Examples Of Greed In The Pearl By John Steinbeck

Words: 692

Pages: 3

Open Document

Greed is a state of mind which can never be satisfied; once you attain your heart’s desire, another desire takes it's place. Greed is self-serving and destructive. Neighbors are no longer friends, but rivals in a competition. Family members are no longer loved ones, but obstacles in the quest for the newest, brightest and best. In The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, we can learn that greed for materialistic possessions can cloud judgement and emotions.
Greed turns a small, humble town into one thirsty for riches. “In the town, in little offices, sat the men who bought pearls from the fishers. They waited in their chairs until the pearls came in, and shouted and threatened until they reached the lowest price the fishermen would stand. But there was a price below which they dared not to go, for it had happened that a fisherman in despair had given his pearls to the church” (22). In the beginning, life in the fishing village is quiet and people are content. Mostly everyone works hard and maintains a positive regard for one another. Money …show more content…
For example, when Juana tries to get rid of the pearl, Kino acts violently towards her. “And rage surged in Kino […] He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders and he kicked her in the side” (59). Kino’s possessiveness of the pearl causes him to turn against the family he loves. His relationship with his wife is destroyed because of it. In addition, after their hut is set on fire, Juana explains what happened to Kino. “It was torn up and the floor dug-- even the baby’s box was turned out, and as I looked they put fire to the outside” (63). “They” is referring to the men who are sent to find and retrieve the pearl, no matter the cost. The thought of money is the cause of their determination and drive to get the pearl. This shows how wealth can warp one’s feelings and make it difficult to make the appropriate, honorable

The Pearl Human Greed

thinks of greed. We think it is more of a bad thing rather than a good thing for us; in addition we are not greedy at all. We all want are, whether you are rich or poor. Greed can exist in us all, but sometimes some people want more than others. In the dictionary greed is defined as a selfish desire to acquire more than one needs or deserves. Greed is something that just about everyone has, it is took place at the start of humanity, all the way to fictional characters. In the story The Pearl by John…

Words 448 - Pages 2

John Steinbeck and Pearl Essay

Fergusson 1 Morgana Fergusson Billes Challenge Language Arts 4 21 November 2014 The Pearl: A Classic to Last the Ages Literature has been a pastime of humanity since its very invention. As long as there have been books, there have been people to read them. But some books stand out amongst all others. These books endure the test of time, we call them classics. John Steinbeck's, The Pearl, undoubtedly deserves it's status as a classic. This novella has a myriad of themes and lessons, but a few pop…

Words 1345 - Pages 6

Kino's Motives In The Pearl

juana fell among the boulders.” (58.) Kino, a humble and content village pearl diver soon becomes horribly greedy and avaricious when he finds the pearl of the world and is motivated to receive its worth. However, the farther he goes to keep this pearl (for its worth) the more Kino and his family fall apart. So much so, Kino’s son Coyotito perishes when Kino loses sight of his values. Two characters from The Pearl by John Steinbeck that have similar motives to mine are Kino and Juana. Juana representing…

Words 778 - Pages 4

The Pearl Greed Quotes Analysis

In the novel the “Pearl” by John Steinbeck I saw the theme that materialism and greed left unchecked, can lead to immoral behavior, such as violence. This novel is about a Mexican family who is very poor. They live in a hut on the coast next to the Ocean. The father’s name is Kino, the mother's name is Juana and the baby’s name is Coyotito. Coyotito got stung by a scorpion so they had to take him to the local doctor, but there was a problem. The doctor would not treat the baby because Kino didn't…

Words 758 - Pages 4

Materialism And Greed Quotes Analysis

Materialism and greed left unchecked is dangerous. In the novella, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. A fisherman named Kino finds the Pearl of the World-The biggest pearl anyone has seen on the island. In the story everyone wants the pearl. They become greedy.The author shows how materialism is bad and dangerous through his characters: Kino’s attackers, the doctor and Kino himself. To begin with, people get so greedy they attack Kino for the pearl, but not all physically. The first…

Words 612 - Pages 3

The Pearl Essay

The Pearl This Essay will discuss the use of symbols in the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck. In this novel there are many themes explored. These include the destructiveness of greed, how love can give someone great courage and strength, knowledge is power, but a power which can be abused, and how a dream is good until it starts to destroy the things of value in a person’s life. The destructiveness of greed is shown when the doctor comes to Kino's house and heals Coyotito after Kino has found…

Words 1127 - Pages 5

How Does Steinbeck Characterize Kino's Greed

Greediness in The Pearl In the book, The Pearl by John Steinbeck, Kino finds a pearl and becomes a rich man; however, his life changes for the worse. In the beginning he is happy and content; then, his son receives a stung by a scorpion. The doctor rejects to help them. Kino goes into the water searching for pearls and finds the pearl of the world. Many greedy people attempt to take the pearl, but Kino would not give the pearl away. Kino become violent and murders a man on the beach. Him and his…

Words 825 - Pages 4

Essay on The Pearl (book report)

Part 1 Introduction Novel The Pearl, written by John Steinbeck, is the story about young and poor fisherman and diver Kino, who find the “Pearl of the World”. The story takes place in the Mexican coastal Indian village La Paz on the Baja Peninsula. The time when this story happened didn't tell in the novel clearly, so we can only is assume it takes place in the in the early 20th century. The main characters this parable are Kino, poor pearl diver, his wife Juana and their baby Coyotito. Kino…

Words 1144 - Pages 5