Is the Pearl good or evil?

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The plot of The Pearl is driven by a constant struggle between the morally opposite forces of good and evil. 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.



People also ask, is Kino greedy 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.

Also Know, what is the main theme of the Pearl? The Pearl is a parable that demonstrates the evils of greed and ambition. Kino, Juana, and Coyotito are a happy, but poor family until the discovery of the pearl throws them into the sudden possibility of wealth.

Also Know, what do the songs symbolize in the Pearl?

The Song of Evil It's the music of their life together and reflects their peaceful interaction with one another, even in silence. Scorpions often symbolize the corruption of innocence in literature. However, in The Pearl the scorpion represents a seemingly arbitrary and unmotivated evil that exists in mankind.

What does the pearl symbolize?

The pearl is a symbol of wealth which is quite ambivalent in its nature throughout the novel. When Kino first finds the pearl, it is a symbol of hope and salvation. 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.

37 Related Question Answers Found

Who killed Coyotito?

The watchman decides to silence the wailer by shooting in the direction of the cry. Unbeknownst to Kino, the bullet hits and kills Coyotito. As the watchman shoots, Kino springs upon the trackers, stabbing the watchman and seizing the rifle.

What is the lesson of the Pearl?

The Pearl is a parable, a moral lesson, about gratitude and the dangers of greed. Because parables offer a moral lesson, being grateful for the things one already has serves as the theme.

What is the doctor's name in the Pearl?

The doctor - A small-time colonial who dreams of returning to a bourgeois European lifestyle. The doctor initially refuses to treat Coyotito but changes his mind after learning that Kino has found a great pearl. He represents the arrogance, condescension, and greed at the heart of colonial society.

What is Kino's plan to destroy the trackers?

2 What is Kino's plan to destroy the trackers? Kino want his wife and son wait in the hole at night. When two of trackers was sleeping, he climb down from the hole quietly, and assassinate the big tracker. But if Kino was die, he want his wife wait untie they leave.

What is Kino's occupation?


What is Kino's occupation? He is a fisherman and a pearl diver (not deep-sea!!)

What did Kino buy with the Pearl?

Kino also wants to buy a rifle, a harpoon, and some new clothes for the family, but more importantly, he wants to be able to send Coyotito to school.

Who is Juana in the Pearl?

Juana is a strong, compatible, loving wife to Kino. They enjoy their life together with their son, Coyotito. She demands nothing more, until Coyotito is stung by a scorpion and needs to see a doctor. Using prayers and black magic, Juana summons Kino to find the pearl.

What race is Kino in the Pearl?

Kino Character Analysis. 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.

What is the song of evil when does it first appear?

The Song of Evil is of course metaphorical: it represents everything which threatens the safety, unity and well-being of Kino's family. The first time it is "heard" is when the scorpion crawls down the rope of the baby's suspended cradle and stings him on the hand.

What is the pearl buyers trick?


The pearl buyer's trick of rolling the coin through his fingers is symbolic of his “trickery” with money. Kino is aware that the pearlbuyers are in league with each other, but he decides to give them a try; perhaps they will unexpectedly give him a fair price.

What is the song of the family the Pearl?

Essentially, the Song of the Family incorporates generations of memories inherited from Kino's forebears. To Kino, the Song of the Family represents safety, wholeness, and warmth. It is the very essence of life to him. More than anything, the Song of the Family is a song of hope to Kino.

What songs does Kino hear in the Pearl?

His song first is the pounding of his heart; but within his song is "a secret little inner song": "the Song of the Pearl That Might Be." As he dives, Kino's heart beats heavily when he discovers a shell that is partially open, and in this muscle Kino sees "a ghostly gleam," and then the shell closes.

What does the Song of the Pearl mean in the Pearl?

Updated 3 April 2015. The duo Fleming and John created a song called "The Pearl" in 1999. The song gives commentary on the Pearl and tells how Kino and Juana felt when they found the pearl. When Coyotito is stung by the scorpion, the Song of Evil and Song of the Enemy begins to blast in Kino's head.

What does the scorpion represent?

Scorpion as a totem
As totems, scorpions are symbols of passion, dominance, defense, transformation, rebirth and ardency.

What does the ocean symbolize in the Pearl?


The ocean is one of the first symbols of the novel. It represents the unstable source of sustenance for the village. Like the ocean, pearl diving is very unpredictable and unreliable. An unsuccessful day of pearl diving ultimately suppresses the dependent family deeper into poverty.

What does Daisy's pearl necklace symbolize?

Daisy's pearl necklace stands to represent the beauty and elegance that coated Tom's upper class, despite its gilded and embellished design, that, when removed, would otherwise reveal the missing jewels of integrity and morality from their string.

What is the song of the enemy?

So to Kino, the Song of the Enemy means broken cords (or chords) of life. The cords or chords of life tying him to his people are broken. The cords/chords tying him to his son are broken. The fragile cords/chords tying Coyotito to his family, his people, and his own life are broken.