The pearl Essay Summary Example For Students

The pearl Essay Summary In The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, evil transforms certain humble citizens into envious savages. Evil was exhibited by the doctor who refused to treat Coyotito because his parents had no money. When the doctor heard of Kino and Juanas fortune in finding the pearl of the world (722), he boasted that they were patients of his while thinking of a better life for himself in Paris. Coyotito was healed when the doctor finally came to their straw hut. He deceived Kino by giving the baby a white powder that made him go into convulsions. An hour later he came and gave Coyotito the remedy and immediately wanted to know when he was getting paid. We will write a custom essay on The pearl Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The evil in the pearl had reached the heart of the doctor. The pearls evil did not restrict itself to infecting Kinos peers; it also affected Kino himself. He wanted to sell the pearl and use the money to better his familys standard of living. He had dreams and goals that all depended on the pearl. When Juana wanted to destroy the pearl, Kino beat her unmercifully: He struck her in the face and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the sideHe hissed at her like a snake and she stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before a butcher. (742) Juana saw through the outer beauty of the pearl and knew it would destroy them, but Kinos vision was blurred by the possible prosperity the pearl brought. The malignant evil then spread to a secret cult known only as the trackers. This corrupt band of ruffians attacked and destroyed Kinos life. The very night that the trackers learned of Kinos pearl, they tried to steal it. The next night, Kino was attacked twice, which resulted in Kino committing murder. After the final struggle of the night, Juana went back to their home to find more baneful members of the heartless cult rampaging through their belongings to find the pearl. The end result was Kino and Juanas house going up in flames. The trackers then committed the cardinal sin, they destroyed Kinos canoe: This was an evil beyond thinking. The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. For a boat does not have sons, and a boat cannot protect itself, and a wounded boat does not heal. (744) The trackers annihilated the most important material possession that any citizen of the community owned, .. .for a man with a boat can guarantee a woman that she will eat something. It was the bulwark against starvation (717). The evil invaded Kinos life and everyone who knew of itBibliography: