Reflections on The Pearl by John Steinbeck

     On page 129 of the notes, the editor writes that "the artist probes the central mystery of life as he sees it, the paradox of how evil comes out of good, the tear at the heart of laughter, the dream doomed to disappointment in the moment of dreaming, the despair conjoined with hope, with which humanity, if it is wise, must learn to live."


     Kino and Juana suffer throughout the story, trying to survive with the paradox noted, "the artist probes the central mystery of life as he sees it, the paradox of how evil comes out of good, the tear at the heart of laughter, the dream doomed to disappointment in the moment of dreaming, the despair conjoined with hope, with which humanity, if it is wise, must learn to live" (Steinbeck 129). "The tear at the heart of laughter," reminds me of when the scorpion is near the baby, Coyotito. Poor little Coyotito is enjoying the sight of this newly, shaped creature that is crawling toward him. The joyful, laughing of Kino and Juana's son turns into terrible screams as the scorpion falls and stings the child. Coyotito  clearly represented this paradox in chapter 1. To try and save his child from  the scorpion bite, Kino needs money. To get the money Kino dives into the deep waters where the oysters lay, trying to find the perfect pearl. To Kino's surprise, he found the world's greatest pearl. He would be rich, his baby boy would be saved, and him and Juana would finally be able to get married. Little did Kino know that the great pearl would lead to the terror of evil. The pearl lead to loss of trust throughout the village. People who made contact with Kino started treating him differently. Kino and his family started to feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Many began to try and steal the pearl while others attacked Kino or his private property. Everything that was dreamy about the pearl started to create danger between everyone. Juana wanted to get rid of the pearl. She was in great despair because she knew that it was going to tear their family apart. Juana had trust in Kino. She believed that Kino would be able to sell the pearl, giving them a great fortune. To Kino's dismay his expectations for this pearl were too high. Kino wanted more than one thousand five hundred pesos. He was a fool and did not take any of the dealers money. The pearl started to take over Kino. Reality began to slap Kino in the face. He was not going to become rich from the pearl. He would not own a rifle. He would not have a proper wedding with Juana. He would not be able to send Coyotito to school. He would not be able to give his family new clothes (Steinbeck 38). Kino felt shame and disappointment  He had failed and so did his dreams.  Kino tried everything in his power to make the pearl valuable. In the end, he knew the pearl was tearing him apart; just like how Juana thought it would. With the loss of his son, Kino and his wife returned to their village. With many watching, Kino had the courage to throw the pearl back into the waters. The pearls evil shined from the sun as it sunk to the bottom of the green waters. 
     Kino and Juana have learned to live with the paradox.  "The people say that the two seemed to be removed from human experience; that they had gone through pain and had come out on the other side; that there was almost a magical protection about them"(Sterinbeck 120). The description of when Juana and Kino returned proved that they were ready to live with the paradox. I think the magical protection represented the new knowledge that Kino and Juana got from this experience. They will continue to live on but will have to be faced with the despair from their recent past. In their future I believe they will be more careful because they know how easy things can slip from their grasps. To take the rich path in life, Kino tried his best to become successful. Though his plans did not work out, he tried and learned from the mistakes he made along the way. Kino was also caught up in his high expectations. For most high expectations will lead to disappointments. Kino's dreams were crushed but it allowed him to see that everything that he had now, was all he truly needed. When Kino and Juana returned they realized that everything they needed was right in front of them. Accepting the paradox, Kino and Juana live on. "The sun was behind them and their long shadows stalked ahead, and they seemed to carry two towers of darkness with them" (Steinbeck 119). 

When a character acts selflessly against the prevailing vice(s) of the dominant social order, true virtue exhibits itself. 

     Kino was unaware of his selfishness towards others because he was going to have it all. Him and his family were going to powerful and well dressed. Coyotito his son, was going to be educated. Kino was not aware of the jealousy that was occurring throughout the village. As the darkness of evil starts to ruin Kino's life, his protective instincts kick in to protect his family. Kino even went up against his wife Juana to protect the great pearl, in fear that she would take it away from him. When Kino escaped into the forest because he had nothing left his true virtues really shined. Kino's determination and loyalty to not only his family but the pearl shines; proving to society that he will live the way he wants to live. In the end, Coyotito's death and the weakness of the pearl show Kino how destruction is a barrier to overcoming dreams and wishes. 

     Kino and Juana's values of family, safety, and hope are all tested in the novel. The power of the large pearl makes Kino fight for what he truly wants- the great comfort of riches for his family. Kino does everything in his power to sell this pearl for a large cost. Kino wants to be able to support his family and give them the best life possible. But when people start trying to steal the pearl, he eventually learns that his families safety must come first. Unfortunately, the pearl brought him misfortune and great pain. The pain was unbearbale and to prevent unnecessary evil, Kino and Juana return home and throw the pearl far away into the awaiting waters.