The Pearl Greed Essay

Greed is a force that can destroy any man, especially if it is allowed to blind one from his main priority. When a luminous object was discovered by the shores of La Paz, what many considered a blessing became a family's worst nightmare, as illustrated in John Steinbeck’s novel The Pearl. Kino, a hardworking pearl diver, is transformed from a noble and caring father, into a vicious like animal. In the town of La Paz, Kino, an impoverished native, is a simple person driven by his adoration toward his loving wife Juana and baby Coyotito. Every morning, “when Kino had finished [eating] ...they had spoken once, but there [was] no need for speech if it is a habit anyway.” Steinbeck illustrates how comfortable the couple is with each other without …show more content…
In order for the family to become prosperous, Kino attempts to explain to Juana that “[Coyotito] must go to school. He must break out of the pot that holds us in.” Kino believes that with the pearl, their son will be able to go to school and be educated. The motive to become respected individuals of the community drives Kino to the illusion of what the pearl can bring to Coyotito. However, Juana knows that the pearl will bring evil and as she attempts to throw the pearl back into the sea, Kino “struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders.” The strong bond Kino and Juana had once was destroyed in a matter of minutes for a meaningless object that has proved to bring only trouble to the family. What Kino does not see is that he is destroying what he so desperately wants to build. Later on, as Kino prepared to attack, “his spread fingers gripped the mountain, and his bare toes found support through contact, and even his chest lay against the stone so that he would not slip.” Steinbeck shows the loss of humanity Kino undergoes while preparing to kill the men who follow him. This further demonstrates how his character evolves into an almost animal-like