The Pearl

by John Steinbeck
Lesson Plan

Copyright eNotes 2005 -2012 / Cover photo copyright Seanyu | Dreamstime.com

The Pearl
Table of Contents

Introductory Lecture
Objectives
ESL and Differentiated Instruction
Instructional Focus - Teaching the Literary Elements
Essay and Discussion Questions
Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition
Chapter Guide - Student Edition
Test
Answer Key

The Pearl
Introductory Lecture

For it is said that humans are never satisfied, that you give them one thing and they want
something more.
John Steinbeck, The Pearl
John Steinbecks novella, The Pearl, focuses on a single central question: Is there danger in wanting to
improve ones lot in life? In this parable, Kino is an impoverished Indian who lives near the town of La
Paz, Mexico, on the Gulf of California; when he discovers the greatest pearl in the world, his life is
irrevocably changed. Though the plot is simple, the themes in The Pearl touch on many fundamental aspects of human nature and human experience; ambition, obsession, oppression, greed, reason, instinct,
trust, and self-preservation are all addressed in the narrative.
As the story opens, Kinos simple life fulfills him. He loves his wife, Juana, and his baby, Coyotito. He
lives in harmony with the natural world around him, satisfied and at peace. When Kino finds a great
pearl, he is overjoyed and begins to aspire to a better life. He announces that he will send his son to
school, which will liberate Coyotito from the oppressive yoke of colonialism. However, evil begins to
assert itself. Kino becomes mistrustful, suspicious, and isolated. Consumed by greed, he strikes his
wife and kills a man. Eventually, he and his family must leave town in the dark of night. The family is
tracked like animals until they are discovered in the mountains. In the novellas dramatic climax, one of
the hunters kills Coyotito, destroying all of Kinos hopes and dreams for the future. Carrying the body of
their dead child, he and Juana return to town, where Kino throws the pearl back into the sea.
Steinbecks parable seems to suggest that ambition is inherently evil. The idea negates the desire to
reach for the American Dream, a dream that has traditionally linked happiness to prosperity. Modern
readers can relate to questions raised in The Pearl: Is it better to be satisfied or to aspire to more? What
if trying to improve our standard of living means that we can no longer appreciate what we already
have? How do ambition and greed change our relationships with others and alter our attitudes and actions? Since ambition is generally accepted as being a positive character trait and achieving prosperity
is deemed by most to be a worthy pursuit, The Pearl offers interesting insights that many students may
not have considered.
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1962) and the author of classics such as The Grapes of Wrath,
Cannery Row, and Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck wrote extensively about the oppressed, the disenfranchised, and the destitute. Having already been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath, he
was a well-established writer by the time he wrote The Pearl, which originally appeared in Womans
Home Companion in 1945, at the end of World War II. The Pearl reflects the great disillusionment in
humanity Steinbeck felt as a result of the war. The Holocaust had revealed unimaginable human evil,
and the terrors of the atomic bomb had been imprinted on the human psyche. In its simple story and elemental themes, The Pearl is a powerful cautionary tale about the physical and spiritual destruction that
ensues when mans baser instincts prevail.

The Pearl
Objectives

By the end of the unit the student will be able to:

1. Explain the central lesson of the parable.
2. Discuss the role that colonialism plays in the novella.
3. Cite examples that demonstrate Kinos gradual loss of humanity.
4. Describe Juanas outlook on life and how she differs from Kino.
5. Explain the changing symbolism of the pearl.
6. Describe the complex relationship between ancient and colonial ways.
7. Discuss the role of knowledge: the quest for it, the manipulation of it, and the power associated
with it.

The Pearl
ESL and Differentiated Instruction

This eNotes lesson plan is designed so that it may be used in numerous ways to accommodate ESL
students and to differentiate instruction in the classroom.
Student Study Guide
The Study Guide is organized for a chapter-by-chapter study of the novella. Study Guide pages may
be assigned individually and completed at a students own pace.
Study Guide pages may be used as pre-reading activities to preview for students the vocabulary
words they will encounter in reading each chapter and to acquaint them generally with the
chapters content.
Before chapter Study Guide pages are assigned, questions may be selected from them to use as
short quizzes to assess reading comprehension.
Study Guide vocabulary lists include words from the novella that vary in difficulty.

1. The vocabulary lists for each chapter are sufficiently comprehensive so that shorter lists of

vocabulary words can be constructed from them.

2. Working from the lesson plans chapter vocabulary lists, the teacher also may construct
vocabulary studies for individual students, choosing specific words from each chapter that are
most appropriate for them.

Discussion Questions
The discussion questions vary in degree of difficulty.

1. Some questions require higher levels of critical thinking; others engage students with less

challenging inquiry.

2. Individual discussion questions may be assigned to students working in pairs or in small

study groups; their contributions may then be added to a whole-class discussion.

Multiple-Choice/Essay Test
Test questions also vary in degree of difficulty.

1. Some multiple-choice questions address the factual content of the novella; others require

students to employ critical thinking skills, such as analyzing; comparing and contrasting;

and drawing inferences.

2. The teacher may select specific multiple-choice questions and one or more essay questions
to assess an individual students understanding of the novella.

3. The essay portion of the test appears on a separate page so that it may be omitted
altogether in testing.
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The Pearl
Instructional Focus - Teaching the Literary Elements

Before students read through the book, point out to them the following themes, or universal ideas,
that will be addressed in the novella:
Colonialism
Loss of innocence
Greed
Ambition
Illusions
Humanity and reason vs. animalism and instinct
Traditional ways vs. modern ways
Community
Knowledge
Power and obsession
Talk with your students about how a motif is a recurring pattern or repeated action, element, or idea
in a book. As they read, have them pay attention to the following motifs:
Light and dark
Nature
Music (Song of the Family, Song of Evil)
The weather
A symbol is a concrete object or place that has significance in a literary work because it communicates an idea. Have your students talk about how the author uses the following symbols and look for
other symbols on their own as they read:
The scorpion
The pearl
The town
The canoe
The rifle
Oysters

The Pearl
Essay and Discussion Questions

1. Juana believes that it is not good to want a thing too much. Why does she think so? What does
she mean? What is the negative side of wanting something? How does this contrast with the concepts of the American Dream?
2. Kino is compared to an animal several times, especially toward the end of the novella. What is the
author suggesting by these comparisons? What qualities are more human? What qualities are more
animalistic?
3. Nature plays an important symbolic role throughout the narrative. Why do you think Steinbeck
includes so many references to nature?
4. Stylistically, what does Steinbeck do to make this a universal story? What makes The Pearl a parable? Consider the language, the lack of distinct setting or time period, and the lack of proper names
for white people.
5. The native community functions throughout the story as a groupthey come running when they
hear Coyotito crying, and they all accompany the family to the doctor. The white townspeople are
quite different. Can you cite a few examples of how the townspeople are more isolated and explain
the significance?
6. How are Juana and Kino different? How do they react differently to the pearl, and what do their
feelings about it reveal about their outlook on life?
7. Do you agree with Juanas assessment that men are half insane and half god? What does she
mean by this? Do you agree with her assessment of women, whom she thinks to be driven by reason,
caution, and self-preservation?
8. Do you think it is better to be satisfied with what you have in the present or to try to improve your
circumstances? What if trying to improve your circumstances means that you can no longer appreciate what you have? How do ambition and greed change our relationships with those around us?
9. Examine the power of knowledge in the story. Kino wants his son to have knowledge, a lack of
which keeps his people in a state of oppression. How do the townspeople take advantage of their
knowledgeand use it to manipulate Kinos people?
10. Consider the changing symbolism of the pearl and the many ways the physical creation of the
pearl is a metaphor for other elements in the story.
11. Discuss the examples of ancient vs. colonial traditions in the novella. What does this reveal about
the loyalty to their heritage felt by Kino and his people?

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Essay and Discussion Questions

12. Discuss the role of illusions in the story. What is the significance of illusions? Can you name
several examples of people and situations that are not as they first appear?
13. Consider the role of fate vs. agency in the story. What is accidental? What do people control?

