The Pearl Notes Chapter 1 Essays - The Pearl, Kino, Metropolis

The Pearl Notes: Chapter 1 1. Kino and Juana live in a lower class society, where many things would become village affairs, and the family was extremely important. When Coyotito was stung by a scorpion and Kino and Juana went to the doctor, most of the village followed them. The family was proven to be important because it was all Kino and Juana had. The poverty was obvious, because, when Kino had to save his son, all he had were a few worthless pearls. 2. In the morning when Kino awakens, he heard the "Song of the Family." This was caused by the fact that Kino knew his life, with his family, was whole. Another song Kino hears is the "Song of Evil," or the music of the enemy. This was first caused by the scorpion that stung Coyotito, and was later caused when Kino thought about the doctor and his people who hurt Kino's people. Finally, the song was again caused by the doctors refusal to treat Coyotito. In Chapter Two Kino hears the "Song of the Pearl that Might Be," which was a song of hope for Kino and his family. This happened whenever Kino went diving. 3. The ants Kino watched where struggling to get out of a trap. Kino did nothing to help or hurt them, as they where part of the "Song of the Family" and were natural. In chapter one it could be said that Kino and Juana where trying to get out of the trap that they were living in, which was characterized by the fact that the doctor and his people were in control, and would not help Kino or his people, therefore laying the trap that luck alone determined wether on of Kino's people lived to adulthood or not. 5. Kino was a man who was typical of his breed. He would go straight through a problem, attacking it directly. He cared much for his wife and son, but was very stubborn. As described, he was sold in his colors. He had no grey areas, only black and white. His love of his family was white, his stubbornness black. Neither would bend. Juana was a loving, strong, and disgustingly obedient. She would probably made a better family head, but Kino's ego would not allow it. Should was not influenced by pride, and tried to go around problems rather than through them. 6. Since the Europeans treated the Indians "like animals" the doctors statement about himself and his medical practice was predictable. His statement was also an example of irony. It really meant he was at home and did not consider Coyotito's life worth saving, as his opinion of Indians was that they were subhuman. 7. The doctor was a stout and considerably rich man, who had no self respect, as no self-respecting human being could turn away a person like he did. He wanted to go back to Paris, eat in restaurants, and have a mistress. In my opinion the doctor is in fact more uncivilized, or at least more evil, than any of Kino's people, because he had the power to help them, yet did not. 8. The brush houses were weaker, but natural, while the plaster houses were unnatural, but more secure. The people who lived in the brush houses were poor, but considered themselves civilized, while the people who lived in the plaster houses were safer, but considered the Indians uncivilized. I conclude from this that the people who lived in plaster houses considered nature uncivilized, while the Indians considered it a way of life.