Setting
What country is this story set in?
Mexico
Who said this: "I am not a veterinary."
The doctor when asked to treat Coyotito
It was the greatest pearl in the world.
Hyperbole
What does the pearl represent?
greed
What is the time period? (1700s, 1800s, or 1900s)
1800s
What message does this novel communicate about gender roles and marriage?
1. That men and women have opposing traits (Daring and caution) and need each other to balance out. They must be equals or the relationship will not work.
2. In this society, Kino feels that he as a man is head of the household and Juana must be meek and obedient
Who is Kino's older brother and the only person happy for him?
Juan Tomas
What literary device is this: "The wind cried and brisked in the brush"
personification
What does the scorpion represent?
Evil in nature
What city is the story is set in?
La Paz, Mexico
Family is the most important thing in life. Even more important than money because they stay by your side through good times and bad times, like Juan Tomas, Juana, and Kino.
These men are very corrupt in that they agree on prices and bids in advance.
The Pearl Buyers
A town is a thing like a colonial animal
simile
What does the canoe represent?
Tradition or Livelihood
How does nature play a role in the story? What is mood created by the animals and environment?
nature is hostile and finnicky. Seeming to bless Kino with one hand and curse him with another. All of the animals seem to be at odds. Aka "Survival of the fittest"
What message does this story communicate about society and social mobility?
Society is corrupt and rigged against the poor. It is hard to move up in the world and have a more prosperous life than one's parents.
She has "iron" and "caution" in her and attempted to "break through Kino's manness to save them all."
Juana
What devices are used in this quote: "the sun was behind them, and their long shadows stalked ahead, and they seemed to carry two towers of darkness between them."
"shadows stalked ahead" is personification and alliteration. "Carry two towers of darkness between them" is metaphor.
What does the burning of the house represent?
The loss of Kino's family and security. The end of his old way of life.
What makes this area of Mexico (Baja California) unique and important?
It is remote and isolated, making it difficult for Kino to travel to the capital safely to get bids for the pearl. It was the last part of Mexico settled by Spain, so the hostilities between the Indians and Spanish are recent and hot. It is also unique in that colored pearl oysters are native to the region.
What message is communicated about Nature and/or God in this story?
Nature / God puts temptation in people's paths. It sets up obstacles for people to overcome, then sees how those people handle the obstacles, examples being the scorpion and the pearl, which were put in Kino's path by Nature.
Who did this: "his emotions broke over him. He put his head back and howled. His eyes rolled back and he screamed and his body went rigid."
Kino did this when he found the pearl. It shows his transformation from man to animal.
The uncertain air hung over the Gulf, so that all that all sights were unreal
Personification
What color clothes does Kino wear? What does this color traditionally symbolize?
White; purity and innocence