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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

Chapter 1
Vocabulary
alms: charity
chittered: twittered, chattered
civilized: socially or culturally advanced
feinted: moved deceptively in an attempt to mislead or distract, often in a fight
fiesta: Spanish a party
flanks: sides or edges
flicked: moved lightly, sharply, and quickly
fragment: a part, a piece
indigent: poor, needy
parable: a simple story that illustrates a moral lesson, an allegory
pulque: a fermented milky drink made from the juice of a desert plant
puncture: a perforation, a hole
rutted: with grooves, often as in a road
sparingly: with a light touch, barely; with restraint
stout: heavily built, sturdy
subsequent: following, next in a sequence
suppliant: pleading, imploring
trifle: a thing of no value
1. What is the reason for the epigraph that appears before Chapter One? How does it frame the story?
The author accomplishes two things with this opening. First, he establishes that this story is a legend
and that it will be told in the tone and style of the story-telling tradition. Second, it explicitly describes
the story as a parable from which readers will take their own meaning. The author wants the reader
to understand that the story contains a larger moral lesson that transcends the storys time and place.
The author is effectively handing the reader tools for interpreting the story.
2. What is the Song of the Family? What does it tell us about Kino?
Kinos people have a long tradition of making songs. Kino thinks of the morning soundsthe waves,
Juanas grinding the corn, and Juanas own ancient songas the Song of the Family. The song reflects
the importance of family to Kino. The routine sounds of his familys waking up in the morning are dear
to his heart. The music says this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole.
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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

3. What do we learn about the setting and the characters from the opening pages? What do we not
learn? Why do you think that is the case?
Kino and Juana are the two main characters. They live in a brush house and sleep on a mat. Their
baby son, Coyotito, sleeps in a hanging box. They live in a rural area, with pigs and goats nearby. From
the mention of the sound of the waves, we know that they live by the water. Although they are clearly
very poor, their family life seems harmonious. We do not learn the specific town or the precise time period. The author likely has two reasons for this. First, we are seeing the world from Kinos point of view,
and his world view is very small. The name of his town is not important, as it is all he knows, and he
lives in the present. The author also wants to establish the universal qualities of the story and convey
that the story transcends time and place.
4. It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings. How do you interpret
this passage? What does it tell us about Kino?
Kino clearly appreciates the simple and natural routines in his life: his family, the beauty of the sunrise,
the dog resting at his feet. He derives great pleasure from the present moment. Although he is poor, he
appreciates the blessings of family, a hot breakfast, and the natural world around him.
5. What is the general mood that the author conveys in the opening pages?
Kino and his family lead a simple but harmonious life. Kino is deeply satisfied with his place in the
world and looks at the world around him with appreciation. The simplicity of Kinos life and the natural beauty in which he lives creates a mood of peace and tranquility.
6. What is Kinos impression of his wife, Juana? How does she surprise him?
Kino considers Juana to be a perfectly obedient and respectful and cheerful and patient wife. He
is surprised by how tough she is, the iron in her. She can withstand hunger, pain, and fatigue with
great fortitude. She is practical, focused, and stronger than he would have thought.
7. What does Juana do when she sees the scorpion? Why?
Juana repeats an ancient magic to guard against such evil, and on top of that she muttered a Hail
Mary. She believes that Coyotitos fate is in the hands of God or the gods and that she can do nothing
directly to prevent what is going to happen.
8. What does the scorpion symbolize?
Scorpions have long been associated with evil or pain. In the Bible, they also represent loss of innocence. In this case, the scorpion also represents the random nature of evil.
9. Why is Juanas request for the doctor so surprising?
It is considered by everyone to be an audacious request. No one in Kino and Juanas community has
ever dared to ask for the doctor. He has never once come to the brush houses to treat any of the Indians who live on the outskirts of town.

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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

10. The town is described as being made of stone and plaster with harsh outer walls and inner
cool gardens where a little water played . . . . They heard from the secret gardens the singing of caged
birds and heard the splash of cooling water on hot flagstones. Although this is a literal description of
the town, it is full of symbols. Identify and explain several of them.
Unlike the natural surroundings in which the Indians live, the town is a place of deliberate, unnatural
containment. The harsh walls are meant to suggest the isolation and privacy of those who live behind
them. The caged birds, the secret gardens, and the water contained in fountains represent the taming
of nature. The town is rigid, all-powerful, controlling, secretive, and constructed to keep outsiders out.
11. How are the beggars in front of the church described?
The beggars are said to know everything. They can assess a persons wealth, the sins of the girls going
to confession, and the crimes of the townspeople by the way they enter and leave the church.
12. When Kino is about to knock on the door of the doctors house, he felt weak and afraid and angry
at the same time. Why is he feeling so many conflicting emotions?
Kino is angry because of the long history of colonialism. The white people have terrorized his people for
hundreds of years, and he feels this injustice acutely as he approaches the door. He is weak and afraid
because he must ask a favor of the white doctor, and no one in Kinos community has dared to do such
a thing before. The white people are cruel and condescending to them, and he is afraid of what might
transpire. He knows that he has no power or influence in this situation.
13. Kino speaks to the doctors servant in their own native language. The servant, however, replies in
the doctors language. Later, when the servant asks Kino for money, he speaks in the old language.
What is the significance of language here?
Kino considers the servant to be an ally and speaks to him as one who relates to him, one who is
on his side. The servant, however, thinks he is superior to Kino and prefers to ally himself with the
doctor, disavowing his connection to his own people. He does so by speaking the doctors language.
Later though, when the servant must return to Kino to ask for money, he is shamed by the doctors
callous response and feels sorry for Kino; he expresses his sympathy by speaking to him in their native
language.
14. Contrast Kinos and the doctors breakfasts, and explain what they reveal about each man.
The doctors breakfast is served on a silver tray, with a silver chocolate pot and a small, delicate china
cup. The china cup is fragile and pretentious, suggesting the doctor is self-indulgent. He consumes his
sweet breakfast in bed. Despite this luxury, his mouth drooped with discontent. Kinos breakfast, in
contrast, is a simple corn cake dipped in sauce; his morning drink is pulque, made from the juice of a
desert plant. He eats simply, with his hands, but he enjoys his meal; it is the only breakfast he has ever
known, and he finds no fault with it. By describing the content of the mens breakfasts and the starkly
different ways they are consumed and experienced, the author establishes an essential difference in the
characters of Kino and the doctor.

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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

15. Name several details used to describe the doctor and what they reveal about his character.
The author states that the doctors wife paid for her own funeral and that he had a mistress when he
lived in Paris, both of which indicate his selfishness. His discontent and yearning for Paris reveal his
sense of entitlement. The fact that he is stout, indulges in a second hot chocolate, and seems to live
exclusively on sweets suggests that he is self-indulgent. His luxurious goodsthe red silk dressing gown
and the silver breakfast trayreveal his greed and materialism.
16. What is ironic about the doctors response to Kino?
Doctors are supposed to care about the health and well-being of others regardless of their status, but
this doctor cannot be bothered with the Indian villagers who cannot pay. He does not care whether
Coyotito lives or dies.

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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

Chapter 2
Vocabulary
botete: a poisonous fish
braced: put weight against something to hold it steady or balanced
bulwark: a defensive wall, a stronghold
deftly: skillfully
estuary: the mouth of a river, where the tide meets a river
gloating: self-satisfied, displaying selfish pleasure
hummock: a small hill, a mound
incandescence: the light formed by an objects heat
lateen: a sail
poultice: a wet, soft mass designed to remedy a wound
speculatively: done with the risk of being wrong
undulating: moving in a wavelike motion
unsubstantial: insignificant, lacking solidity
writhed: squirmed, twisted
1. What is Kinos only valuable possession, and why does it mean so much to him?
Kinos only valuable possession is his canoe, which was passed down from his grandfather to his father
and then to him. It is not only property, but a source of food, for a man with a boat can guarantee a
woman that she will eat something. The boat enables Kino to support his family, and that makes it
his most prized possession.
2. Juana puts a seaweed poultice on Coyotitos wound. The narrator then states that it was as good
a remedy as any and probably better than the doctor could have done. But the remedy lacked his authority because it was simple and didnt cost anything. Why do they go to the doctor if Juana could
just as easily have put seaweed on the wound?
The Indians have been subjugated by white people; they have been taught that white people have
greater knowledge. Because the doctor has been educated, Juana assumes he has healing powers
unknown to her. The value of ancient traditions and practices has been diminished. Although Juanas
poultice is likely just as effective, she has been trained to believe that the white peoples more sophisticated solutions are better. The narrator suggests that this is a false belief, that the ancient traditions
are just as effective.
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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

