Literature Analysis #2

The Pearl 

By John Steinbeck

Part 1: Kino, the protagonist of The Pearl, is a poor, young man, who is married to Juana. Together they conceived a baby named Coyotito. The troubles of this family begin when Coyotito is stung by a scorpion. Juana and Kino go back to their home. They sail out into the sea looking for oysters. Kino finds a shining pearl. This means that Kino can provide for his family and send Coyotito to school. The people of the village find out and start gossiping. Kino attempts to sell his pearl to the dealers, but the dealers offer very little money. Therefore, Kino plans on going to the Capitol. However, because the pearl attracted so much attention, people tried to steal Kino's pearl. Juana attempts to throw it away, but Kino beats her. After killing a man for attempted thievery, Kino and his family go to the Capitol to try to sell the pearl. However, a group of three trackers followed them to try to steal the pearl. In the climax, Kino murders all three men, but they had already killed his son. Kino and Juana return to the village side by side. At the end, Kino throws the pearl back into the ocean and returns to their previous lives. 

Part 2: The main theme of the novel is greed brings evil and suffering. In the beginning of the novel, Kino was a very honorable and honorable man. However, when he finds the pearl, he changes a lot. He is so driven by the fact that he can use the pearl to find to find money and provide for his family that he harms others. He killed four men, beat his wife, and played a small part in his son's death. The author wanted to show that greed changes man into a heartless machine. For example, the doctor in the story doesn't help Kino because he's poor. The doctor ends up helping him only after Kino found the pearl. It's important to be appreciative and to not let greed take over your mind. 

Part 3: The protagonist is dynamic because in the beginning of the novel, Kino was honorable and kind. However, by the end, he was greedy, violent, and aggressive. It was this change of behavior that caused him to murder and beat his wife. Kino is a round character as he can be sweet and kind, but malevolent and violent as well. Another major character was Juana since she shows the audience that the pearl did not change her. Kino and Juana became character foils for each other. Juana remained calm and peaceful, whereas Kino became aggressive.

Part 4: One significant symbol from the novel is the pearl. The pearl represents evil and greed. The pearl causes the characters in the novel to become greedy as they are striving to find wealth. The pearl reveals how ambitious and and greedy Kino could be. The pearl was a symbol at first for a better future, but soon it became a misfortune, an evil object. The pearl is the prize of the novel, and everybody is trying to grab it. However, the pearl reveals the shocking things people would do to grab that prize. 

Part 5: In the previous year, I read the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. I enjoyed his novel and wanted to read more. I chose this book because I wanted to read more by John Steinbeck. When I first saw the book, I was curious about the title. I wanted to know what can you write based on a pearl. Once I began reading, I wanted to know if Kino would actually find the pearl and receive the money for it. I wanted to find out whether or not Kino would reach the life of his dreams. 

Part 6: The people in the novel live in poverty. They work everyday to put food on the table. The poverty that Kino and Juana live is common across the world. My grandmother, for example, struggles to pay for the bills in her home. She has to sell food to pay her bills, but my mother sends money whenever she can. In the novel, there are multiple occasions where people die because of the pearl. I had an uncle who was beaten up by a group of men who wanted to steal his money. The same thinking applies here. A person was harmed because of the greedy or selfish actions of others. 

Part 7: 

"Have I nothing better to do than cure insect bites for little Indians'? I am a doctor, not a veterinary."

         -The Doctor

In this passage, we can see the effects that greed and selfishness had on the doctor. Readers can also see how racist he is as he compares the Indians to animals, and by doing so he dehumanizes them in the process. The main idea is that racism is a terrible thing that will always be present. I chose this idea because even though racism is everywhere, it doesn't mean it should be accepted or common. People always seem to find any reason to make someone feel different about. However, I don't think you should give them the satisfaction of upsetting you. This idea is important as it shows others the negativity of racism and be intolerant of it. When racism occurs around you, speak up, and stop it.  

Vocabulary #6

Word from Latin Roots #6

Roots and Derivatives:

1. corp(or): body
2. cred: to believe, to trust
3. cur(r),curs, course: to run, to flow
4. dic(t): to speak, to say

Word List:

1. benediction (n): the invocation of a divine blessing, as at the close of a religious service; a blessing or state of blessedness

• The priest declared benediction as soon as the sermon was over.  

