Menu Close

What is the purpose of the novel The Pearl?

What is the purpose of the novel The Pearl?

The Pearl is a novella by the American author John Steinbeck. The story, first published in 1947, follows a pearl diver, Kino, and explores man’s purpose as well as greed, defiance of societal norms, and evil.

What is a lesson that Kino learned from this experience?

The overt, moral lesson is that “money can’t buy happiness.” Before finding the “Pearl of the World,” Kino’s family is poor but content. Their basic needs (food, shelter) are met. Kino and Juana have a network of friends upon whom they can rely.

What does the pearl symbolize and what is the lesson that this parable is teaching?

If you assume that Kino threw the pearl back because he felt guilty, then what does the pearl symbolize and what is the lesson that this parable is teaching? The pearl symbolizes that a lesson has been learned from what has happened to Kino and his family.

What is the main theme in The Pearl?

In ”The Pearl” by John Steinbeck, the theme of the destructive power of greed is explored as the characters navigate their personal desires, destiny, and racism. We will explore the devastating effect of Kino’s sudden change from being poor but happy, to possibly instantly wealthy.

What religion is Kino in The Pearl?

The community in which Kino and his family live is dominated by the Roman Catholic Church. The priest is extremely influential in the affairs of the town. Kino and Juana are firm believers in the involvement of God in their lives, yet their belief is also mixed with some superstition.

Why did Kino give Juana the pearl to throw away?

The person scurries out. Juana tells Kino that the pearl is evil and will destroy them. She tells him to throw it away or break it, for it will destroy them. Kino says that the pearl is their one chance, and that the next morning they will sell the pearl.

What does the pearl symbolize?

Pearls are the ultimate symbol for wisdom. Valued for their calming effects, pearls represent serenity, while being able to strengthen valuable relationships and convey a sense of safety. Pearls also symbolize purity, as well as integrity and loyalty.

Is Kino guilty or innocent?

Kino feels guilty because he killed Juana’s first child, which was very emotional for her. This is why Kino gives Juana the choice to throw the pearl or not because it might make her feel better.

What does a pearl symbolize?

What does a pearl symbolize? Pearls are the ultimate symbol for wisdom. Valued for their calming effects, pearls represent serenity, while being able to strengthen valuable relationships and convey a sense of safety. Pearls also symbolize purity, as well as integrity and loyalty.

Why is The Pearl evil?

When Kino first finds the pearl, it is a symbol of hope and salvation. The pearl and what it holds of wealth represents a great potential for the family and so their ambitions grow big. 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.

What does Kino fear in the pearl?

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.

Is Kino from the pearl Mexican?

The Pearl (1945), then, is about a Mexican man named Kino and his wife Juana. They have a young son they dearly love, Coyotito. They are poor, illiterate, and initially innocent, innocent like those characters that often wander through Steinbeck’s novels.

What are the literary aspects of the Pearl?

Literary aspects will include tone, mood, theme, and symbol. You’ve heard the phrase, ”Money can’t buy you happiness”. In John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, this is certainly the case for Kino and his wife, Juana. The Pearl is a parable, a story that teaches a moral lesson, and possibly one of the most explicit of its kind.

How does the Pearl teach a moral lesson?

Students should understand that since this novel is a parable, it teaches a moral lesson and characters, objects, and events have symbolic significance. During class discussion, students can identify and analyze these symbols.

What does the Pearl by John Steinbeck teach?

John Steinbeck’s The Pearl is an interesting parable about the corrupting nature of wealth and the destructiveness of greed. Students should understand that since this novel is a parable, it teaches a moral lesson and characters, objects, and events have symbolic significance.

How to teach the Pearl of Great Price?

Before reading, consider giving your students a background lesson on the mistreatment and marginalization of Indians in Mexican society and the Mexican legend that inspired Steinbeck to write The Pearl. You can also discuss the novel as an allusion to the parable of the “Pearl of Great Price” from the New Testament (Matthew 13:45-46).