Multiple Symbols In The Pearl By John Steinbeck

Multiple symbols are shown to emphasize the theme throughout the novella, The Pearl, by John Steinbeck. Symbols are marks or characters that are used as conventional representations of objects, functions, or processes. They all tie in with the theme of this book, greed is a destructive force. People should be happy with what they have and if they don’t, they will most likely have terrible misfortune. John Steinbeck uses symbols to represent this theme and these symbols have a much deeper meaning than what is said in the parable. The first symbol found in The Pearl is “The Song of the Family”. It represents the unity between the family by “the rhythm of the family song was the grinding stone where Juana worked the corn for the morning cakes” …show more content…
It represents the generations of man that the canoe was passed down from. It also represents Kino and his village’s culture because the canoes were “preserved for generations by a hard shell-like waterproof plaster whose making was a secret of the fishing people” (Steinbeck 13). When the canoe is broken, it was like it was killed. “The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of the boat. For a boat does not have sons, and a boat cannot protect itself, and a wounded boat does not heal” (Steinbeck 62). This means that it wouldn’t be fair to break a canoe since it cannot reproduce or pass on its traits to any offspring and doing this would be like killing or harming a person who doesn’t have any arms or legs. The canoe was Kino, Juana, and Coyotito’s trip out of the village and into the capital to cash in the pearl. When it was broken, it symbolized Kino’s decision to break with his cultural heritage.
The book The Pearl by John Steinbeck is like a symbol in itself. It relates back to the theme of the book which is greed, it can be a terrible trait to possess. People should be happy with what they have and that their family is one of the most important things in the world. When they put greed in front of their family, there will be consequences for their actions, like the death of one of those family members. Greed and avarice can lead people to the worst misfortune and they will regret the choices that were

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Multiple Symbols In The Pearl By John Steinbeck

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