Quote Significance
“In the town they tell the story of the great pearl—how it was found and how it was lost again.” Question: What does this opening line foreshadow about the story’s events and message?
It foreshadows the rise and fall of Kino’s fortune and showing that the story will end in loss
What happens to Coyotito at the beginning of the story that causes Kino and Juana to seek help?
He is stung by a scorpion.
"The mountains whispered"
Personification
fearfully, hesitantly
apprehensively
In what country does The Pearl take place?
Mexico
“This pearl has become my soul. If I give it up, I shall lose my soul.” Question: What does this quote reveal about how the pearl has affected Kino?
That Kino has become obsessed with the pearl and that his greed and pride now control him
What does Kino find while diving from his canoe that changes his family’s future?
The great pearl (the Pearl of the World).
"His eyes were as cold as stone"
Simile
dangerous; harmful; tumorous; deadly
malignant
What is the name of the town where Kino and Juana live?
La Paz
“No one shall take our good fortune from us.” Question: What does Kino’s statement show about how greed and fear have changed him?
It shows Kino’s growing distrust and desperation, as the pearl has made him violent and possessive
After Kino finds the pearl, how do the townspeople react?
They become jealous and greedy, and everyone wants something from Kino.
"The town was a colonial animal"
Metaphor
layers of rock
outcropping
How does the setting of the Gulf and the sea reflect Kino’s way of life?
It provides his livelihood and represents nature’s balance and survival.
“And Kino’s face was dark with the new thought of killing.” Question: What does this quote reveal about Kino’s character development?
It shows that Kino is becoming more desperate, violent, and morally conflicted because of the pearl’s influence
What happens when Kino tries to sell the pearl to the pearl buyers?
The buyers try to cheat him by offering very low prices.
"The pearl was ugly- it was gray, like a malignant growth"
Simile
boring; without variation
monotonously
Why is the sea so important to Kino and his people?
It gives them food and pearls, which are their main way to survive.
"And the music of the pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared" Where do we see this quote? Explain
This quote is shown when Kino and Juana throw the pearl back into the ocean.
How does the story end after Kino and Juana return to the village?
They throw the pearl back into the sea after Coyotito is killed.
"The music of the pearl had become sinister in his ears"
Personification
a long, steep slope or cliff; declivity
escarpment
How does Steinbeck use the contrast between the brush houses and the stone buildings to show social inequality?
The brush houses symbolize poverty and the native people, while the stone buildings represent the wealth and power of the colonizers.