Kino’s greed for wealth clouds his judgement. According to Bruce E. Levine, “...greed is now gradually increasing, which will inevitably make money the center of society’s thoughts, decisions and activities” (Levine 1). Kino’s greed to obtain the wealth he thinks he deserves alters the pearl from a sign of hope to a definite sign of human destruction to himself as well as the people around him, unlike his wife, Juana, most likely because due to gender and thought process. Kino’s wife, Juana, got caught up in the pearl as well, however, she knew morality ever since the beginning of the book; “For whatever reason, women seem less likely to succumb in this way – their appetites for these drug- or money-induced ‘highs’ seem to be lower than men’s, on average at least” (Robertson 1). Juana would never get caught up in the pearl and let it change her, she just saw her husband at the worst and most violent point in his life when he took her for granted and abused her when trying to protect the pearl; “Her arm was up to throw when he leaped at her and caught her arm and wrenched the pearl from her” (Steinbeck 59). Even after, she still knew her morals and she couldn 't leave Kino in his worst and weakest times. After the unfortunate death of Coyotito, they finally realized they must get rid of the pearl because it represents a curse. She still stuck by his side, still supportive; “She looked at the pearl in his hand for a moment and then she looked into Kino 's eyes and softly