The+Pearl+by+Steinbecky-Sophia+Bainbridge

media type="custom" key="3555448" =The Pearl = == == =By John Steinbeck = Sophia Bainbridge Extra Credit

Biography of John Steinbeck
==== John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902 of German and Irish ancestry. Steinbeck attended Stanford University. The novel //Tortilla Flat// (1935) marked the turning point in Steinbeck's literary career. It received the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Medal for best novel ==== ====by a California author. John Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 “...for his realistic as well as imaginative writings. Throughout his life John Steinbeck remained a private person who disliked publicity. He died December 20, 1968, in New York City and is survived by his third wife, Elaine (Scott) Steinbeck and one son, Thomas. His ashes were placed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas. ====


Steinbeck starts the novel with a poor family living in a third world country. They are happy with their life Kino the father enjoys the simple pleasures of life. Such as the smell of the town, and the sound of the fire, and enjoys his wife's company. His wife Juana and their son Coyotito enjoy their way of life. During one of the pleasant nights their is a scorpion that crawls into the baby's crib and stings that baby. "Juana put her lips down over the puncture and sucked hard and spat and sucked again while Coyotito screamed" (Steinbeck 8). Kino could do nothing put sit and watch as his baby was being taken over by the scorpion poison, he was helpless. They have no choice but to go to the doctor, who had a reputation of not helping people of Kino's race. As expected the doctor did not even to bother looking at the baby's scorpion sting because they had no money to offer. So the same day Kino and Juana take their canoe and go into the ocean to look for pearls. Kino takes a big breath and dives to the bottom of the the bay to search for oysters. Kino grabs some here and there and then out of the corner of his eye he sees something glitter, and shine that catches his attention. He grabs it and surfaces next to the canoe. Juana senses that he has found something great, but does not hope too much. If one should hope to much it would drive the luck away. Kino gradually opens //the// oyster and insides finds a magnificent pearl. "It was as large as a sea-gull's egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world" (Stienbeck 25). A pearl this large is somthing rare and unusual. As soon as Kino discovered the pearl Coyotito's swelling started to recess and was recovering from the poison. Many other towns people gathered round Kino in the next couple of days to take a peek at the "The Greatest Pearl in the World." Different thoughts started to go through Kino's head as to what he wanted to do with the Pearl. When his neighbors asked him what he wanted to buy with it he replied a riflel, getting married to Juana in the church, and send Coyotito off to school when he is older (Steinbeck 31-32). The news that Kino found such a great and big pear spread around to the pearl buyers, the priet in the church, and the unkind docotor. Of course now that Kino had money to pay the doctors fee, the doctor made a visit to help the baby recover from the scorpion bite. The doctor ended up hurting the baby by sending Coyotito into spasms and vomiting. The doctor then came in with a liquid that would cure this sickeness and within an hour or two the baby was fine. It appears that the doctor made Coytito sick in order to cure him so he could get paid money. Later in the night someone snuck into Kino's house to steal the pearl. Kino was bashed upon the head and did not see who it was. Juana cries, "This thinkg is evil, this pearl is like a sin! It will destory us, throw it away, Kino" (Steinbeck 50). Juana thinks the pearl is not considered lucky like much of the town has, she see s beyond this luck at the harm it will bring her family. Kino says that this is not possible, it will bring good things into thier lives. The next day Kino and his family along with his brother go and sell to sell the pearl. When they get to the pearl sellers they have shocking news for Kino. "The pearl is fool's gold. It is tool large. Who would want to buy it?"(Stienbeck 64). Kino is thinking that pearl buyers are trying to trick him since he does not know anybetter. Kino thinks that by the pearl sellers saying this and offering a lower price he is being ripped off. At this point in the novel Kino becomes greedy, he wants more when he should be happy with what he has. "For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want somthing more" (Steinbeck 32). Kino continues to want more throughout the novel, Juana wants Kino to destory the pearl. Bad things happen to Kino's family as his greed slowly destroy them. The villiage learns from there mistakes how the evil of greed.

=Outstand ing Book =

This book is outstanding because of the sense of happiness, greed, sorrow and love. Happeniss comes when Kino finds the pearl in bay. It is a blessing for him and his family. The pearl could do so many good things for his family. He has a new life. Although he overlooks the fact that the pearl coluld bring much much sorrow and pain. When no one would buy his pearl he become greedy, this shows some of the sorrow in the book because many bad things happen in a domino effect after this. His love for his wife Juana grows and is tested during with the discorvery of the pearl. Kino is a common man, what happened to him could have happened to anyone. Which is why this story teaches a lesson and gives meaning. You will get caught in the sense of emotions the book brings. I would recomond this book to anyone who likes to read. It is a book for all people, any age. The novel has great symbolism. "Steinbeck sets up the Pearl to embody the whole of the European Conquest of the Americas. He does this by saying that Pearl bed in which it was found, is the same pearl bed that raised the King of Spain to be the greatest in the world. Historically, then, this pearl bed represents the gold, silver, and raw resources that Spain extracted from the New World at the height of that nation's empire" (The Pearl-Style). When writing this novel Steinbeck had some different meanings. Not only to teach a lesson but to incorporate history into the novel. =Criticism =

This book is great, the setting is perfect. The plot is magnificent, it is somthing that many people in the world can realate too. The story has meaning and is very significant. People can learn from Kino and Juana's mistakes it is a legand that has been passed down person to person. The novel is fantastic and it works in almost every way. There is not alot that of information that should be changed in order to make the book more outstanding. Although Kino's brother could have played a bigger role in the novel, along with some other characters such as the doctor or the priest.Tthe novel is short and sweet and is a great read.

=Literary Information =

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">The book is written in second person, and fits under the genre of drama. John Steinbeck did not dedicate the novel to anyone. It was first published in Woman's Home Companion December 1945. The style is an allegory. Allegories usually involve a journey that a character makes toward spiritual growth.

=<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">Reviews =

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">"The Pearl- Stienbeck is at the top of his form!"- The New York Times

Works Cited "About Jon Steinbeck- Biography" __National Stienbeck Country__ Apr. 2007 23 Mar. 2009 <[]>. "The Pearl-Style" __Answers.__ 2009. 26 Mar. 2009. <[]>.