3. What does it mean that the oyster bed was the bed that had raised the King of Spain to be a great
power in Europe? Why is this ironic?
Oysters are the source of pearls, and pearls are a source of great wealth. The passage suggests that
pearls taken from this oyster bed had enriched Spain, the nation that had colonized Kinos land. The
king used this wealth to wage war and impress his people with glorious churches. It is ironic that the
pearls from Kinos native village only bring wealth and power to a faraway king, not to the people who
do the work of finding them.
4. As Kino collects the oysters, a song runs through his head. How is his song like the pearls and
oysters themselves?
Kinos song contains a secret little inner song that is sweet and secret and clinging. His Song of
the Pearl That Might Be is hidden and secret, just as the pearls are. The song clings to him the way the
oysters cling to the rocks.
5. What does Kino find in the water? Why does he not open it first?
Kino finds a large oyster. When it was in the water, he believed that he saw something gleaming inside
it before it snapped shut. When he is in the canoe, he is reluctant to open it. While the oyster is still
shut, there is still hope that they will find a valuable pearl, one they can sell in order to pay the doctor
to treat Coyotito so that he might live. Kino is frightened that he might not find what he and Juana
desperately need. When he does open the oyster, he discovers the greatest pearl in the world.
6. A pearl is described as a foreign body that has the power to destroy the oyster. How is this like
colonialism?
Pearls start out as small grains of sand that irritate the flesh and disturb the natural life of an oyster.
Similarly, colonialists disturb the way of life and natural rhythms of a native population. Pearls are
destructive to oysters and can kill them, just as colonialism dominates and destroys native cultures.
7. What is the state of Coyotitos health after the pearl is discovered? How do Kino and Juana react
when they look at their baby?
Juana discovers that Coyotito is much improved. His shoulder is not as swollen; the poison is receding from his body. Kino and Juana suddenly feel hopeful. When Juana first sees that Coyotito is much
better, she cries out shrilly; when Kino realizes his son is not likely to die, emotion broke over him:
He put back his head and howled.
8. The narrator describes the mirage over the water and then says, There was no certainty in seeing,
no proof that what you saw was there or was not there. How is the mirageand the idea of illusionsan example of foreshadowing?
The mirage implies that all will not be as it appears, that the people of the Gulf do not trust what they
see: All sights were unreal and vision could not be trusted. As the story unfolds, the reader should be
aware that not all will be as it appears.

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Chapter Guide - Teacher Edition

Chapter 3
Vocabulary
almsgiver: one who gives to those in need
benediction: a blessing
brooding: moody, unhappy
cozened: deceived
curtly: abruptly, briefly
disparagement: criticism, degradation
dissembling: concealing, hiding
distillate: a condensed form of a liquid
inaudible: unable to be heard
judicious: sensible, wise
lucent: luminous, filled with light
prophecy: a prediction
subjugation: forced submission, control
threshed: jumped about
transfigured: transformed

1. What are the various townspeoples reactions to the pearl?

Everyone in town begins to think about how they can benefit from Kinos pearl. The priest considers
the repairs that the church needs, the merchants think about the mens clothes that havent sold, and
the doctor suddenly claims Kinos son as a patient. The pearl buyers think of how they will advance
professionally, and the beggars imagine the generous alms they will receive. Everyones response is
entirely self-serving, an early indication of the greed that the pearl instills in people.
2. Why is Kino suddenly every mans enemy?
Kino suddenly has something that all the townspeople want, and he is all that stands between
themselves and their chance to fulfill their hopes and dreams. Kino has become an obstacle and a
hindrance.

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3. How is the pearl like the scorpion?

Like the scorpion, the pearl is poisonous. It stirred up something infinitely black and evil in the town.
It creates its own venom that spreads throughout the town, which swelled and puffed with the pressure of it.
4. What is the pearl buyers trick?
The pearl buyers have separate offices to create the illusion of competition, but all of the agents work
for a single owner. They are not really in competition with each other at all; they conspire to cheat
Kinos people by buying their pearls for far less than their value.
5. What does Kino want to do with the money from the sale of the pearl? What is ironic about his
dreams?
Kinos first thought is that he wants to marry Juana in the church. He dreams of having fine new
clothes for the ceremony. He goes on to dream of getting a harpoonand then a rifle. Finally, he
dreams of sending his son to school. Although Kino hates the white people, he dreams of becoming like
them, of enjoying the same advantages that they do.
6. In what way is the scene in which Kino describes his dreams for the future a turning point? How is
it like a rebirth for Kino?
This marks a turning point for Kino in that it is the first time that he experiences desire. Until this moment, he has been satisfied with his lot in life and has not dared to hope for anything beyond what he
has. Possessing the pearl changes him. Suddenly, he is ambitious, hopeful, and greedy. This change is
like a rebirth for Kino; much like a day of birth, Kinos life now will be dated by the finding of the pearl,
and he has an entirely new vision of the world.
7. Humans are never satisfied. The narrator points out that this is both a positive and negative trait.
How is that the case? Can the same be said of the colonizing countries?
Humans are always striving to better themselves. Their ambition is precisely what has made them
superior to other animals and led to their advancement. However, it also means that they are incapable of being happy and appreciative of what they already have. Colonialism is also founded on greed,
ambition, and a never-ending desire to expand.
8. Why do you think the music of evil sounds in Kinos head when the priest arrives?
The priest pretends that he is on a benevolent mission, but in reality, his motives are selfish. The music
represents Kinos instincts, which are warning him that the priests kindness is deceptive. Kino glances
suspiciously at his neighbors, but it is the priest that has rattled Kino and brought the music of evil
into his head.

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9. In the evening, Kino goes to stand in the doorway. He ignores the dog that comes up to him: Kino
looked down at it and didnt see it. That morning, however, he had spoken softly to it. How has Kino
changed since morning?
Kino is distracted. He is no longer living in the present; he is caught up in his dreams of the future. He
is isolated now, not communicating with the world as he had communicated before finding the pearl;
he is disconnected from nature. He is not at peace with his life anymore.
10. By saying what his future was going to look like, he had created it. According to the narrator,
what does this mean, and why is it dangerous?
The narrator says that a plan is a real thing, and things projected are experienced. He goes on to
explain that a plan becomes a reality never to be destroyed but easily to be attacked. Plans represent
ambition, desire, and a vision of the future, and the gods do not love mens plans. Kinos plans for
his sons future are dangerous because they represent his own ambition, and having stated his dreams
aloud, they develop a momentum and force beyond his control.
11. How does the doctor manipulate Kino? How does Kino feel about the doctor?
When the doctor arrives, he preys on Kinos fear and ignorance. The doctor looks at Coyotito and says
that sometimes the poison can go inward and strike again, leaving the baby with a withered leg or a
blind eye or a crumpled back. Kino knows that the doctor may be taking advantage of his ignorance,
but he cannot know for certain and cannot take the risk. Kino is well aware that he is easy prey for the
doctor, and it infuriates him. However, the trap was set. He couldnt take the chance.
12. Does the doctor intentionally make the baby sick? What evidence suggests that he does? Is Kino
suspicious of the doctor? If so, why does he let him treat Coyotito?
Although the narrator does not confirm it, we can very reasonably infer that the doctor deliberately
makes Coyotito sick so that he can then take credit for curing him. From what we know of the doctor,
he is very likely to act in such a selfish and despicable way to serve his own interests, and his actions
are very specific. He gives Coyotito some kind of white powder and predicts that the [scorpion] poison will attack within the hour. He says his medicine may save the baby, and he will return in an
hour. The doctor then goes home; he checks the time on his watchand waits. After eating supper, he
checks his watch again and returns to Kinos house. Coyotito has begun to vomit. When he gives the
baby three drops of ammonia in water, the vomiting stops, and the doctor takes credit for curing
him of the scorpion bite. Kino does not trust the doctor. He eyes the bottle of white powder in the doctors bag, but he has no way of proving that the doctor is manipulating him. He is aware of the limits
of his knowledge.
13. In speaking of the pearl Kino has found, why does the doctor look at Kinos eyes when he says, It
would be a shame to have it stolen?
The doctor knows that Kino is likely to look where he has hidden the pearl, and the doctor then will
know where it is.

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14. How is Kino like an oyster with a pearl growing inside?

Kino feels a shell of hardness drawing over him. Like an oyster, Kino is protecting himself. He is not
yet aware the pearl is a source of destruction, but he is already trying to harden himself against forces
of evil all around him.
15. What happens in the night?
Someone tries to steal the pearl. With his knife, Kino attacks the thief; Kino is injured when he is hit on
the head. Kino does not see who the thief was.
16. How does Juana react? How is this an example of foreshadowing? What is Kinos response?
Juana wants to get rid of the pearl. She already can see that the pearl has the power to destroy them,
even Coyotito. Kino is adamant that the pearl is the key to their future, their one chance. He does
not listen to her.

