Student Essay on The Pearl

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

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Essay

The beauty of the Pearl in John Steinbecks The Pearl is portrayed as good and as evil depending on the mood of the story. This is true because Kino can see the blood shed all around him and he still keeps the pearl knowing his life and others are in danger. Also, he will look into the pearl and see all his wishes come true without seeing the reality of what is happening around him to his family and his people. The pearl is full of greed, dreams, love, hate, and most important, a way to attract anyone with it's beauty.

The pearl is good. For instance, when Kino finds it, he is so excited because to him it is a door way to a better life, a savior for his baby son, and an instant problem solver of his poverty. This shows that Kino's intentions for the pearl are pure good and he doesn't know exactly what he is getting himself into. He is not seeing the reality of it all. His dreams are acting as a mind block and all he can see is the good.

The pearl is also bad. For example, after Kino kills a man over it, his house is burned down, and he gets attacked he still tries to protect it with all his life. This is because kino is filled with greed from the pearl and can only see his dreams coming true, not what the pearl is doing to his people and how is it breaking up his family. He will eventually find out what the pearl's true beauty is and how all it brought him was sadness, poverty, and the loss of his son.

John Steinbeck wanted to show the contrast between reality and dreams, good and evil, and also love and hate. Kino learns his lesson and he will remember it forever. He took advantage of what he had and now it is all gone. Kino is the victim and he will also pay for his mistake he made with the pearl forever and he is now changed for good.