The Pearl: Novella vs. Motion Picture
The John Steinbeck novella, The Pearl, and the movie of the same name have many differences, but they both follow the same mood, emotions, and symbols. The novella and the movie both give you the feeling of what it was like to live in that time and place. There were many deep personal connections in the book and the movie that was subtle, but were portrayed well enough that readers and audiences would be able to understand. John Steinbeck 's 1947 novella and the 2009 movie version of The Pearl follow a similar story line, but there are countless differences in the characters, setting, and plot.
Both the novella and the movie portray the setting as a beautiful little fishing town …show more content…
Steinbeck begins the novella with Kino waking up to his wife and baby in his brush house, but Zacharias (2009) begins the movie when Kino was young and when he was first pearl diving. In the movie, Kino meets Juana and they grow up together. This gives background information about their relationship, and how they treat each other. Steinbeck (1992) states that Coyotito was stung by the scorpion on the shoulder, but in the movie the baby was stung in the leg. Zacharias (2009) shows that the doctor was in charge of all of the pearl buyers. The doctor would make the pearl buyers cheat the pearl divers by buying the pearls for less than it is worth. The novella and the movie both show that Kino attempted to sell his pearl, but he felt cheated so he did not sell the pearl. The movie then shows Kino and Juana giving Coyotito to the priest because he would die from the sting, but the priest ends up baptizing him. The movie switched the order of Kino getting attacked, and then finding the pearl in the book and in the movie Kino finds the pearl and then gets attacked. However, the biggest difference in plot was the ending of the movie and the ending of the book. " 'And the Kino 's brain cleared from its red concentration. He knew the sound-the keening, moaning, rising a hysterical cry from the little cave in the side of the stone mountain, the cry of death '" (Steinbeck, 1992, p. 87). Steinbeck also later describes that the gun shot off Coyotito 's head, and Kino and Juana returned to the fishing village side by side with Coyotito 's body wrapped in the shawl. The novella ends with Kino and Juana throwing the pearl back into the ocean. Zacharias (2009) ends the movie with a tracker shooting Kino who pretends he dies, but he eventually comes out of the water and kills the trackers. Kino, Juana, and Coyotito
The John Steinbeck novella, The Pearl, and the movie of the same name have many differences, but they both follow the same mood, emotions, and symbols. The novella and the movie both give you the feeling of what it was like to live in that time and place. There were many deep personal connections in the book and the movie that was subtle, but were portrayed well enough that readers and audiences would be able to understand. John Steinbeck 's 1947 novella and the 2009 movie version of The Pearl follow a similar story line, but there are countless differences in the characters, setting, and plot.
Both the novella and the movie portray the setting as a beautiful little fishing town …show more content…
Steinbeck begins the novella with Kino waking up to his wife and baby in his brush house, but Zacharias (2009) begins the movie when Kino was young and when he was first pearl diving. In the movie, Kino meets Juana and they grow up together. This gives background information about their relationship, and how they treat each other. Steinbeck (1992) states that Coyotito was stung by the scorpion on the shoulder, but in the movie the baby was stung in the leg. Zacharias (2009) shows that the doctor was in charge of all of the pearl buyers. The doctor would make the pearl buyers cheat the pearl divers by buying the pearls for less than it is worth. The novella and the movie both show that Kino attempted to sell his pearl, but he felt cheated so he did not sell the pearl. The movie then shows Kino and Juana giving Coyotito to the priest because he would die from the sting, but the priest ends up baptizing him. The movie switched the order of Kino getting attacked, and then finding the pearl in the book and in the movie Kino finds the pearl and then gets attacked. However, the biggest difference in plot was the ending of the movie and the ending of the book. " 'And the Kino 's brain cleared from its red concentration. He knew the sound-the keening, moaning, rising a hysterical cry from the little cave in the side of the stone mountain, the cry of death '" (Steinbeck, 1992, p. 87). Steinbeck also later describes that the gun shot off Coyotito 's head, and Kino and Juana returned to the fishing village side by side with Coyotito 's body wrapped in the shawl. The novella ends with Kino and Juana throwing the pearl back into the ocean. Zacharias (2009) ends the movie with a tracker shooting Kino who pretends he dies, but he eventually comes out of the water and kills the trackers. Kino, Juana, and Coyotito