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Chapter 4
Vocabulary
appraiser: one who assigns a price to something of value
coagulating: thickening, solidifying
collusion: a conspiracy, a secret cooperation
countenanced: tolerated, accepted
crafty: tricky, deceitful
defied: rebelled against, stood up to
entranced: mesmerized, captivated
freshet: a flood from heavy rain or fresh water flowing into the sea
graft: to attach to
legerdemain: a coin game of deception
lethargy: a laziness, a lack of energy
receding: pulling back (as in a tide)
spurned: rejected, scorned
stalwart: sturdy
tithe: a portion, an allotment, a payment
wary: cautious, skeptical

1. Why are the pearl buyers excited to buy a pearl at the lowest price even if they do not stand to profit
directly from the sale? What does this reveal about human nature?
The narrator explains that it is part of human nature for men to want to do their best, regardless of
the nature of the task. In the same way that Kino wants what is best for his son, the pearl buyers want
to be the best they can be at their job: The best and happiest pearl buyer was he who bought for the
lowest prices.
2. How did the pearl divers try to get better prices for their pearls? What happened? What lesson did
they take from this experience?
On two occasions, the pearl divers sent an agent to the capital with all of their pearls in order to try to
fetch a better price for them. Both times, the agents took their pearls and never returned. The message
they took from this experience was that the loss of the pearls was a punishment for wanting more than
they were offered.
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3. The pearl buyer is playing a game of legerdemain with a coin before Kino enters his office. How is
this apt?
Legerdemain is a game of deception and trickery, as is the buying of pearls.
4. What is the pearl buyers real reaction to the pearl? How can we tell? What does he say to Kino?
When Kino puts the pearl down on the velvet square, the pearl buyer falters with the coin game he
is playing in his hand and the coin falls into his lap. We also learn that his fingers tighten into fists.
However, the pearl buyer has a great deal of experience and does not reveal any reaction in his face.
He tells Kino that the pearl is like fools gold, so large there is no market for such a thing; it will be of
no interest. He offers Kino a thousand pesos.
5. How do the other buyers respond to the pearl?
One of them claims to be unwilling to make any offer at all, while another concedes that it may be
worth five hundred pesos. Another intimidates Kino by pulling out his magnifying glass and studying
the surface of the pearl with a critical eye. He offers to show Kino what is wrong with its surface. All
of these men are taking advantage of Kino. Kino knows this, but he can do nothing to prove it.
6. What does Kino decide to do? What do his neighbors think of his decision?
Kino takes the pearl back and refuses to sell it to any of the pearl buyers in town. He says that he will
take it to the capital to sell it. Some of the neighbors think that he is very brave and right to hold out
for more, while others think that he was foolish to turn down an offer of one thousand five hundred
pesos. Still others hope that the pearl will not destroy Kino.
7. Kinos brother, Juan Toms, says to him, You have defied not the pearl buyers, but the whole structure, the whole way of life, and I am afraid for you. What does Juan Toms mean?
By daring to refuse the pearl buyers offers, Kino is defying the way pearl buying has always been done
in the village. It is dangerous to challenge the economic system. By standing up to the pearl buyers,
Kino has upset the balance in the relationship between the Indians and the town. The whole structure that Juan Toms alludes to is the power structure of this society. There is danger in inciting the
wrath of the colonialists. As Juan Toms says, It is new ground you are walking on, you do not know
the way.
8. What happens to Kino that night?
Kino is attacked when he walks outside. There is evil all around.
9. What is Juanas reaction? Contrast Juanas and Kinos actions and their feelings about the pearl.
There is a new lack of harmony between Juana and Kino. Juana remains adamant that the pearl will
destroy them, while Kino continues to grow angrier and greedier. Juanas actions remain unchanged.
Anchored in the present, she continues to tend to the fire, to cook, and to care for the baby. Kino, however, lies on his mat, feeling the evil lurking outside and listening to the dark creeping things waiting
for him to go out in the night.
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Chapter 5
Vocabulary
edifice: a building
forestalled: prevented
interval: a gap or pause (as in time)
lament: a cry of grief, a wailing
leprosy: a contagious disease of the flesh
scuttling: scurrying, hurrying
uneasily: anxiously
1. What does Juana do in the dark of night? How does Kino react? What do his actions reveal about
him?
Juana goes down to the water and starts to throw the pearl back into the ocean. Kino chases after her
and retrieves the pearl just before she throws it. Then he hits her in the face and kicks her in the side.
He has lost all sense of what is important. The pearl has changed him and made him cruel. Just as the
pearl can destroy the oyster, greed has overpowered the innate goodness within him.
2. How does Juana interpret Kinos statement, I am a man?
Juana knows that Kino will not surrender to the forces that oppose him, regardless of their strength
even if defeat is assured. She accepts this truth, although Kino may destroy himself. She needs a man
to provide for her; she could not live [literally] without a man. Although she does not fully understand him, she accepts their differences and Kinos need to stand up for himself. Even after he has
beaten her, she feels no anger and knows that she will follow him.
3. What are some examples of what Juana considers to be the quality of woman? How does Juana
embody those qualities?
Juana considers the quality of woman to be reason, caution, and a sense of preservation. She counsels Kino to avoid danger. She does not get distracted by principles, pride, or greed; instead she remains practical, consistent, and dependable throughout. In many scenes, she continues to look after
Coyotito, tend the fire, and do what needs to be done in the present moment. She is quietly holding
the family together while Kino becomes increasingly obsessed with the pearl.
4. How do Kino and Juana differ? What do they each respect, accept, and need in each other?
Kino respects and relies on Juanas iron core. He derives strength from her. Juana, in turn, needs Kino
to provide for her and their baby and to protect them. She respects Kinos pride and his unwillingness
to accede to what is demanded of him. Each accepts what is different in the other.
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5. The pearl is in motion throughout this chapter. Describe its trajectory.

Juana brings the pearl to the ocean; Kino retrieves it and brings it back toward the house. When Kino
is attacked, the pearl rolls behind a rock. Juana finds it, and deciding not to throw it into the ocean,
she returns it to Kino.
6. What event makes Juana realize that the old life was gone forever? What does she decide they
must do?
On her way back to the house from the beach, Juana sees a man lying next to Kino on the path. His
throat has been slit. She realizes that Kino has killed a man and that their former life is now irretrievable. They can only save themselves. To do so, they must leave as soon as possible, in the dark of
night.
7. Several dramatic events take place in this chapter. Name the events that make Kino realize that
the darkness was closing in on his family. How does the weather reflect Kinos changing fortunes?
A hole has been made in the bottom of Kinos canoe, destroying his livelihood. He has beaten his wife.
He has been attacked, and he has killed a man. His house has been burned. Just as Kinos life is unraveling, the weather takes an ominous turn. Storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. There is a
nervous, restless wind and change and uneasiness in the air.
8. How do these events transform Kino? To what is he compared, and why?
Kino is compared to an animal; he lived only to preserve himself and his family. His trust in the
people around him and his enjoyment of his old life are gone. Now he must think like hunted prey. He
also compares himself to a leprosy when he speaks to Juan Toms about hiding in his house until
nightfall.
9. When their house is burning, Kino pulls Juana into the shadows, as light was danger to him.
How does this contrast with Kinos experience of light in the beginning of the story?
In the opening pages, Kino welcomes the dawn. He feels at peace and goes outside to welcome the
new day. Kino has nothing to hide; his heart and his emotions are benevolent and open for all to see.
In the later scene, however, he is cowering with his family in the shadow of a house away from the
light. He no longer feels safe. He has secrets and cannot risk exposure.
10. The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. Why does Kino think that?
The boat represents a livelihood; a man can support an entire family with a boat and provide them
with enough to eat. Without a boat, he is nothing. While death is an endpoint, a boat gets passed
down from generation to generation. To damage his boat is to cripple his family and render their lives
far more precarious than before.
11. Where do Kino and Juana go when they discover that their house is burning?
They hide in Juan Tomss house and plan to escape that night when no one will be able to see them
leave.
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12. Kino says that, This pearl has become my soul. What does he mean? Why does he not simply
get rid of it?
Kino knows that his fate is linked to the pearl. Even if he were to throw the pearl back into the sea, too
much has happened. He has killed a man. He has lost his house. He cannot escape the pearls evil influence and must bear the burden of it and move forward. The past is lost to him. As he says to Juana,
I am a man; to him it is an expression of pride and dignity. It means he cannot back down; he must
stand up for himself and fight for what he wants.

