G-R-E-E-D

The Pearl
Lauren Hanano


Summary:
The main character of this novel, The Pearl, was a young, hardworking man named Kino who worked as a pearl diver. Juana, was Kino's faithful wife and Coyotito was their only son, who was still an infant. One morning while resting in a hammock, Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, and to insure he will survive, Kino and his wife rush their son to the doctors. Once they got to the gates of the doctor's house, they were told that "The doctor has gone out." as a lie to get rid of them; for the doctor was racist and the indian family had no money. Later that day, Kino goes out diving in his canoe as his wife cares for the baby and prays that he will find a great pearl so that they will be able to afford treatment for Coyotito. When Kino comes back up to the canoe and opens up his oysters, he finds one that is the size of a sea-gull's egg, it was perfect! It is a mystery how fast the news travels through the town but next thing you know, everyone is talking about how "Kino had found the Pearl of the world" and imagine what they would do if they had it for themselves. it, he feared everyone. Later that evening, the doctor hears about the family's sudden wealth and desides to give the them a visit and Coyotito drugs to cure the scorpion bite. Kino first burries the Pearl in a corner but then later moves it to another hidding place for safe keepings. Later that night while Kino was asleep, someone broke into their hut and was digging a hole where Kino orginally hid the Pearl, before he moved it; there wre about other three incounters like this where 'the trackers' try to steal the pearl away. In the mean time Kino, with the help of his brother, Juan Thomas, go out to town in search for a dealer who would be interested in purchasing his pearl but as Juanm warns, "We do know we are cheated from birth to the overcharge on our coffins..." In the middle of the night, Juana stold and Pearl and attempted to throw it back into the ocean where it belongs but Kino caught her in the act and beated her violently. He then returned to his house but to find a group of men waiting for him. As Kino tried to defend himself and the Pearl from the vicious, greedy mob, he accidently kills one of them. Juana insists that they leave immedatly because he will be labled as a murder. So Kino rushes to prepare the canoe while his wife goes back home to gather up belongings and Coyotito; but as shes in the house, she notices that someone has dugg up all of the flooring and sets the house on fire. Someone has also destroyed their canoe so the family decides to hide out at Kino's brother, Juan's house for the day until they set out for the capital. That night, they realized that they are being followed so hurry to the mountains in hope of loosing the trackers and hide out in a cave. Haveing the perfect oppertunity that night to sneak up o the trackers and kills them, Kino is just about to strike untill his son gives out a cry and alerts the trackers who then shoots at the cave where his wife and son were located. As the shot was fired, Kino instantly sprung into action and killed all viciously killed all three of them. Unfortionatly, he later learns that Coyotito was shot and killed by the trackers. While at the shore on there way back to town, Kino grabs the pearl and throws it back into the ocean with all his might, like Juana had said to do earlier.


Reflection:
I think that this novel, The Pearl is about "greed as a destructive force." Kino's original intentions were to just find a pearl good enough to pay back the doctor for healing Coyotito and his scorpion bite, that was all that really mattered at the time. Then came along 'the Pearl of the world' and all of that changed... Everyone in town wanted the Pearl forthemselves and became greedy as Kino turned into a vicious, murder, who beat his wife. He took advantage of his sudden wealth and beauty and all of his plans changed for the pearl, he was then talking about getting married, etc. The pearl just brought out the worse in everyone. Its kind of like good vs evil, like that other book we read, To Kill a Mockingbird. The pearl was evil, cursed and eventually led to the unwanted death of the still yet infant, Coyotito. Juana knew what the outcome of this was already going to be and she was just doing what was right by trying to get rid of the pearl. I myself think that this was a short but interesting book with a very strong message about greed. I actually wouldn't mind reading other novels similar to this one...