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What Does Steinbeck Say About Greed

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“The Pearl” was written by John Steinbeck. The main focus of this book from beginning to end is greed. The main character Kion, continuously showed greed over the pearl he found, he wasn’t happy with any offers he was given for the pearl. Kino non-stop kept in search for a better price. The Doctor was greedy for money and wouldn’t treat anyone unless they had money. Even the priest was greedy, he only thought of how the pearl would benefit him. Every corner that is turned in this book there is greed on almost every page. Steinbeck's point for this book is be happy with what is given or things may only get worse. Initially, Kino found “The Pearl Of The World” and made the pearl his most prized possession. Kino went through many trials of trying to keep the pearl safe he finally decided to go get an offer. Little did Kino know all of the pearl buyers were scam artists. “For there were not many buyers really there was only one” (steinbeck 29) Kino wasn’t happy with any of their offers so he took his pearl and walked on his way. This caused him to be very greedy he didn’t want to take any of the offers. Due to Kino’s greed it caused the life of his baby and even the happiness of his family. Kino lost everything trying to get more. …show more content…

He always had the pearl in his possession not once was anyone else able to watch over it or really feel it without Kino being present. Juana had to suffer through all of this and put up with him being overly aggressive. Kino killed a man over his pearl because they tried to attack him for the pearl. Juana tried to throw the pearl of the world in the ocean to rid her family of the evil. Kino didn’t like that Juana did that so Kino decided to basically beat up Juana. “He stuck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders and he kicked her in the side.” (Steinbeck

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In The Pearl, events in Kino’s life cause him to change from the beginning to the end of the story. “ It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings.” This is a quote from The Pearl shows that Kino is content with his life. Even though Kino is poor he is happy and not searching for other things to come into his life.

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In The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Kino and his family took a risk by bringing the pearl that Kino found into their lives. Kino discovered that, “It was as large as a sea-gull’s egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world” (19). This means that when Kino was pearl diving, he came across an oyster which had a big pearl and Kino is describing how large it is and what it was worth. Kino had a big future for his family, but that pearl did not give him the wishes he wanted, instead it gave him something that would haunt him forever.

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The reason that Kino and Juana went searching for something of value was because Coyotito needed to be healed by the doctor. Once they found the “wonderful” pearl there was no longer a use for it. Juana’s seaweed cure had worked and now there was no need for the pearl. Kino only wanted to use it for things that weren’t necessary such as a wedding with Juana, with whom he was already married, and a rifle which he didn’t

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People thirsty for the pearl had burned Juana and Kino’s hut leaving them with nothing, but the pearl, Coyotito and themselves. Kino had a brother, Juan Tomás, that allowed them to hide out in his hut, until they were ready to leave and go live somewhere they could be safe. On the way to their safe place, trackers who are looking for the pearl and Kino are following them. Kino decides that he needs to divert the trackers away from his wife and son so he takes off running another direction away from his family. While Juana and a crying Coyotito are hiding in a cave, one of the trackers hear his cries believing that he is a baby coyote.

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Kino wanted to sell the pearl so his son Coyotito could have a good life and education, he could own a gun, so he and Juana could have a real wedding, but soon after Kino’s love for his begins to change. ¨He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side¨ (Steinbeck 59). After

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Here Kino is brutally beating Juana because of his greed for the pearl. The line from the book shows just how far Kino is willing to go to save the pearl because of his greed. Kino is unable to realize he is putting his family in

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It is now he, not the sellers, who has the power to decide if he is going to sell the pearl or not. As Kino holds the pearl in his own bare hands, he has the courage to say that he is not selling the pearl. He is being cheated by the buyers, and is willing to not sell the pearl in the town, but to even risk his life by travelling to the capital for a higher price...which, would foreshadow Kino’s development of lack of honesty. Kino becomes savage he receives the pearls power. He begins to shows violence towards those he loves to save the pearl: “He stuck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side” (59).

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‘When we sell it at last, I will have a rifle,’ he said, and he looked into the shining surface for his rifle, but he saw only a huddled dark body on the ground with shining blood dripping from its throat.” (Steinbeck, 72). This shows that pearls can’t destroy people, but people can. Kino was using the pearl for his own benefit. He even killed for the pearl.

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In one of the first nights after Kino obtains the pearl, Kino is attacked by intruders who were presumably looking to steal the pearl. During the attack, Kino shows how protective he is of the pearl when he cuts and injures one of the attackers. This event agains shows how Kino want to keep and utilise his precious

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