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Chapter 6
Vocabulary
apprehensively: nervously, fearfully
cleft: a gap
covert: noun a shelter
distorted: bent out of shape, twisted
erosion: a wearing down, a gradual destruction (as land is eroded by water)
escarpment: a steep slope
germane: relevant
glint: a gleam, a sliver of light
goading: prodding, provoking
immune: resistant, unsusceptible
intercession: an intervention
irresolution: uncertainty
malignant: malicious, dangerous
monolithic: solid and massive
monotonously: repeatedly, tediously
resinous: tar-like
rubble: small stones
rupture: a rip, a tear
sentinel: a guard who keeps watch
sinister: boding ill, ominous
telltale: revealing, betraying
ulcerous: diseased
weary: tired
wrenched: grabbed, pulled loose

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1. How has Kinos relationship with nature changed since the beginning of the story?
In the beginning, Kino enjoys a trusting and open relationship with the animals around him. He
speaks softly to a dog that curls up by his feet. He enjoys observing the new day coming to life around
him. In this chapter, however, the animals are menacing: The coyotes cried and laughed in the brush,
and the owls screeched and hissed over their heads. The path to the mountains is scorched, harsh,
and arid. Kino no longer exists in harmony with nature; he is fearful of it. Instead of deriving comfort
from the natural world around him, it makes Kino feel isolated and endangered.
2. How is Kino like an animal in this chapter?
Much like animals, Kino is moving by instinct, in a panic of flight. Also like animals, he is being
hunted and must try to evade his hunters. To do so, he heads for a high placethe mountainsas
nearly all animals do when they are pursued.
3. When Kino looks into the pearl, what he sees and what he describes are entirely different. Give two
examples of this difference, and explain the significance of the disparity.
Kino says that when they sell the pearl, he will have a rifle, but when he looks into the pearl, he only
sees the bloody body on the ground. He says that he and Juana will marry in a church, but he only
sees Juana, beaten, crawling home in the darkness. He says their son will learn to read, but he only
sees Coyotitos feverish face. The contrast between what Kino says and what he sees reflects the great
chasm between hope and truth. While Kino still clings to the illusion that all will turn out well, the
disturbing images in the pearl foreshadow a different conclusion.
4. Why is Kino uneasy as they rest by the side of the road? What decision does he make?
Kino knows they will be followed and senses that something is amiss. When he sneaks out to the road
to look, he sees three men, one of whom is on horseback, carrying a rifle. They stop before his and
Juanas covered tracks and then move on. Kino decides they must go into the mountains.
5. What does Kino propose once they get into the mountains? Do they go through with his plan?
Kino proposes that he go on alone while Juana hides with the baby. He plans to divert the trackers so
that his wife and child can get to safety. Juana refuses to part with him. Kino sees the resolution in her
face and draws strength from her. They continue on together.
6. The pools of water were places of life because of the water, and places of killing because of the
water, too. Why is that the case? How is this a metaphor for Kinos experience with nature in this
chapter?
Every animal in the areafrom the tiny frogs to the pumas and deerdrinks from these pools of
water, so they are a source of life. However, the big cats also come to hunt their prey here because they
know that the other animals gather here. Nature is both benevolent and dangerous. This is the case
for Kino and his family, who also drink the water and manage to find refuge in the cave; however,
they are also at the mercy of the moonrise that may expose Kino.

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7. What is the only way that Kino proposes to resolve the situation in which they find themselves by
the pools?
Kino plans to sneak down the mountainside and kill the trackers. Juana is fearful and reluctant but
ultimately gives her assent.
8. But the Song of the Family had become as fierce and sharp and feline as the snarl of a female
puma. Why?
Kino is prepared to risk everything for his family. He does not hear the beautiful Song of the Family
that once played in his mind each peaceful morning. Now it represents the climactic moment in his attempt to save Juana and Coyotito. It is a metaphor; Kino is now driven completely by animal instincts.
He will kill to protect his mate and his young.
9. What happens just as Kino is about to attack the trackers?
The man holding the rifle hears a small cry from somewhere above. He stands up, and one of the
sleepers awakens. They debate whether it was a human cry or not.
10. What is Kino and Juanas final act in the story?
Kino and Juana return to their home together, carrying their dead child. They go to the sea, and Kino
throws the pearl into the ocean. Just as Juana predicted, it has effectively destroyed their lives.
11. What is ironic about the fact that Kino is carrying a rifle when he returns?
When Kino first finds the pearl and dreams of what he can do with his newfound wealth, he dreams of
getting a rifle. At the end of the story, he has indeed acquired a rifle but at the expense of his son, who
has died. He has achieved his dream, but it has been distorted into a nightmare.
12. What is the significance of the fact that Juana and Kino are walking side by side as they return to
town?
They have cast cultural tradition aside; they are united in their grief as equal partners.
13. Why does Juana encourage Kino to throw the pearl into the ocean instead of doing it herself?
Ever wise, Juana knows that since it is Kino who has been demonized by the pearl, he must be the one
to get rid of it. He will only be liberated from it if he takes an active role in exorcizing it from their
lives.
14. What are some of the lessons to be drawn from this parable?
It is a mistake to want too much . . . and to lose appreciation for all we have. Desire is dangerous;
even hopes that are rooted in goodness, such as Kinos wanting his son to learn to read and wanting to
formalize his marriage to Juana, can become distorted. There is simultaneously a message about the
invasive nature of colonialism, how it disturbs the natural social order and leads to evil and unrest.

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Chapter 1
Vocabulary
alms: charity
chittered: twittered, chattered
civilized: socially or culturally advanced
feinted: moved deceptively in an attempt to mislead or distract, often in a fight
fiesta: Spanish a party
flanks: sides or edges
flicked: moved lightly, sharply, and quickly
fragment: a part, a piece
indigent: poor, needy
parable: a simple story that illustrates a moral lesson, an allegory
pulque: a fermented milky drink made from the juice of a desert plant
puncture: a perforation, a hole
rutted: with grooves, often as in a road
sparingly: with a light touch, barely; with restraint
stout: heavily built, sturdy
subsequent: following, next in a sequence
suppliant: pleading, imploring
trifle: a thing of no value
1. What is the reason for the epigraph that appears before Chapter One? How does it frame the story?
2. What is the Song of the Family? What does it tell us about Kino?
3. What do we learn about the setting and the characters from the opening pages? What do we not
learn? Why do you think that is the case?

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4. It was a morning like other mornings and yet perfect among mornings. How do you interpret
this passage? What does it tell us about Kino?
5. What is the general mood that the author conveys in the opening pages?
6. What is Kinos impression of his wife, Juana? How does she surprise him?
7. What does Juana do when she sees the scorpion? Why?
8. What does the scorpion symbolize?
9. Why is Juanas request for the doctor so surprising?
10. The town is described as being made of stone and plaster with harsh outer walls and inner
cool gardens where a little water played . . . . They heard from the secret gardens the singing of caged
birds and heard the splash of cooling water on hot flagstones. Although this is a literal description of
the town, it is full of symbols. Identify and explain several of them.
11. How are the beggars in front of the church described?
12. When Kino is about to knock on the door of the doctors house, he felt weak and afraid and angry
at the same time. Why is he feeling so many conflicting emotions?
13. Kino speaks to the doctors servant in their own native language. The servant, however, replies in
the doctors language. Later, when the servant asks Kino for money, he speaks in the old language.
What is the significance of language here?
14. Contrast Kinos and the doctors breakfasts, and explain what they reveal about each man.
15. Name several details used to describe the doctor and what they reveal about his character.
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16. What is ironic about the doctors response to Kino?

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Chapter 2
Vocabulary
botete: a poisonous fish
braced: put weight against something to hold it steady or balanced
bulwark: a defensive wall, a stronghold
deftly: skillfully
estuary: the mouth of a river, where the tide meets a river
gloating: self-satisfied, displaying selfish pleasure
hummock: a small hill, a mound
incandescence: the light formed by an objects heat
lateen: a sail
poultice: a wet, soft mass designed to remedy a wound
speculatively: done with the risk of being wrong
undulating: moving in a wavelike motion
unsubstantial: insignificant, lacking solidity
writhed: squirmed, twisted
1. What is Kinos only valuable possession, and why does it mean so much to him?
2. Juana puts a seaweed poultice on Coyotitos wound. The narrator then states that it was as good
a remedy as any and probably better than the doctor could have done. But the remedy lacked his authority because it was simple and didnt cost anything. Why do they go to the doctor if Juana could
just as easily have put seaweed on the wound?
3. What does it mean that the oyster bed was the bed that had raised the King of Spain to be a great
power in Europe? Why is this ironic?
4. As Kino collects the oysters, a song runs through his head. How is his song like the pearls and
oysters themselves?

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5. What does Kino find in the water? Why does he not open it first?
6. A pearl is described as a foreign body that has the power to destroy the oyster. How is this like
colonialism?
7. What is the state of Coyotitos health after the pearl is discovered? How do Kino and Juana react
when they look at their baby?
8. The narrator describes the mirage over the water and then says, There was no certainty in seeing,
no proof that what you saw was there or was not there. How is the mirageand the idea of illusionsan example of foreshadowing?

