John Steinbeck Greed

1042 Words3 Pages

John Steinbeck’s novella, The Pearl, is filled with literary devices. The main character, Kino, lives in a coastal town in Mexico where he does not have much money. In the story, Kino finds the a perfect pearl, “The Pearl of the World”, and becomes a rich man. He hopes to marry his wife, Juana, in a church, educate his son, Coyotito, and buy a rifle. Kino is given many offers, because everyone wants his pearl. However, Kino turns them down thinking the pearl is worth much more. Kino’s greed begins to get the best of him. John Steinbeck uses the motif of music, the motif of nature, and imagery to convey the theme; greed changes people and makes them do evil deeds.
The motif of music occurs periodically throughout the entire story. Kino often …show more content…

There are many comparisons to animals in The Pearl. These comparisons help the readers understand Kino better and figure out how he changes. Steinbeck says, “Kino looked down at her [Juana] and his teeth were bared. He hissed at her like a snake”(59). Kino hurt his wife because he wanted to keep the pearl so badly. He was greedy.The author compares Kino to a snake and a ferocious dog. These are two vicious and evil animals. By comparing Kino to a snake and ferocious dog, the author reveals greed can make a person vicious or evil. It changes people and how they act. Later, after Kino kills a man he and his famiy have to flee the town, Steinbeck wrote, “there came a rush of exhilaration; some animal thing was moving in him so that he was cautious and wary and dangerous”(69). Kino wanted to keep the pearl, and his family, safe so he had become very dangerous and animal-like. Kino wanted to sheild his family, but he was also greedy and wanted to keep the pearl protected. The story says, “And Kino ran for the high place, as nearly all animals do when they are pursued”(76). Kino is continually compared to an animal in order to show how he has changed and become more animal-like. The author continues to compare him to an animal to further emphasize the theme, greed changes people and makes them act …show more content…

The imagery Steinbeck uses helps the readers understand the theme. Steinbeck wrote, “and then he held the great pearl in his hand. He looked into its surface and it was gray and ulcerous. Evil faces peered from it into his eyes…. And the pearl was ugly; it was gray, like a malignant growth. And Kino heard the music of the pearl, distorted and insane”(89). There are numerous excellent literary devices in this section of imagery. When Steinbeck metions Kino seeing evil faces in the pearl, he indicates the evil pearl causes dreadful things. A malignant growth is dangerous and fatal, much like the pearl. The author states the pearl is gray and ulcerous and ugly. In the book, the pearl represents greed. When Steinbeck describes the pearl this way, he says the same thing about greed-- it is evil, dangerous, ulcerous, and ugly. The text also says, “Every man suddenly became related to Kino’s pearl, and Kino’s pearl went into the dreams, the speculations, the futures, the wishes, the needs, the lusts, the hungers, of everyone…. The news stirred up something infinately black and evil in the town”(23). Everyone who heard about the pearl longed to have it. They all wanted the money. They were filled with greed. The pearl, and the greed of other people wanting the pearl, had caused evil and darkness to come about in the town. The story said, “Greedy fingers went through his clothes, frantic figures searched his, and the pearl, knocked

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