The Pearl Ch. 3 Review; Ch. 4

Reading 7 Ramirez

“A town is a thing like a colonial animal.

This is a simile. The town is compared to an undersea animal, like a coral. Colonial animals are made of many small animals whose bodies become one unit.

“A town has a nervous system and a head and shoulders and feet.

This is a metaphor. The town is compared to some kind of body – probably a human body. Steinbeck continues the comparison when he writes, “the nerves of the town were pulsing and vibrating with the news”.

“there is no alms giver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly

lucky” There is no place like home

- home is the best place There is no business like show business

- show business is the best business There is no A like B

- B is the best kind of A

Pearl Buyers = Monopoly

If many buyers compete with each other, then each one can set their own price. They would want to beat the others and buy more pearls. However, in reality, there is only one buyer. That means only one person sets the price. There is no point in going from one buyer to another buyer: they have all agreed already and they will all offer the same price.

“And the music of the pearl had merged with the music of the family so that one beautified the

other.”

At this time, Kino, Juana and Coyotito are together in the brush house. They are not alone. The house is crowded with Indians. They fill the house up and silently watch Kino. The Indians do not create a danger to Kino – he trusts them completely. They do not have their own desires for the pearl; that happens in the town. Kino hears the Song of the Family, which represents trust and safety. The Europeans represent a threat to all Indians, but Indians will not hurt each other.

God“Yes, God punished Kino

because he rebelled against the way things are.”

This idea is the fear of the Indians. The Europeans have told them that God wants them to be poor, forever. Any Indian who want a better life is going against God.

The Doctor: First Visit "I was not in when you came this morning. But now,

at the first chance, I have come to see the baby.” “… sometimes there will be a withered leg or a blind

eye or a crumpled back.” “He was trapped as his people were always trapped,

and would be until, as he had said, they could be sure that the things in the books were really in the books.”

“But the trap was set.”

Question: What is the powder? “Then from his bag he took a little

bottle of white powder and a capsule of gelatine. He filled the capsule with the powder and closed it.”

"I think the poison will attack within the hour,"

Effect on Coyotito “The baby's face was flushed and his throat was

working and a little thick drool of saliva issued from his lips. The spasm of the stomach muscles began, and the baby was very sick.”

“… his mind was hard and suspicious and he was remembering the white powder.”

The Doctor: Second Visit “ ‘The poison it has worked,’ he said. … He asked

for water, and in the cup of it he put three drops of ammonia, and he pried open the baby's mouth and poured it down.”

“He knew the pearl would be buried in the house, and he thought Kino might look toward the place where it was buried. ‘It would be a shame to have it stolen before you could sell it,’ the doctor said, and he saw Kino's eyes flick involuntarily to the floor near the side post of the brush house.”

The black dog returnsDoes he represent all those who want to take Kino’s pearl?

Or does he represent the weak and hungry, who ask for help but do not get it?

“…a tight-woven school of small fishes glittered and broke water to escape a school of great fishes

that drove in to eat them”

“mice crept about on the ground and the little night hawks hunted them silently.”

Chapter 4

“It is wonderful the way a little town keeps track of itself and of all its units.”

More figurative language

The Pearl Buyers

“It was supposed that the pearl buyers were individuals acting alone, bidding against one another for the pearls the fishermen brought in. And once it had been so. But this was a wasteful method, for often, in the excitement of bidding for a fine pearl, too great a price had been paid to the fishermen.”

“A vision hung in the air to the north of the city - the vision of a mountain that was over two hundred miles away”

“In the brush houses by the shore Kino's neighbours sat long over their breakfasts, and they spoke of what they would do if they had found the pearl.”

“ ‘Before you were born, Kino,’ he said, ‘the old ones thought of a way to get more money for their pearls. They thought it would be better if they had an agent who took all the pearls to the capital and sold them there and kept only his share of the profit.’ ”

“I have heard our father tell of it. It was a good idea, but it was against religion, and the Father made that very clear.”

“each man and woman is like a soldier sent by God to guard some part of the castle of the

Universe.”

“And some are in the ramparts …

“… and some far deep in the darkness of the walls.

“But each one must remain faithful to his post and must not go running about…

“…else the castle is in danger from the assaults of Hell.”

Indians discuss the pearl buyers

"But suppose they had arranged it before?”

"If that is so, then all of us have been cheated all of our lives."

Juan Tomás Comes

“He was the elder, and Kino looked to him for wisdom. ‘It is hard to know,’ he said. ‘We do know that we are cheated from birth to the overcharge on our coffins. But we survive.’

“ ‘What have I to fear but starvation?’ Kino asked. But Juan Tomás shook his head slowly. ‘That we must all fear. But suppose you are correct - suppose your pearl is of great value - do you think then the game is over?’

“ ‘… I am afraid for you. It is new ground you are walking on, you do not know the way.’ ”

Ch. 4 is a mirror of Ch. 3

Read again this weekendNotice how the structures

of the two chapters are similar

Ask yourself: What is the true threat to Kino?

What Is the Danger?The pearl itselfThe doctorThe pearl

buyers Indians

Kino’s stubborn attitude

God’s punishment

The “new ground”