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Chapter 3
Vocabulary
almsgiver: one who gives to those in need
benediction: a blessing
brooding: moody, unhappy
cozened: deceived
curtly: abruptly, briefly
disparagement: criticism, degradation
dissembling: concealing, hiding
distillate: a condensed form of a liquid
inaudible: unable to be heard
judicious: sensible, wise
lucent: luminous, filled with light
prophecy: a prediction
subjugation: forced submission, control
threshed: jumped about
transfigured: transformed

1. What are the various townspeoples reactions to the pearl?

2. Why is Kino suddenly every mans enemy?
3. How is the pearl like the scorpion?
4. What is the pearl buyers trick?
5. What does Kino want to do with the money from the sale of the pearl? What is ironic about his
dreams?
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6. In what way is the scene in which Kino describes his dreams for the future a turning point? How is
it like a rebirth for Kino?
7. Humans are never satisfied. The narrator points out that this is both a positive and negative trait.
How is that the case? Can the same be said of the colonizing countries?
8. Why do you think the music of evil sounds in Kinos head when the priest arrives?

9. In the evening, Kino goes to stand in the doorway. He ignores the dog that comes up to him: Kino
looked down at it and didnt see it. That morning, however, he had spoken softly to it. How has Kino
changed since morning?
10. By saying what his future was going to look like, he had created it. According to the narrator,
what does this mean, and why is it dangerous?
11. How does the doctor manipulate Kino? How does Kino feel about the doctor?
12. Does the doctor intentionally make the baby sick? What evidence suggests that he does? Is Kino
suspicious of the doctor? If so, why does he let him treat Coyotito?
13. In speaking of the pearl Kino has found, why does the doctor look at Kinos eyes when he says, It
would be a shame to have it stolen?
14. How is Kino like an oyster with a pearl growing inside?
15. What happens in the night?
16. How does Juana react? How is this an example of foreshadowing? What is Kinos response?

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Chapter 4
Vocabulary
appraiser: one who assigns a price to something of value
coagulating: thickening, solidifying
collusion: a conspiracy, a secret cooperation
countenanced: tolerated, accepted
crafty: tricky, deceitful
defied: rebelled against, stood up to
entranced: mesmerized, captivated
freshet: a flood from heavy rain or fresh water flowing into the sea
graft: to attach to
legerdemain: a coin game of deception
lethargy: a laziness, a lack of energy
receding: pulling back (as in a tide)
spurned: rejected, scorned
stalwart: sturdy
tithe: a portion, an allotment, a payment
wary: cautious, skeptical

1. Why are the pearl buyers excited to buy a pearl at the lowest price even if they do not stand to profit
directly from the sale? What does this reveal about human nature?
2. How did the pearl divers try to get better prices for their pearls? What happened? What lesson did
they take from this experience?
3. The pearl buyer is playing a game of legerdemain with a coin before Kino enters his office. How is
this apt?
4. What is the pearl buyers real reaction to the pearl? How can we tell? What does he say to Kino?
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5. How do the other buyers respond to the pearl?

6. What does Kino decide to do? What do his neighbors think of his decision?
7. Kinos brother, Juan Toms, says to him, You have defied not the pearl buyers, but the whole structure, the whole way of life, and I am afraid for you. What does Juan Toms mean?
8. What happens to Kino that night?
9. What is Juanas reaction? Contrast Juanas and Kinos actions and their feelings about the pearl.

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Chapter 5
Vocabulary
edifice: a building
forestalled: prevented
interval: a gap or pause (as in time)
lament: a cry of grief, a wailing
leprosy: a contagious disease of the flesh
scuttling: scurrying, hurrying
uneasily: anxiously
1. What does Juana do in the dark of night? How does Kino react? What do his actions reveal about
him?
2. How does Juana interpret Kinos statement, I am a man?
3. What are some examples of what Juana considers to be the quality of woman? How does Juana
embody those qualities?
4. How do Kino and Juana differ? What do they each respect, accept, and need in each other?
5. The pearl is in motion throughout this chapter. Describe its trajectory.
6. What event makes Juana realize that the old life was gone forever? What does she decide they
must do?
7. Several dramatic events take place in this chapter. Name the events that make Kino realize that
the darkness was closing in on his family. How does the weather reflect Kinos changing fortunes?
8. How do these events transform Kino? To what is he compared, and why?
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9. When their house is burning, Kino pulls Juana into the shadows, as light was danger to him.
How does this contrast with Kinos experience of light in the beginning of the story?
10. The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. Why does Kino think that?
11. Where do Kino and Juana go when they discover that their house is burning?
12. Kino says that, This pearl has become my soul. What does he mean? Why does he not simply
get rid of it?

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Chapter 6
Vocabulary
apprehensively: nervously, fearfully
cleft: a gap
covert: noun a shelter
distorted: bent out of shape, twisted
erosion: a wearing down, a gradual destruction (as land is eroded by water)
escarpment: a steep slope
germane: relevant
glint: a gleam, a sliver of light
goading: prodding, provoking
immune: resistant, unsusceptible
intercession: an intervention
irresolution: uncertainty
malignant: malicious, dangerous
monolithic: solid and massive
monotonously: repeatedly, tediously
resinous: tar-like
rubble: small stones
rupture: a rip, a tear
sentinel: a guard who keeps watch
sinister: boding ill, ominous
telltale: revealing, betraying
ulcerous: diseased
weary: tired
wrenched: grabbed, pulled loose

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1. How has Kinos relationship with nature changed since the beginning of the story?
2. How is Kino like an animal in this chapter?
3. When Kino looks into the pearl, what he sees and what he describes are entirely different. Give two
examples of this difference, and explain the significance of the disparity.
4. Why is Kino uneasy as they rest by the side of the road? What decision does he make?
5. What does Kino propose once they get into the mountains? Do they go through with his plan?
6. The pools of water were places of life because of the water, and places of killing because of the
water, too. Why is that the case? How is this a metaphor for Kinos experience with nature in this
chapter?
7. What is the only way that Kino proposes to resolve the situation in which they find themselves by
the pools?
8. But the Song of the Family had become as fierce and sharp and feline as the snarl of a female
puma. Why?
9. What happens just as Kino is about to attack the trackers?
10. What is Kino and Juanas final act in the story?
11. What is ironic about the fact that Kino is carrying a rifle when he returns?
12. What is the significance of the fact that Juana and Kino are walking side by side as they return to
town?

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13. Why does Juana encourage Kino to throw the pearl into the ocean instead of doing it herself?
14. What are some of the lessons to be drawn from this parable?

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Test

Part I: Multiple Choice

1.

What does Juana do as the scorpion approaches Coyotito?

A. She leaps at the scorpion.
B. She chants her ancient magic and says a Hail Mary.
C. She tries to flick it away with a stick.
D. She turns away, unable to watch.
E. She moves toward it very slowly.

2.

The beggars in front of the church are

A. very knowledgeable about everyone in the town.
B. despised by all for their lack of willingness to work.
C. pitied by the natives but not by the white people.
D. often approached because they are thought to be fortune-tellers.
E. considered a valuable source of information.

3.

What does Kino give to the servant when the doctor asks for money?
A. A giant pearl
B. A few crumpled pesos
C. Eight small gray pearls
D. Three coins he had been saving
E. Nothing

4.

Kino describes Juana as being which of these?

A. Practical and stubborn
B. A loving mother
C. Frail, submissive, and tender
D. Fragile with an iron core
E. Overbearing and not aware of her place

5.

What is Kinos most valuable possession, and why?

A. A few small pearls because they were given to him by his father
B. His home because it means he can shelter his family
C. A rifle that doesnt work but can be repaired
D. His canoe because it allows him to feed his family
E. His oyster basket because it is the only way he can improve his chances of finding pearls

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The Pearl
Test

6.

What is Kino thinking about when he is diving for oysters?

A. He is thinking about the cruelty of the doctor.
B. He is praying for his son.
C. He is hearing the Song of the Sea.
D. He is thinking that there must be an easier way to make a living.
E. He is panicked at not finding any large oysters.

7.

Of what does Kino dream when he fantasizes about what he can purchase with his newfound
wealth?
A. Buying Juana a wedding ring
B. Building a separate church for the native community so that they need not rely on the white
people
C. Building a new home in the town so that his son can be proud
D. Marrying Juana in the church, buying a rifle, and sending his son to school
E. Making a generous donation to the church so that God may restore his son to health

8.

Why does the priest come to visit Kino in his home?

A. He wants to see the pearl for himself.
B. He reminds Kino to thank God for his good fortune and hopes he will donate to his church.
C. He offers to hide the pearl in a safe place in the church.
D. He comes to warn him of the insidious nature of greed.
E. He encourages Kino to donate the pearl to the church, thereby assuring a place for himself
and his family in Heaven.

9.

Why does the doctor come to see Coyotito after refusing to see him earlier in the day?
A. The doctor has been chastised by the priest and is attempting to redeem himself.
B. The doctor has heard that Kino has found a pearl of great value and wants to find out where
it is.
C. The doctor did not have time earlier in the day, but now he does.
D. The doctor wants to make an offer on the pearl before Kino visits the official pearl buyers.
E. The doctor has heard that Juana is a witch and that she will put a curse on him if he does
not tend to her child.

