"The Pearl" Discussion Guide
1. Describe Kino and Juana's life before and after
the discovery of the pearl.
-
What did they value?
-
What goals were important to them?
-
What were their dreams?
2. The Theme of Greed.
-
How does greed affect Kino, Juana, and the villagers and
townspeople?
-
What lessons can be learned about being greedy?
-
Did Kino and Juana learn any lessons about greed?
3. Character Analysis.
-
Analyze the characters of the doctor, the priest, and
the pearl merchants.
-
How are they victims of greediness?
-
How do their actions show their greediness?
-
Explain how they treat Kino and Juana before and after
the discovery
of the pearl.
-
What judgments can be concluded regarding the fields of
medicine,
religion and business?
4. The pearl as a symbol.
-
What does the pearl represent?
-
How does the meaning of the pearl change during the course
of the novel?
-
How do the characters view this pearl in the beginning
and end of the novel?
5. Kino's Songs.
-
What are the songs that Kino hears during the novel?
-
What do each represent?
-
At what point does he hear them?
6. The canoe as symbol.
-
Kino believes that it would be better to kill a person
than to kill a canoe
because a canoe has no relatives to revenge it. What
types of values does
Kino have to make such a statement?
7. Kino and Juana's values.
-
Kino and Juana live on a primitive level in their lives
and their religion,
yet they both want a church wedding and a christening
for Coyotito.
How are these values consistent with their lives?
-
How are they contradictory?
8. The Book's Ending.
-
What do you think happens to Kino and Juana after they
return to their village
and throw the pearl into the ocean?
-
Will they be accepted or punished?
-
Will they run away once again?
Copyright © 1999 Pat Swenson
Revised -- February 7, 1999 [PJS]
