In the book, The Pearl, John Steinbeck changes Kino’s character from being a happy, grateful, and content individual who values his family and what he has, to a man that is ambitious and desires things he did not need before. He uses symbolism, imagery, and many similes/metaphors to show us through Kino how greed can destroy. Steinbeck uses the pearl itself, as a symbol of greed because it seems beautiful from the outside, but it is truly evil from the inside. He then uses then the surface of the pearl, through imagery to help us see what Kino is feeling and the events that will take place next in the text. Lastly, Steinbeck uses similes and metaphors to compare what is in the book with real life objects. Steinbeck uses the pearl as a symbol of greed because it seems beautiful from the outside, but it is truly evil from the inside. After everyone discovers that Kino has the great pearl, they start to think about what they would do if they had it, this leads them into an evil path of greed. The doctor being one of these people, is drawn in by the pearl, and is now in Kino’s path. The doctor tells Kino, “Oh, I know the sting of the scorpion, my friend, and I can cure it” (30).…show more content… Steinbeck uses the pearl as a symbol of greed to show us that even though it is pretty, it is truly a path to evil. He then uses the surface of the pearl, through imagery to show us Kino’s feelings. Lastly, he compares what is in the book with real life objects such as animals in the form of similes/metaphors. We learn from Kino’s experiences that we should never let an object be the center of our lives. Kino will never be able to buy Coyotito’s life back and this is why the most important things in life are priceless. Always remember that greed can destroy. You must overcome the consequences of greed in order to come back as a better