10.

How do the pearl buyers trick the natives who come to sell them their pearls?
A. They keep their offices open only a few hours each week.
B. They pretend they do not speak the natives language.
C. Though they are all employed by the same company, they pretend to be separate agents to
create the illusion of competition.
D. They pad the scales so the pearls weight is inaccurate, and they can pay less for them.
E. They claim that pearls are no longer prized in high society.

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The Pearl
Test

11.

What does the pearl buyer tell Kino about his pearl?
A. He dismisses it as a fake, as there is no way that such a large pearl could be real, and he
then accuses Kino of trying to trick him.
B. He suggests that Kino take the pearl to one of the other buyers, as he is not interested.
C. He tells Kino that there is no market for such a large pearl.
D. He offers to bring it to the capital to fetch a better price for it, pretending to be an ally to
Kino.
E. He offers to keep it in his safe until Kino decides what to do.

12.

What act marks Kinos irretrievable break with the past?

A. He turns his back on his brother.
B. He strikes his infant son.
C. He allies himself with the doctor against the pearl buyers.
D. He kills a man.
E. He is condescending to his neighbor.

13.

What do the songs in Kinos head symbolize?

A. They represent his ties to his native heritage.
B. They are the songs his mother used to sing to him, and the memory of her gives him
strength.
C. They represent his rational self and help him think clearly about what he must do.
D. Their rhythm is a source of calm for him. They enter his head to combat the rage he feels at
his peoples unjust treatment by the colonialists.
E. Featuring the sounds of nature, they remind him of his connection to the natural world.

14.

How does Juana defy her husband?

A. She attempts to throw the pearl into the ocean.
B. She threatens to leave him if he does not throw the pearl back into the ocean.
C. She will not let him go to the capital alone.
D. She attempts to sell it to the doctor without Kinos knowledge.
E. She tries to run away with her baby since Kino has become so cruel.

15.

What does Juana want do with the pearl?

A. She wants to hide it in the mountains.
B. She wants to donate it to the church.
C. She wants to sell it in the capital.
D. She wants to throw it in the ocean because it is evil.
E. She wants to sell it to the pearl buyers for one thousand five hundred pesos.

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The Pearl
Test

16.

How does Kino change with the discovery of the pearl?

A. He becomes more generous with those around him.
B. He becomes more humble and grateful in the face of his good fortune.
C. He is suddenly condescending to his neighbors.
D. He becomes angry at God for giving him this new responsibility.
E. He becomes greedy and ambitious.

17.

What does Kino mean when he says, I am a man?

A. It is up to him to decide what to do. Juana has no right to an opinion.
B. His pride and dignity are at stake. He must see this through no matter what.
C. As the provider for his family, he is responsible for the pearls sale.
D. He says it as an insult to Juana, implying that she does not understand his needs.
E. He is implying that he is smarter than she is and that he can outwit the pearl buyers.

18.

What upsets Kinos plan in the mountains?

A. The moon comes up.
B. The tracker holding the rifle sees Kino clambering down the mountainside.
C. Kino trips over a vine.
D. A puma attacks Coyotito and Juana in the cave.
E. Coyotito utters a cry.

19.

What does the pearl look like at the end of the story?
A. It has turned black now that its magic has wrought evil.
B. It is gray and ulcerous, like a malignant growth.
C. It is as lustrous as ever, immune to the disaster it created.
D. It is as opaque, impenetrable, and mysterious as ever.
E. It has a crack running down one side; its perfection has been marred.

20.

Why does Juana have Kino throw the pearl back into the sea?
A. Juana will not touch it because it is evil.
B. She cannot bear to look at it after losing her son.
C. She believes Kino deserves the punishment of throwing away such a precious thing.
D. She believes that by throwing it himself, Kino can restore some of his lost humanity.
E. She does not care anymore who throws it.

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The Pearl
Test

Part II: Essay

1. How does the pearl change Kino? He is compared several times to an animal, especially toward the
end of the novella. How does this relate to his transformation?
2. Illusionthe false perception of truth or reality is a motif that appears frequently in The Pearl.
Discuss several examples of illusion, and explain their significance in developing the themes of the
novella.
3. The pearl is obviously the central symbol in the novella. Its appearance and significance change
during the course of the story, and it means different things to different characters. Describe the
pearls differing representations in the story.
4. Using examples from the text, discuss Steinbecks presentation of colonialism. How is the town
described? Which characters represent the town, and how are they described? How does Kino feel
about those who exercise power over him and his family? How has white colonial rule affected the
lives of his people?

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The Pearl
Answer Key

Part I: Multiple Choice

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. D
5. D

6. C
7. D
8. B
9. B
10. C

11. C
12. D
13. A
14. A
15. D

16. E
17. B
18. E
19. B
20. D

Part II: Essay

1. How does the pearl change Kino? He is compared several times to an animal, especially toward the
end of the book. How does that relate to his transformation?
In the opening of the story, Kino is satisfied with his life. Although this morning is no different from
any other, it is nevertheless perfect among mornings. Despite his familys precarious and impoverished life, Kino is grateful for the warmth and love of his small family, and he lives in harmony with
his community. He is also at one with nature and basks in the simple pleasure of the rising dawn and
the sound of Juana preparing breakfast. The overall impression is one of satisfaction and peace. He
feels whole.
This all changes abruptly with the discovery of the pearl, which he believes will bring him great
wealth. The original need for finding a valuable pearlpaying the doctor to heal Coyotitohas been
resolved, as Coyotito has recovered. Kino basks in his good fortune and its promises. Dressed in fine
clothes, he and Juana can marry in the church. He dreams of having a harpoon, even a rifle. Then
he dares to imagine the greatest dream of all: He will send their son to school where he will learn to
read. Coyotito will not be imprisoned by ignorance; others will not be able to take advantage of him
because he lacks knowledge. These intentions are noble and good, but the evil has already begun its
work: Kino has dared to hope for more, to desire the impossible, to feel the potential of power and
wealth. This scene is like a rebirth for Kino. The neighbors knew that time would now date from
Kinos pearl. They would talk about this moment when Kino had become a man transfigured.
As the story continues to unfold, Kino begins to feel the isolation, mistrust, and cruelty that accompany his newfound wealth. He has suddenly become every mans enemy, as everyone now wants
something from him; he is now an obstacle who stands in their way. He is no longer part of the
community. He is visited by the priest and the doctor, who each want to benefit from his new wealth.
During the night, a thief attempts to steal the pearl, and Kino attacks him. Kinos peace has been
shattered; he has nightmares and listens for suspicious sounds in the darkness. Feeling trapped and
wary, he begins to make a hard skin for himself against the world.
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The Pearl
Answer Key

The pearl continues to wreak havoc with Kinos humanity. He strikes Juana; he kills a man. He becomes obsessed with selling the pearl. He turns down the offers of the pearl buyers in town, furious
at their trickery. He felt the evil coagulating about him, and he was helpless to protect himself. He
announces that he will go to the capital to sell the pearl. Greed and anger have become the driving
forces within him, blinding him to reason.
As Kinos obsession with the pearl grows, he is frequently compared to an animal. He is losing
his humanitythe civilized qualities that enable him to be a good husband and neighbor. He has
become as dangerous as a rising storm. He experiences the uneasiness of being tracked like an
animal and the panic of flight. By the climactic scene, he has shed his clothing and clambers down
the mountain like a slow lizard in his natural state. He has lost all sense of reason and self-control,
and, like an animal, acts from instinct.
By the end of the story, the pearl has completely destroyed his life. Kino has paid the ultimate price
for his greed: his son is dead, his home is burned, and his canoe is destroyed. Although Kino cannot
go back to who he was before, as readers, we can absorb the lesson of the pearl as he throws it back
into the sea.

