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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What has brought the King of Spain to higher power?

2. How big is Kino's great pearl?

3. Who knows all the sins of the town?

4. What color does the narrator describe the beach sand as being in Chapter 2?

5. What comes near Kino when he is watching the water on the first morning?

Short Essay Questions

1. When does the first hint of the Song of Evil come to Kino with his pearl? What does the song represent?

2. What does Kino dream about in regards to the pearl?

3. When does the Song of Evil first enter Kino's head? What does this song represent?

4. What does the town call the pearl when they hear about it? Why?

5. How is Kino’s home described?

6. What are the two colors that make up the canoes that line the beach? What do you think these colors represent symbolically?

7. What does the Song of the Family symbolize to Kino?

8. Who are the only people happy about Kino's pearl? Why are they happy?

9. Name some of the townspeople that are described as thinking about what the pearl could do for them when they hear about Kino's news. What are their specific objectives?

10. Why does Juana not believe the poultice to be a good solution for Coyotito?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Social status is a common theme in the novel. What are the ways that Kino is warned that striving to break out of his destined social status in life would be disastrous? What impact do the priest's stories and the story of the pearl buyer for the villagers have on Kino?

Essay Topic 2

The pearl is a powerful symbol to the village. Explain the irony of how the pearls bring great wealth to the Kings of Spain, yet cannot seem to help a meager fisherman named Kino. What does the pearl represent to all men in the novel in terms of wealth?

Essay Topic 3

Race is an important theme throughout the novel. Discuss how race is shown and how this tension causes problems for Kino and his family.

1.) How would a less-biased response from the doctor or his servant at the gate affected the rest of the story? Would the outcome be different if the doctor had treated Coyotito from his scorpion bite initially? Why or why not?

2.) How do the pearl buyers represent the oppression that a biased social structure brings to the community? How do they work against the divers and prevent a fair deal?

3.) How does this racial situation affect Kino's response to the dead man he stabbed?

(see the answer keys)

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