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Author Craft In John Steinbeck's The Pearl

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Recommended: Characters , characterization and styles in THE PEARL by STEINBECK

Author 's Craft in The Pearl
Outside factors can often affect one 's mood in a plethoric number of ways. In John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, the mood is constantly changing as a result of the other people that yearn for the pearl. Kino, a poor Indian man in La Paz, Mexico recently discovered an enormous pearl that he calls: “The Pearl of the World”. Because of the colossal value of the Pearl, many people attempt to obtain it; Steinbeck utilizes the Pearl as a symbol to ensure that the reader can understand the dynamic state of the mood throughout the story.
On the onset of the story when Kino first discovers the Pearl, it is a symbol of happiness and newfound ability. When he looks into his Pearl, shortly after having procured it, he sees visions of himself and his family in the future.This is evident in the quote: “Kino looked into his pearl...he saw Juana and Coyotito and himself standing and kneeling at the high altar...being married now that they could pay”(24). The visions he sees are varied with scenes like him buying new clothes, buying a rifle, his son Coyotito going to school and so on. Yet, even with the diverse visions, they are all of happy ideas, which was the current atmosphere. This …show more content…

Towards the end of the story, Kino begins to understand the appalling symbol that the Pearl really represents. By this point, his only son, Coyotito has been slaughtered as a result of people 's greed for it. Kino’s conclusive visions in the Pearl are ghastly, which are visible in the quote: “...In the surface of the Pearl he saw Coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot away...the Pearl was ugly; it was gray, like a malignant growth”(89). Outside factors are affecting the Pearl’s image, eventually destroying the good. Finally realizing the disgusting nature of the Pearl, Kino throws it into the ocean ending the Pearl’s presence in the story. By this part, the Pearl can be clearly seen as evil and vile, completing the changing cycle of the Pearl’s

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