The Pearl By John Steinbeck The Pearl by
The Pearl By John Steinbeck
The Pearl by John Steinbeck v THE CHARACTERIZATION or SYMBOLISM of MALEVOLENCE/MALEVOLENT/EVIL or GOODNESS/ BENEVOLENCE/BENEVOLENT Write a four paragraph essay focusing on the characterization OR symbolism of evil/malevolence or goodness/benevolence. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH TWO BODY PARAGRAPHS CONCLUSION PARAPGRAPH BE SURE TO USE THE RUBRIC AND TO SCORE YOURSELF ON IT AS YOU PROCEED THROUGH
CHAPTER ONE NOTES o Kino poor native pearl diver. Happy as the day begins. Hears songs in his mind. He hears the song of family. Kino watches the dawn. The glare of the sun is blinding. Young and strong with brown skin. o Juana, Kino's wife, wakes and checks their baby, Coyotito. She starts the fire. It lights the straw hut they live in. Juana makes the corn cakes for breakfast. She takes the baby and cares for him. She sings to him. Puts the baby back in his box (crib). She eats beside the fire after Kino. Strong as a man, good wife. o Coyotito has a streak of sunlight him. A scorpion crawls down the rope holding the crib. Juana states a Hail Mary to protect the baby. He laughingly tries to touch the scorpion. The scorpion stings the baby. Kino was a moment too late to stop it and then crushes the scorpion into paste as the baby cries. Juana tries to help the baby (sucks out the poison). Juana wants the doctor
EVIL or MALEVOLENCE Ch. 1 & 2 Kino hears song of evil near the doctor Dr. will not help Coyotito Dr. poisons the baby. Dr. eats chocolate and cake. Pearl evokes thoughts of evil, people jealous of Kino Priest thinks of money. He will marry you if you have money Scorpion stings Coyotito. Pearl buyers.
GOODNESS or BENEVOLENCE Ch. 1 & 2 o Juana is good (seems to always be near the fire, sucks poison out of Coyotito, puts seaweed on him, covers baby from sun, prays for Kino to find a worthy pearl to help Coyotito) o Coyotito is good o Pearl o Juana wishes for a pearl and the prayer is answered o Coyotito will go to school
Chapter 3, Page 23 Every man suddenly became related to Kino’s pearl, and Kino’s pearl went into the dreams, the speculations, the schemes, the plans, the futures, the wishes, the needs, the lusts, the hungers, of everyone, and one person stood in the way and that was Kino, so that he became curiously every man’s enemy. The news stirred up something infinitely black and evil in the town; the black distillate was like the
Ch. 3 Kino says they will marry in church now that they have money, they will have shoes and new clothes, a harpoon and a rifle, he wants Coyotito to learn to read and write, feels rage and fear at the doctor, Juana: starts the fire at dusk, tells priest that they will marry in church, doesn’t want to give baby to doctor, she backs away and covers the baby’s face with her shawl Priest: comes after dusk, graying aging man, considers the fisherman children and treats them so, Kino faintly hears the music of the enemy (evil), gasped at the size and beauty of the pearl Doctor: lies and says that he was not home when
Coyotito is ill due to the doctor’s medicine. Dr. finishes his sweet cakes and chocolate and returns to check on the baby. He says baby is under the spell of the venom of the scorpion. He “saves” the baby. Doctor proclaims he has won the fight and saved the baby, then asks how will Kino pay him. He acts surprised to hear Kino found the pearl of the world. Tells Kino he will put it in his (the doctor’s) safe. He warns Kino that it is not safe and someone might try and steal it. Kino’s eyes flick to where he has hidden the pearl. Kino senses danger (hears the music of evil) and reburies the pearl in a new hiding spot. Kino states he fears everyone. Juana holds baby all night. Kino stabs at someone in his hut. Kino gets bashed on the head. He is bleeding. Juana
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