband but as time went on he became a selfish, greedy person who would do anything for money.
What race is Kino in the pearl?
A strong, young Native American, Kino is The Pearl's protagonist and the head of its central family. He lives with his wife, Juana, and their son, Coyotito, in a brush house near the Gulf Sea. They lead a simple and dignified life, and Kino works hard to keep his family nourished and protected.
What does Kino's life mean by the pearl?
We see here the way that Kino's life has become completely dominated and obsessed with the pearl. He links it inextricably to his soul, indicating the malign influence that the pearl is having on him. Of course, with such an influence, only a tragedy is able to break it, and the death of his son gives Kino the strength he needs to return the pearl to the sea from whence it emerged.
What is Kino's role in the novella?
He starts off as your average hard-working Mexican fisherman, desperately trying to provide for his wife and son and battling against poverty and discrimination to succeed in this goal.
What happened to Kino's eyes when she spoke?
And as she spoke the light came back in Kino's eyes so that they glowed fiercely and his muscles hardened and his will hardened.
Does the pearl make Kino evil?
However, with the advent of the pearl into their lives, which should have been a blessing, it is clear that evil only comes . The pearl's malign influence distorts Kino's perceptions of reality and causes him to become absolutely fixated on getting the right price for the pearl so that he can allow his son to break out of the poverty trap that has dominated these lives. Pursuing this goal, however, causes him to change. Note what he says to his wife when she insists that the pearl is evil:
What happens to Kino after the Pearl?
As he realizes that the pearl will bring him nothing but trouble, Kino loses his innocence, becoming more cynical and less trusting of people. He also turns from a peace-loving man into a killer, albeit to protect his family from the men who want to cheat him out of the pearl.
How does Kino become corrupted?
Like a lot of essentially decent people, Kino becomes corrupted by the prospect of riches. At first, he's presented as very simple, a loving family man who works hard for his loved ones.
What does Kino plan for his family?
Kino’s plans for his family immediately change. He determines to marry Juana in a fancy church wedding, to buy new clothes for the entire family, to buy a rifle for hunting and protection, and to pay for Coyotito’s education.
What does Kino do at the end of the novel?
By the end of the novel, after his efforts to keep the pearl have resulted in the disaster of Coyotito's death, Kino demonstrates a renewed respect for his wife and a return to his initial values, particularly when he allows Juana to walk by his side and then offers her the honor of throwing the pearl into the ocean.
What is Kino's connection to his ancestors?
In the beginning of the novel, Kino is deeply connected to the culture of his ancestors—to their musical customs, their intimacy with nature, and their veneration of the family structure.
How does Kino clean his knife?
Kino cleans his knife by plunging it into the earth. Morning sounds enter the house and... (full context)
What did the neighbors hope for Kino?
All of the neighbors hoped that sudden wealth would not turn Kino’s head, would not make a rich man of him, would not graft onto him the evil limbs of greed and hatred and coldness. For Kino was a well-liked man; it would be a shame if the pearl destroyed him.
Where do Kino and Juana walk?
Kino and Juana walk to the beach, in the direction of their canoe. Kino had inherited... (full context)
How long did Kino's race robbed and robbed him?
This doctor was of a race which for nearly four hundred years had beaten and starved and robbed and despised Kino’s race, and frightened it too, so that the indigene came humbly to the door.
Who brings Kino into the house?
Juana brings Kino, half conscious, into the house and wipes off his blood. Kino reports that he could... (full context)
Why does Kino need the pearl?
Kino finds the "pearl of the world". Kino becomes obsessed with how the pearl might change his family's lives. Later Kino is simply obsessed with the pearl. The pearl becomes part of his psyche, part of his identity.
What does Kino think of the Pearl of the World?
After Kino discovers the Pearl of the World, he fantasi zes about creating a better life for his family. He pictures a beautiful wedding ceremony, new possessions, and an education for Coyotito. Kino essentially views the pearl as a vehicle to dramatically improve his family's situation and attaches all of his hopes, dreams, and aspirations to the pearl. As the story progresses, the pearl dealers in town are all unwilling to pay Kino for what the magnificent pearl is actually worth. He is then attacked several times by anonymous thieves and Juana recognizes that the pearl is evil. She even attempts to throw it back into the ocean but Kino assaults her before she is able to get rid of the pearl. Even after Kino kills a thief in self-defense and forces his family to flee their village, he refuses to abandon the pearl and has faith that it will make his wildest dreams come true. Tragically, Coyotito is shot and killed by a tracker in the wilderness before Kino finally recognizes that the pearl is evil. It is only after Coyotito's death that Kino realizes the destructive nature of the pearl and agrees with his wife that they must get rid of it. At the end of the story, Kino loses all hope, vitality, and peace as he throws the Pearl of the World back into the ocean. Kino transforms from being a hopeful, ambitious man to a dejected, traumatized individual.
What happens at the end of the Pearl of the World?
At the end of the story, Kino loses all hope, vitality, and peace as he throws the Pearl of the World back into the ocean.
What does Kino dream about?
In the beginning, Kino lives a calm life centered around his wife and his child and the dreams he has for the future if he could ever make any money and escape oppression. He assumed that the pearl would bring him the fulfillment of his dreams; in fact, it brought him the death of his son and a new awareness of just how cruel people could be.
Who killed Coyotito in the Pearl?
Even after Kino kills a thief in self-defense and forces his family to flee their village, he refuses to abandon the pearl and has faith that it will make his wildest dreams come true. Tragically, Coyotito is shot and killed by a tracker in the wilderness before Kino finally recognizes that the pearl is evil.
