The Pearl Essay, Research Paper

The Pearl

The Peal by John Steinbeck, a story of a man, his wife, their baby, and greed. Kino, the man, had no need for money, he was happy with the little things he had. A brush house, a sleeping mat, a canoe, and a family, that?s all he needed, until his son was in danger and needed medical treatment and Kino found The Pearl. When Kino held the pearl for the first time he began to want, and his wants became needs.

Kino was a simple man; he lived a simple life, in a simple village. Kino cared greatly for his wife, Juana, and his son Coyotito, would protect them any way he could. When a scorpion stung Coyotito, and needed medical help, Kino set out to find a pearl to pay for the doctor?s services.

Diving into the oily smooth water, Kino began his search. He could hear the melody of the pearl in his hear as his eyes fell upon a shell that was partly open, he saw a ghostly gleam, and it shut. Kino gathered the oyster into his basket with all the others and rose to the surface. Kino and Juana opened all the other oysters first, saving the best for last. Using his short strong knife, Kino pried the shell open, cut the muscle and searched through the flesh and there he found ?The Pearl of the World.? For Kino the pearl was hope and dreams. The Pearl would save his son?s life, by him new clothes, and he and Juana were to be wed, in a church.

The doctor soon learned of Kino?s Pearl and went to treat Coyotito. The doctor knew that Kino would have the Pearl buried some where in the house, and watched his eyes carefully in hope that Kino would look towards the hiding spot. Later that night someone came to Kino?s house looking for the Pearl. The Pearl was beginning to become a problem for Kino and his family.

The Pearl had caused them so much trouble that Kino killed a man to protect this pearl. They had to leave the small village to hide from trackers, so that Kino would not be caught and he could keep the Pearl. The Pearl meant everything to him, it was his life.

Kino, Juana and Coyotito hid in a cave over night while they watched the trackers that followed them. The trackers heard Coyotito crying, they shot towards the cry. The shot blew away Coyotito?s little head.

After the death of the baby, Kino and Juana returned to the village. The pearl was now like cancer to Kino, it meant death, he had to rid himself of this evil. Kino and Juana went back to the water, and with all his might Kino flung the Pearl. The watched it settle in to the lovley green water and started their lives over.

Steinbeck displayed what greed can do to people. He impacted the old statement ?The love for money is the root of all evil.? Whe money is in our hands, our eyes turn green.