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what happens in the first chapter of the pearl

by Prof. Margarete Schuppe IV Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Lesson Summary
During breakfast, Juana and Kino realize that a deadly scorpion is moving towards Coyotito, Kino begins to move forward to try to save his son while Juana prays and summons ancient magic. As Kino approaches, the baby shakes the rope, knocking the scorpion onto his shoulder where it stings him.
Jun 17, 2022

What is the main conflict in chapter 1 of the pearl?

In Chapter 1, baby Coyotito is bitten by a scorpion and Kino and his wife Juana decide to take him to the doctor.

Where does chapter 1 of the pearl take place?

La PazJust before sunrise sometime around 1900, a Mexican-Indian pearl diver named Kino awakens to the sound of crowing roosters. He lives near the village of La Paz, on the Pacific coast of the Baja Peninsula.

What does the pearl symbolize in chapter 1?

The pearl elicits more and more greed on Kino's part, as he begins to devote all his energies and possessions to protecting it (recalling the biblical parable of the pearl of great price). It thus comes to symbolize the destructive nature of materialism.

What happened in chapter 2 of the pearl?

In chapter two of ''The Pearl'' by John Steinbeck, Kino searches for a pearl that is valuable enough to be sold so that he can afford get medical treatment for his son, Coyotito, who was stung by a scorpion.

What race is Kino in the pearl?

Native AmericanA 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.

Was the pearl evil or honest?

But like wealth, the pearl represents all the evil in the world. It seems all the greed and evil surfaces in the presence of wealth. The scorpion is a form of foreshadowing as well as a symbol of the evil that is yet to come into Kino's life.

Is Kino responsible for Coyotito's death?

In reverting to this animalistic strategy, Kino inadvertently transforms his own son into an animal, leading to Coyotito's death by an indiscriminate gunshot on the part of the trackers, who mistake the baby's cry for that of a coyote.

What happens in chapter 3 of the pearl?

Chapter 3 of The Pearl by John Steinbeck sees the people of the town all wanting to get their hands on Kino's pearl. The priest tries to get a piece, the doctor tries very hard (even poisoning Kino's baby, Coyotito), and a mysterious intruder in the night almost gets it.

What happens in chapter 4 of the pearl?

Protesting that he has been cheated, Kino announces a plan to sell his pearl in the capital city. His outburst raises the bid to fifteen hundred pesos, but Kino will have none of it. He fiercely pushes his way out of the crowd and starts the long walk home as Juana trails after him.

What happens in the pearl chapter 5?

Grabbing the pearl from her, he punches her in the face and kicks her in the side when she falls down. As Kino hovers over Juana, the waves break upon her crumpled body. He hisses menacingly above her, then turns in disgust and leaves her without a word. As Kino makes his way up the beach, a group of men assaults him.

Where does the book the pearl take place?

La PazSetting: The events of The Pearl take place sometime around the 1900 on an estuary (mouth of the river) somewhere on the coast of Mexico in the town of La Paz. On a map the long peninsula which descends from California is called BAJA CALIFORNIA.

What is the setting of the pearl?

The book takes place in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.

What race is Kino in the pearl?

Native AmericanA 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.

What is the Song of the family in the pearl chapter 1?

The Song of the Family means everything to Kino. His family are his whole world, his whole life. This is made quite clear in the very first chapter, when in the early morning he relaxes watching Juanita tending their baby Coyotito and singing a song which forms part of the Song of the Family.

What happens when Kino knocks at the gate?

Arriving at the doctor’s house, Kino knocks at the gate. He both fears and resents the doctor, a powerful man not of his own people. Presently, the gate opens to reveal one of Kino’s own people, employed in the doctor’s service.

What happens when Kino shakes the rope of the hanging box?

When Coyotito shakes the rope of the hanging box, the scorpion falls, lands on his shoulder, and stings him.

What does Kino say when he doubts the doctor coming to Coyotito?

