In John Steinbeck's, the Pearl, He Uses the Theme of Greed to Portray Symbol, Setting, and Irony

In John Steinbeck's, The Pearl, he uses the theme of greed to portray symbol, setting, and irony.

The book begins with Kino, the main character, waking up at dawn. "Kino's eyes opened and he looked first at the lightening square which was the door..." this shows both symbolism and setting. Him waking at dawn is a symbol for Kino and his people being one with nature. They run off the land and they do not wake from alarm clocks est. The way the door of the house is described as a square in the house, only lets you infer that Kino and his family are poor. Later in the morning Juana, Kino's wife cooks breakfast over a fire pit in the middle of their brush house. This also helps create an image of their little house and symbolizes their poorness.

"In Kino's head there was a song now, clear and soft, and if he ha been able to speak of it, he would have called it the Song of the Family." Throughout the book of The Pearl Kino hears different songs much like the Song of the Family. I think the songs Kino hears symbolize a couple different things. He different songs in different situations. When he is in trouble or feels like there is "evil" near, he hears the Song of the Enemy. When he is diving for pearls he hears the Song of the Undersea. They represent his instinct and emotions. Music once was a great part of Kino's and his peoples culture, but over time has died off. The music Kino hears also represents him. I think its part of who he is.

"Coyotito shook the rope and the scorpion fell. Kino's hand leaped to catch it, but it fell past his fingers on the baby's shoulder, landed and struck." just as the reader begins to think baby wont get stung, and instead Kino might, the baby does. This is a perfect example of irony. Then when Juana calls for the doctor, a surprising thing for her to do, the doctor would not come. The doctor would not walk through the little village of brush houses to Kino's house, simple because he knew they would not be able to pay him. Since the doctor would not go to them, '" Then we will go to him," Juana said.' They walked to "the place where the brush houses stopped and the city of stone and plaster began." helping the reader get an image of the setting once again. This also means that the doctor is clearly richer than they are. The description of the doctor is very ironic also." His eyes rested in puffy little hammocks of flesh and his mouth drooped with discontent. He was growing very stout, and his voice was hoarse with fat that pressed on his throat. Beside him on a table was a small oriental gong and a bowl of cigarettes." This description, brings a very negative tone to the Doctor. He is obviously lazy. This is the person who is suppose to help everyone back to health when he sounds like one of the unhealthiest people in the town, ironic. When Kino and Juana arrive at the doctors house, he sends his servant out to them. " Have I nothing better to do than cure insect bites for 'little Indians'? I am a doctor, not a veterinary." When the doctor finds out Kino

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