By John Steinbeck The Pearl. An allegory is an extended metaphor A story where plot and characters are used to highlight aspects of human existence

By John By John SteinbeckSteinbeck

The The PearlPearl

An allegory is an extended An allegory is an extended metaphormetaphor

A story where plot and A story where plot and characters are used to characters are used to highlight aspects of human highlight aspects of human existence.existence.

What is an allegory?

The Pearl The Pearl is a is a parableparable..

A parable is a brief allegory

that is used to teach

a moral lesson or a

universal truth and deep

lessons about humanity.

Ask yourself…

Considering the characters and the action (plot line) in the story, what lesson or moral do you think the author tried to teach?

LiteralLiteral Symbolic Symbolic ofof Explanation: Explanation:

The DoctorThe Doctor greed & evil greed & evil

He has the bower He has the bower to heal, but to heal, but

chooses to promote chooses to promote illness and illness and

ignorance. Uses ignorance. Uses his "power" for evil. his "power" for evil.

Examples from the story:


PriestPriest hypocrisyhypocrisy

He is a "man of God He is a "man of God "and should be "and should be

working to teach and working to teach and help the poor, but he help the poor, but he does the opposite. does the opposite.

He talks the talk, but He talks the talk, but doesn't walk the doesn't walk the

walk. walk.



Pearl Pearl dealersdealers

Colonial life-Colonial life-Society’s Society’s business business practicespractices

They play on They play on Kino's ignorance Kino's ignorance to make a profit. to make a profit. Use cunning and Use cunning and trickery to make a trickery to make a

profit.profit.


LiteralLiteral Symbolic ofSymbolic of Explanation: Explanation:

Kino's dreamsKino's dreams ambition ambition

Within the oppressed, Within the oppressed, there is a desire for there is a desire for more. They need more. They need

courage to fight for it. courage to fight for it. They risk all when they They risk all when they

do fight for more. do fight for more.



JuanaJuana motherhoodmotherhood

She is always She is always looking out for what looking out for what

is best for her is best for her family. family.



CoyotitoCoyotito InnocenceInnocence

The innocent are The innocent are often victims at the often victims at the hands of society. hands of society.

Society has a Society has a responsibility to keep responsibility to keep

them safe and them safe and healthy. healthy.


LiteralLiteral Symbolic Symbolic of …of … Explanation: Explanation:

Brush Brush Houses Houses

Lower Lower class, class,

ignorant & ignorant & savagesavage

Different types ofDifferent types of houses houses

represent represent different social different social

classes.classes.


LiteralLiteral Symbolic Symbolic of …of … Explanation: Explanation:

Stone and Stone and plaster plaster houseshouses

Upper Upper class, class,

educated educated & refined& refined

Different types Different types ofof

houses houses represent represent

different social different social classes.classes.


LiteralLiteral Symbolic of Symbolic of ……

Explanation: Explanation:

MusicMusicKino’s inner Kino’s inner

voice, intuition, voice, intuition, conscienceconscience

Most of the songs are Most of the songs are in Kino’s head. They in Kino’s head. They come from his soul. come from his soul. They are a part of They are a part of

him. Often, when he him. Often, when he “listens” to them, his “listens” to them, his life is good, when he life is good, when he ignores them, bad ignores them, bad things happen. things happen.


The pearl is a symbol of The pearl is a symbol of

dreams, hope, desire and dreams, hope, desire and

also materialism.also materialism.

the pearlthe pearlthe the scorpionscorpion

The scorpion is a symbol of evil. The bite

of the greedy townspeople are worse

than that of the real scorpion.

Chapter & page:

Quote: Meaning of the pearl

here:

Chapter one, pg. 701

Quote: "Eight, small, misshapen

seed pearls, as ugly and gray as

little ulcers, flattened and

almost valueless."

Symbolizes the value of the native Indian people to

the larger community after colonization by

Spain.

