Too much wealth satisfies individual’s heart desires but at times can bring worst out of him or her. The pearl is a novel written by John Steinbeck and examines a man’s own destruction through greed. In this novel, hope and evil consume Kino and the entire city of La Paz immediately information goes around that Kino found the pearl of the world. As asserted by Forman, greed, culture, anger, happiness, luck, death, mystery and evil are all major aspects in this book.
The story unfolds when Juan and Kino’s baby, Coyotito, is bitten by a scorpion. The doctor refuses to treat Coyotito as he knew that the Coyotito’s parents were poor and could not afford to pay for their son’s treatment. Kino discovers that he has to get something valuable to pay for his son’s treatment. While oystering, he gets a huge pearl. Hearing of the great find by Kino, the doctor decides to treat Coyotito with hopes of getting the pearl. However, Kino becomes avaricious and decides to sell the pearl.
Conversely, Juana believes that the great find by her husband is evil and decides to detach herself form it. Kino decides to vend the pearl for fifty thousand pesos; nonetheless, the highest bid was only fifteen hundred pesos. He makes his way to the city to get a higher offer. Unfortunately, the pearl only brings to him unhappiness. On his way to city, Kino is attacked by evil men who attempt to take away the pearl. Being unsuccessful, the evil men destroy Kino’s canoe and as well as the house.
Regrettably, Kino begins to understand that money cannot afford happiness, but it was too late. He decides to hide his kin. While hiding his family, Kino realizes that he is being followed by the evil men, and murder one of the evil men. Whilst attempting to kill the remaining evil men around their hiding place, Coyotito, Kino’s son was shot by the attackers and dead instantly. Kino and his wife goes home without their son and decides to throw the pearl back to the sea.
In summary, the novel attempts to elucidate that wealth and money cannot afford happiness. Kino gets the pearl and believes to have all reasons live a happy life, but he ends up living a miserable life. Therefore, people should always be contented with what have and appreciate the importance of everything in their lives.
OR
Introduction
Wealth and money cannot guarantee happiness. One may be rich but that does not mean he is happy. Juana and Kino have the pearl that if sold will earn them a lot of money thus liberating them from poverty. The Pearl in this case signifies wealth. This new found treasure however robs them of the happiness they had when they were poor.
Body
The pearl brings opportunists to Kino and Juana’s doorstep. They are only interested in Kino’s new found wealth. The priest, the shopkeeper, the doctor, the beggars outside the church and the pearl buyers scheme to benefit from the rare find.
The Pearl turns Kino’s friends into enemies, they are jealous of Kino. Kino believes his friends will protect him from the evils that might befall him from the pearl but their jealousy is too great that they turn against Kino and his family.
The Pearl turns Juana and Kino against each other. The evil power of the Pearl is strong enough to inspire violence between them. Juana and Kino are so close to one another that conversation isn’t even needed and yet the pearl is able to divide them. It has brought injury and danger and now it pulls Juana and Kino away from each other.
Kino and Juana suffer constant attacks because of the pearl. People are so anxious to get their hands on this jewel that they attackhim, ransack his house leaving Kino’s family in constant fear.
The pearl also brings death to Kino and his family. Coyotito is killed because of the pearl.
Conclusion
From the above illustrations it is clear that wealth does not bring happiness, and instead has the potential to wreak havoc in the lives of those who posses it.
Musyoxx answered the question on February 28, 2018 at 15:54
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That pollutes the air-conditioned
City Centre
That louse that creeps about
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Youve seen him waylay his betters
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Intruding into you preoccupation:
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Laban Erapu
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(b) Paraphrase the subject matter of this poem
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(d) Identify three poetic devices used by the poet.
(e) What is the tone of this poem?
(f) Explain the meaning of the following lines:
And make them start
Which missed the mark
To escape the stare
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Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.
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Chege, his father, was a well known elder in Kameno. He had now only one wife, who had borne him many daughters but only one son. The other two wives had died during the great famine, without any children. The famine had been preceded by a very rich harvest. Then locusts and worms and a blond drought came to bring death to many. Chege had barely survived. His daughters were now well married, apart from one, who had died early. The other elders feared and respected him. For he knew more than any other person, the ways of the land and the hidden things of the tribe. He knew the meaning of every ritual and every signs. So, he was at the head of every important ceremony.
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How do you know?
“See them the butterflies.
“Butterflies? You have never left the ridges!
They are there, beyond the ridges, putting up many houses and some taking the land.
How could you have seen the light beyond?
Fools, fools, he muttered to himself in despair.
Nairobi was already flourishing and the railway was moving across the country in the land beyond where not many from the ridges had been. And they lowered their voices and whispered together:
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(b) What circumstances cause the ordeal above?
(c)Who are butterflies? Illustrate.
(d)Describe the peoples attitude towards Chege
(e)What is the irony in Chege's warning about Siriana Missionary Centre.
(f) How could you have seen the light beyond?(Rewrite in reported speech)
(g)Discuss the role of Waiyaki as evident in this excerpt.
h) Discuss one major theme in this extract.
(i) Who is right one' and what knowledge will Chege divulge to him?
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Repentant
Yesterday my emotions
burst like a dam
and flowed violently
onto your innocent self.
Today deluged with
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Repentant
Yesterday my emotions
burst like a dam
and flowed violently
onto your innocent self.
Today deluged with
a deep sense of regret
I hold out my hand
a gesture of reconciliation.
Seeking to forget
The galling bitterness
Of that regrettable moment
When I caused you pain.
A.D. Amateshe.
i) Describe the rhyme scheme in this poem.
ii). Which word would you stress in line 2 of the first stanza?
a) What tone would you use to recite the poem and why?
(b) For each of the following words, write another word that is pronounced the same.
Sale:
Boos:
Cymbal:
Douse:
Morning:
(c) (i) Indicate and name the sound patterns used in the following proverbs:
(i) Better beg than steal.
(ii) Health is better than wealth.
(iii) Time and tide wait for no man.
(iv) Money makes money.
(ii) Give an illustration of the riddling process.
(d) Imagine you are narrating a trickster narrative to children.What would you do to make the performance interesting? Explain.
(e) For each of the following sets of words, underline the odd one out according to the pronunciation of the underlined sounds.
Knot Weapon Saw Breathe
Note Weed Sow Breath
Not Wed So Breadth
Date posted: February 16, 2018. Answers (1)