2. concourse (n): a running or flowing together; a broad public walkway or hallway; a crowd or throng

• There was a large concourse outside Walmart on black friday. 

3. concurrent (a): occurring at the same time; meeting or acting together

• My doctor's appointment is concurrent to my interview, they're both at four p.m.

4.  corporal (a): related to the physical body 

• Stress can have emotional and corporal health effects. 

5. corpulent (a): very stout; fleshy and obese; fat

• Over two-thirds of the american population is corpulent or overweight. 

6. credibility (n): the quality of being believable or trustworthy

• A person's claim on an issue has low credibility without any evidence or support. 

7. credulity(n): the (naive) willingness to believe too easily without proof. 

• My younger cousin has a high credulity since she believed me when I told her money grows on trees. 

8. cursory (a): a done in a superficial or hasty manner

• My sandwich was prepared very cursory as I had woken up late that morning. 

9. dictum (n): an authoritative saying or maxim

• During World War II, a famous dictum was, " You can do it!".

10. incorporate (v): to form into one body or functioning unit; to combine several different things into a whole

• A successful children's book should be funny and incorporate a variety of illustrations. 

11. incredulous (a): not believing, skeptical, or doubting

• Atheists are incredulous about the existence of God. 

12. indicative (a): characteristic of or very much like; suggestive

• The constant nausea and fatigue was indicative of the flu.  

Greek Drama Handout Questions

1. A bull or a goat is given for dancing choruses of worshippers.
2. Fourteen thousand spectators would gather in the open-air theatre of Dionysos.
3. The mask affects the voices of actors in that it amplifies their voices or makes them louder.
4. Antigone was suspenseful to viewing audiences because the audience already knew the story of Antigone, while the characters remained ignorant. The audience tried to warn the characters, but still saw them choose the wrong decision.
5. The shepherd was to leave the infant to die on the mountainside.
6. The riddle the Sphinx gave to Oedipus was, "What creature goes on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"
7. Oedipus's kids were Polyneices, Eteocles, Ismene and Antigone.
8. After Oedipus was exiled, Creon takes over Thebes.
9. Families did multiple things to the dead body. Such things were the following: close the person's eyes/mouth, wash the body, dress the body in white or wedding clothes, place the body on a bier pointing towards the door, and throw wild marjoram and other herbs on the body. As the women wait next to the body, the men  enter the room with their right hand raised. The closest relative held the person's head, while the others beat their faces, tore their hair, cried and wailed, as well as leaving offerings such as wine.

Antigone Quick Write

Antigone Quick Write

Both of my brothers are dead. Each killed by the other during the civil war. My uncle has declared himself king and has ordered that my favorite brother become food for the maggots, while my other mean brother is to be buried as a national hero. My uncle will not let me bury my favorite brother and my sister won’t help as she greatly fears the law. 

Clearly, there is a misunderstanding between the truth and what is believed to be true. In order to bury my brother, I must prove to my uncle that my favorite brother was innocent.  I can do this by explaining my brother’s intentions and describing his warm personality. My brother’s intention was not to betray anybody, but to in fact stop my cruel brother’s goal. Perhaps if I mention how my favorite brother always tried to do the right thing, then that can support the claim that he was not a cruel man. I could perhaps dig up some memories where my brother was kind to my uncle in order to “bribe” or change my uncle’s mind. Perhaps my uncle really does have a heart and could possibly forgive my brother. However, if “buying my uncle’s forgiveness” fails, then I can always turn to my sister for help. Even though she loves our brother very much, she is still very scared of breaking the law. I could open a petition in which the people of Greece vote whether my uncle’s law should exist or not. To start with, I must persuade the people of Greece by talking to them. I must point out the good intentions and kind heart my brother had. Next, I should point out that the Gods would want us to bury him as its the law or the way of the Gods. As worshippers of the same Gods, we should do what they command so as to not anger or upset them. My last resort would be for me to bury my brother myself. I love my brother very much and he deserves to be buried as much, if not more than my other brother whom I never liked. My brother has always helped me and now it is time for me to help my brother go into the underworld. Wish me luck and fortune.

         - Antigone