2. Illusionthe false perception of truth or reality is a motif that appears frequently in The Pearl.
Discuss several examples of illusion, and explain their significance in developing the themes of the
novella.
The illusion motif is introduced early in the novella in Steinbecks description of the ocean. He writes
of mirages that appear over the water: The uncertain air that magnified some things and blotted out
others hung over the whole Gulf so that all sights were unreal and vision could not be trusted. Other
passages address the idea of illusion directly: In this Gulf of uncertain light there were more illusions
than realities; Perhaps this has all been an illusion.
Illusion is also a metaphor for trickery and treachery, of which there are many examples in the book.
The doctor has false motives when he comes to visit Coyotito at home; he deliberately creates the
illusion that he has healed the baby of his scorpion bite. The pearl buyers create the false impression
of representing several buyers in competition with each other; in reality, they work for only one buyer
and conspire to buy pearls well below their value. Significantly, Kino observes one of the pearl buyers
playing legerdemain, a game of deception. The pearl buyers try hard to create the illusion that Kinos
beautiful pearl is worthless. Its surface is marred, they saythere is no market for it.
Spiritual and emotional illusions are also found in the text. Terrified Coyotito will die, Juana does not
pray directly for the recovery of the babyshe had prayed that they might find a pearl with which to
hire the doctor to cure the baby. Even God is illusory and undefined. The narrator mentions several
times that Juana prays to God or the gods.
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The Pearl
Answer Key

In the last chapter, Kino looks at the pearl. There is a great disparity between what he envisions and
what he actually sees in it. He says to Juana that they will be married in a great church, but in the
pearl he sees Juana with her beaten face crawling home through the night. He says his son will
learn to read, but he sees in the pearl only Coyotitos feverish face. The chasm between hope and
truth underscores Kinos illusions of what the future will bring.
Finally, the nature of the pearl itself is an illusion. To Kino, it appears to be a great treasure, a blessing
in its music of promise and delight, its guarantee of the future . . . a poultice against illness. The
pearl, he believes, will make his impossible dreams possible. In reality, however, possessing the pearl
serves only to destroy Kinos and Juanas lives, to take from them all that had made them content.
Kino should have remembered that there was no certainty in seeing, no proof that what you saw was
there or was not there. Instead, he stares often at the pearl, seeing what he wants to see, and in doing so, imbues it with great power over him. Truth and reality are hidden, and Kinos life is destroyed
by his illusions.

3. The pearl is obviously the central symbol in the novella. Its appearance and significance change
during the course of the story, and it means different things to different characters. Describe the
pearls differing representations in the story.
Early in the story, Kinos discovery of the pearl is considered by one and all to be a stroke of great
fortune. The divers usually find only small pearls, generally by accident: The finding of one was luck,
a little pat on the back by God. Kino and Juana are amazed and overwhelmed when Kino finds The
Pearl of the World. At this point, the pearl represents Kinos hope for the futurean education for
his son and a chance to improve life for his family. That night, Kino stares at it and marvels at its
music of promise and delight, its guarantee of the future, of comfort, of security. Its warm lucence
promised a poultice against illness and a wall against insult. Everyone feels the pearl is a blessing
Kinos brother, the doctor, the priest, the merchants, and even the beggars.
As the story unfolds, the pearl comes to mean different things to different people; its significance
changes. The prescient Juana sees the evil that lurks beneath its milky surface and asks Kino repeatedly to throw it back into the sea. The pearl is likened to the scorpion, poisoning the town. The neighbors, too, fear the power of the pearl and worry that Kinos new wealth may graft onto him the evil
limbs of greed and hatred and coldness. They wait for the pearl to corrupt Kino, as riches turn all
peoples heads. Kinos head is turned by the pearl and its possibilities; he becomes consumed by
greed and ambition. The symbolism of the pearl has changed; no longer a blessing, it now represents
evil.
The pearl itselfthe way a pearl is formed in the first placealso serves as a metaphor throughout
the story. In the beginning, Kino is like an oyster. Kinos discovery of the pearl is like the grain of sand
that infiltrates an oyster in that it disrupts the harmony, or irritates the flesh, of his life. As the pearl
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The Pearl
Answer Key

begins to disrupt their lives, Kino tries to protect himself from the irritant, gradually coating himself
with a hard skin for himself against the world. Eventually, Kino is transformed, and the pearl comes
to dominate his life, just as a large pearl can dominate an oyster. Finally, the pearl destroys him, just
as a pearl can destroy an oyster.
The pearl metaphor operates at yet another level: initially a pearl is just a grain of sand like all the other grains of sand in the sea, in much the same way that Kino is an ordinary man. By some accident of
fate, the grain of sand is gradually transformed into something desirable, just as Kino is transformed
into someone of importance. And just like the pearl, he can never revert to being an ordinary man
living a life of simplicity. He is irrevocably changed.
On a broader level, the pearl also serves as a metaphor for the destructive power of colonialism.
Much like a grain of sand, the colonialists arrived in the community some four hundred years before and disrupted the life of the original Indian community. They have continued to develop and
overpower the community ever since. Despite their fancy trappings and perceived culture, the white
people have proved to be a cold, impenetrable force of destruction and evil that cripples the healthy
growth of the native community.

4. Using examples from the text, discuss Steinbecks presentation of colonialism. How is the town
described? Which characters represent the town, and how are they described? How does Kino feel
about those who exercise power over him and his family? How has white colonial rule affected the
lives of his people?
When Kino and Juana enter town to visit the doctor, the town is described in terms that suggest a
prison. It is a place of stone and plaster with harsh outer walls. Birds are caged and gardens are enclosed from view; in the town, people are isolated, secretive, and private, separated from one another.
Unlike where Kino and his people live by the sea, there is no sense of community in the town. Even
nature has been tamed, confined, and controlled.
The first white person to appear in the story is the doctor. Much like the contrast between Kinos
neighborhood and the town, the difference between Kinos home and the doctors is very striking.
The doctors home is not described in appealing terms; it is heavy and gloomy, and the doctors
Oriental gong and eggshell china make it pretentious and silly. The doctor himself is a parody of
self-indulgence, consuming only sweets as he reclines in his ill-fitting red-silk dressing gown. He
embodies greed and selfishness. He is presented in such a grotesque light that his hateful denigration of Kinos people and his refusal to help a dying baby are not surprising. In their own way, the
pearl buyers are as disgusting as the doctor. Deceitful and corrupt, they conspire to cheat the Indians,
including Kino, who are fortunate enough to find pearls, knowing the young men cannot know their
real value and have nowhere else to sell them. Even the priest has self-serving motives when he goes
to visit Kino about the pearl; he wants money for his church.
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The Pearl
Answer Key

Kino has conflicting emotions with regard to the townspeople. As he approaches the doctors door,
he feels weak and afraid and angry at the same time . . . He could kill the doctor more easily than
he could talk to him. He feels intimidated by the doctor and angry that he should feel that way. He
does not know how to talk with this man, since all of the doctors race spoke to all of Kinos race as
though they were simple animals. He hates having to ask anything of the doctor, of having to be submissive toward him, knowing this is exactly how he is expected to behave and how he must behave to
get the doctors help in saving Coyotitos life. Kino is powerless to do anything but beg; white colonial
rule strips him of his dignity.
The pearl buyers also engender rage in Kino. They are condescending to him, and although he cannot
prove his suspicions, he knows they are cheating him when he is told his pearl is of little or no value.
He surmises correctly that all the pearl buyers represent only one buyer and conspire to pay as little
as possible for the pearls they buy. They exploit the native pearl divers shamelessly, keeping them in
poverty, while it was pearls from their beds that had raised the King of Spain to be a great power in
Europe. In fact, every white person in the story is selfish. The narrator effectively distances the reader
from them by not assigning them proper names. To Kino, they are forces of oppression that subjugate his people, acting to ensure they remain uneducated, poor, and powerless.
Although Kino feels rage, anger, and weakness, he also feels a certain respect for the white colonialists; their rule has influenced some of the practices and traditions of his own heritage, making them
seem inferior. He and Juana assume the doctor can treat Coyotito more effectively than they can; they
assume his medicine is superior. It is not, but they lack confidence in the seaweed poultice she applies to Coyotitos shoulder: [It] lacked [the doctors] authority because it was simple and didnt cost
anything. When the doctor comes to visit Coyotito, he intentionally shifted his small black doctors
bag about so that the light of the lamp fell upon it, for he knew that Kinos race love the tools of any
craft and trust them. Even when they are not, Kino believes the European colonialists are superior to
him and his people because they have education.
Furthermore, the colonialists spiritual beliefs have infiltrated the Indians native culture. The Indians
draw on both their own ancient religion and the colonialists Roman Catholicism. This is evident in
Juanas practice of religion. When Juana prays for her son while the scorpion is descending the rope
toward him, she repeats an ancient magic to guard against such evil, and on top of that she muttered a Hail Mary. She prays to both the Christian God and to the ancient gods of her people. Also,
after finding the pearl, Kinos first dream is that he and Juana will be married in the church.
Kinos feelings about the white colonialists are complexhatred, fear, envy, and even respect. He
despises their power over him and his family, but he respects it and seeks to empower his family
especially his sonin similar ways. For himself, he wants a rifle, and for Coyotito, he wants an education, knowing that ignorance is a prison. As a poor man who must work hard to give his family only
food and shelter, Kino no doubt has seen and envied what white men can provide for their families. It
brings him joy to imagine Coyotito dressed in a blue sailor suit from the United States. The colonial
influence is indeed pervasive.
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