When Kino expresses doubt that the doctor will come to Coyotito, Juana resolves to take Coyotito to the doctor. Kino and Juana set out for the center of town, their neighbors trailing behind them. Near the center of town, more people follow, curious to see the outcome of a poor man’s plea to a rich doctor.

What did Kino watch with the detachment of God?

Kino watched with the detachment of God while a dusty ant frantically tried to escape the sand trap an ant lion had dug for him. Just before sunrise sometime around 1900 , a Mexican-Indian pearl diver named Kino awakens to the sound of crowing roosters.

What does Kino hear from Juana?

Behind him, Kino hears Juana singing and nursing Coyotito. Her song is simple, and it moves Kino to contemplation. As the rest of the neighborhood stirs, Kino goes back inside the house and finds Juana fixing her hair. As they eat their simple breakfast, there is no speech between them beyond a contented sigh from Kino.

Where does the Pearl take place?

Kino strikes the gate with his fist, splitting his knuckles. The Pearl takes place among an impoverished Mexican-Indian community in La Paz. Although the story involves essentially only this couple, Steinbeck uses Kino and Juana as symbolic of the community in which they live.

What is the significance of the scorpion in The Pearl?

The scorpion is a symbol of the furtive dangers that threaten Kino and his family, able to strike furtively at any moment. It is therefore analogous to the other enemies that will threaten Kino and Juana: the scorpion secretly enters the house and strikes at them indirectly, instead of presenting a direct and open challenge to them.

What happens when Kino smashes his fist on the doctor's gate?

This event shows that Kino reverts to violence and anger when confronted with adversity , yet when he does so he hurts only himself.

What is the significance of Kino and Juana?

Although Kino and Juana are representative of the larger community in which they live, this community itself becomes significant in terms of the development of the story. This village takes on a character of its own; this is shown in particular when Juana and Kino visit the doctor and their neighbors follow in a near procession. These nameless villagers serve as a form of chorus on the action of the story, commenting on the developments and judging the decisions and events that occur to Kino. The idea of community is also significant in terms of the various songs that Kino remembers. These songs are entirely symbolic, meant to place Kino in the larger, less personal context as a member of a community with a sense of heritage and to reinforce his status as an everyman. The two songs that Kino remembers during this chapter, the Song of the Family and the Song of Evil, also place the story in a context with diametric opposites; the story is largely a parable with defined parameters of good and evil.

Why does Kino's family face a critical situation?

The critical situation that Kino's family faces is significant to show the great importance of the fortune that Kino will receive, for it provides not only the possibility of material goods but may buy the life of his child. Kino's encounter with the doctor sharply illustrates this, as the doctor essentially allows Coyotito to die because Kino cannot pay for treatment.

What are the two songs that Kino remembers during this chapter?

The two songs that Kino remembers during this chapter, the Song of the Family and the Song of Evil, also place the story in a context with diametric opposites; the story is largely a parable with defined parameters of good and evil.

What does Kino tell the doctor's servant about his child?

Kino tells the doctor's servant that his child was poisoned by a scorpion. The doctor is a fat man who longs for civilized living.

What are the chapters in The Pearl?

The Pearl Chapters 1-2 Summary. chapters. 1-2. 3-4. 5-6. The first chapter of John Steinbeck's The Pearl introduces a rural indigenous Mexican family of three, Kino a young father, his wife Juana, and their baby Coyotito. As the novel opens, Kino is very much absorbed in what he calls the "song of the family," the day-to-day goings on ...

What does Juana discover when he opens the shell?

When he opens the shell, and digs through the muscle, he discovers a perfectly shaped and colored pearl that is the size of a sea-gull's egg.

What does Juana notice about Coyotito wound?

Juana turns her attention from the pearl to her son, and notices to her astonishment that in the presence of the giant pearl, Coyotito wound has become significantly better. She alerts Kino to the improvement and, overcome by the collective emotion of his son's spontaneous.