Chapter & page:

Quote: Meaning of the

pearl here:

Chapter two, pg. 705

"It captured the light and refined it and

gave it back in silver incandescence …

large as a seagull's egg…its curve was

perfect." " But pearls were

accidents and the finding of one was luck, a little pat on the back by God or the gods, or both."

The giant pearl symbolizes wealth,

health, and a mystical power of

some kind.

What does this reveal?

Chapter & page: Quote:

Meaning of the pearl here:

Chapter 3, pg 714

Juana says, “ The pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us.”

Kino says, “this is our chance…our son must go to school. He must break us out of the pot that holds us in.”

Juana thinks the pearl is a threat to their family’s safety.

Kino thinks the pearl is their key to rising up in the ranks of society.




Chapter 4, pg. 719

The priest tells a sermon that says, “The loss of the pearl was a punishment visited on those who tried to leave their station.”

The pearl symbolizes what might be, but those who are too ambitious will have their value stripped away and will have to return to the “old ways.”



Meaning of the pearl:

Chapter 4, pg 725

Juana says, “ Kino, this pearl is evil. Let us destroy it before it destroys us.”

Kino says, “No, I will fight this thing. I will win over it. We will have our chance… No one shall take our good fortune from us.”

Juana sees the pearl as a powerful token of evil that threatens her family’s well being.

Kino sees the pearl as a token of good luck, and if he tries hard enough they will prosper from it.


Chapter & page: Quote: Meaning of the pearl:

Chapter 5, pg. 726

Pg. 729

“Her arm was up to throw when he leaped at her and caught her arm and wrenched the pearl from her.”

Juan Thomas says, “There is a devil in this pearl. You should have sold it and passed on the devil. Perhaps you can still sell it and buy peace for yourself”

The pearl can divide husband and wife. It turns good men into savages.

Is the pearl a blessing from ‘God or the gods’ or an illusion. Is it really an instrument of the devil?



Chapter 5, pg. 730

“This pearl has become my soul…if I give it up I shall lose my soul.”

The pearl is the key to reach all of Kino’s dreams. In an effort to achieve these dreams, he has lost his soul to the sins of greed, murder and lust, so there is no going back now.


Chapter & page: Quote: Meaning of the pearl:

Chapter 6, pg. 741 Kino held the great pearl in his hand. He looked into its surface and it was gray an ulcerous. Evil faces peered from it into his eyes, and he saw the light of burning. And in the surface of the pearl he saw the frantic eyes of the man in the pool. And in the surface of the pearl he saw Coyotito lying the little cave with the top of his head shot away. And the pearl was ugly; it was gray like a malignant growth. And Kino heard the music of the pearl, distorted and insane.

The pearl has now become a “cancer” on the soul of humanity.

It made men crazy with greed and caused them to do unthinkable evil things.

wealthwealthWealth brings evil.Wealth brings evil.

People are not always what they seemPeople are not always what they seem

In human nature there always lies the In human nature there always lies the dark and ugly side (greed, snobbery, dark and ugly side (greed, snobbery, deceit, betrayal etc.).deceit, betrayal etc.).

humanhuman

naturenature

Evil can take on many formsEvil can take on many formsevilevil

peoplepeople

oppressioppressionon

Changes to society and social Changes to society and social status do not come easily, but at a status do not come easily, but at a great cost. great cost.

Wealth brings evil.Wealth brings evil.

ExplanationExample from

story

People are not always what they seemPeople are not always what they seem


story

In human nature there always lies the In human nature there always lies the dark and ugly sidedark and ugly side


story

Evil can take on many formsEvil can take on many forms


story

Ignorance leads to oppression, but Ignorance leads to oppression, but knowledge doesn’t always result in knowledge doesn’t always result in goodgood


story

By John By John SteinbeckSteinbeck

The The PearlPearl

Documents

By John Steinbeck The Pearl. An allegory is an extended metaphor A story where plot and characters are used to highlight aspects of human existence