Question

name:_________constructed response11. i represent wealth in the story the pearl. am i really good or evil? explain your answer. you do not have to cite sentences from the book, but you should refer to two specific parts of the book (characters, events, or conflicts) that support your answer. a great response will be 6- 10 sentences.find the right word from the word bank to fill in each blank.salvationwatchmandoctorcanoepearlpearl buyersevilcouragehopegreedneighborsseaweatherreaddiver12. & 13. at first, the pearl symbolized _______ and _______ to kin14. soon, the pearl, which stands for wealth, symbolized _______ to juana, then15. to get some of kinos money, the _______ hurts and then heals coyotito.16. kinos dream for coyotito is that his son will learn to _______.17 & 18. kino eventually throws the _______ back into the _________

Explanation:

For question 11: The pearl is a complex symbol, not purely good or evil. Initially, it represents hope for Kino's family (a better life, education for Coyotito, and salvation from their poverty). But it quickly becomes a source of evil, as it awakens greed in others (the pearl buyers, the doctor, trackers) and tears Kino's family apart, leading to violence and tragedy. Two specific parts: 1) When Kino first finds the pearl, he imagines Coyotito going to school, showing the pearl's hopeful, "good" potential. 2) When the doctor pretends to heal Coyotito only to steal the pearl, and later when trackers hunt Kino, showing the pearl's evil, corrupting influence.

For questions 12-18: These are based on the symbolic arc and plot points of The Pearl. 12&13: The pearl first represents the positive hopes Kino has for his family. 14: As the story progresses, Juana sees the pearl as a corrupting force. 15: The doctor acts out of greed to exploit Kino's new wealth. 16: Kino's core dream for his son is access to education. 17&18: Kino rejects the pearl's destructive power by returning it to its origin.

Answer:

1. The pearl is neither purely good nor evil, but a symbol that amplifies the best and worst in those around it. At first, it is a force of hope and salvation: when Kino discovers it, he dreams of sending Coyotito to school, giving his family security, and escaping the cycle of poverty that traps them. This makes the pearl a source of good, as it ignites a vision of a better, more dignified life for his loved ones. However, the pearl quickly reveals its dark, evil side. It awakens greed in the pearl buyers, who conspire to cheat Kino out of its true value, and in the doctor, who refuses to treat Coyotito at first but then pretends to heal him only to steal the pearl. Later, trackers hunt Kino and his family, leading to Coyotito's death, a tragedy directly tied to the pearl's corrupting influence. The pearl itself is neutral, but it exposes the greed and cruelty in others, while also pushing Kino to acts of violence he would never have committed, making it a symbol of both hope and destruction.

1. hope
2. salvation
3. evil
4. doctor
5. read
6. pearl
7. sea