What chapter does the doctor reject the couple?

Clearly the doctor was uninterested both in their hard won offerings, and the life of their child. In Chapter two, rejected by the doctor, the couple makes their way to the shore with their ailing child in hopes that they might find a pearl impressive enough that the doctor will accept it as payment for his services.

What does Kino tell Juana?

Kino tells Juana that the doctor "won't come", and so she decides that they should take the baby to him.

What is the conflict between Kino and Juana?

First conflict is when the baby got stung by the scorpion. The second conflict happens when Kino and Juana are trying to ask help from the doctor. But the doctor refuses to help, as Kino is poor and cannot pay him.

Who punishes the scorpion?

Protector and Provider: Kino punishes the scorpion for invading his home and attacking his family but smashing it with his hand and grinding it into the dirt floor.

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1.The Pearl Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-pearl/chapter-1

10 hours ago After remaining quiet and collected, and then submissive, throughout this stressful first chapter, Kino lets his frustration show in an uncharacteristic strike of rage. This foreshadows how his further encounters with the values and individuals of the oppressors will drive and corrupt him to …

2.The Pearl Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis | SparkNotes

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/pearl/section1/

28 hours ago  · • The Pearl is set in La Paz, Mexico. The story is related from the perspective of a third-person omniscient narrator. • In Chapter 1, Kino awakens moments before dawn and sees his wife Juana already awake and watching him. • Juana wakes their son Coyotito carefully and prepares for the day ahead.

3.The Pearl Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver

Url:https://www.gradesaver.com/the-pearl/study-guide/summary-chapter-1

8 hours ago In chapter 1 of The Pearl, the setting is simple: a hut by the ocean in which Kino lives with his wife and baby. The tone is one of peace and simplicity, even innocence. Like the Garden of Eden, the man and wife live in a “paradise” of nature.

4.The Pearl Chapters 1-2 Summary - Softschools.com

Url:https://www.softschools.com/literature/summary/the_pearl/chapters_1_2_summary/

30 hours ago 3-4. 5-6. The first chapter of John Steinbeck's The Pearl introduces a rural indigenous Mexican family of three, Kino a young father, his wife Juana, and their baby Coyotito. As the novel opens, Kino is very much absorbed in what he calls the "song of the family," the day-to-day goings on of his growing household.

5.What in general happens in the first chapter | The Pearl …

Url:https://www.gradesaver.com/the-pearl/q-and-a/what-in-general-happens-in-the-first-chapter-294158

2 hours ago  · What happens in the1st chapter. What happens in the1st chapter. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. More books than SparkNotes. Study Guides; Q & A; ... The Pearl What in general happens in the first chapter. What happens in the1st chapter. Asked by Malachi H #521999 on 4/22/2016 4:04 PM

6.What, in general, happens in the first chapter? | The Pearl …

Url:https://www.gradesaver.com/the-pearl/q-and-a/what-in-general-happens-in-the-first-chapter-390919

9 hours ago  · I'm sorry, this is a short-answer forum designed for text specific questions. GradeSaver has a complete summary and anaysis for each chapter of The Pearl readily available for your use in its study guide for the unit. Answered by Vionnie W #1017682 2 years ago 5/7/2020 9:47 AM. What, in general, happens in the first chapter?

7.The Pearl Chapter 1 Review Flashcards | Quizlet

Url:https://quizlet.com/224951516/the-pearl-chapter-1-review-flash-cards/

16 hours ago What in general happens in the first chapter? In the town of La Paz, Kino, Juana and their infant son, Coyotito, live in a modest brush house by the sea. One fine morning, a …

8.The Pearl Chapter 1 Flashcards | Quizlet

Url:https://quizlet.com/137533357/the-pearl-chapter-1-flash-cards/

14 hours ago What in general happens in the first chapter? In the town of La Paz, Kino, Juana and their infant son, Coyotito, live in a modest brush house by the sea. …

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