Morgan Hunt
English 9
Mr.Edson
December 17, 07
Chapters 5 & 6
1. In the fifth and sixth chapters of The Pearl, Steinbeck writes about the attack of Kino for the pearl, and how Juana and Kino have to escape their village. In both chapters, so much happens at once. The fifth chapter should be titled "The Rush" because everything goes wrong at once. First, Juana attempts to get rid of the pearl herself, but she is caught and hit. Next, Kino "heard the rush, got his knife out and lunged at one dark figure..." (Steinbeck 59) Before you know it, Kino as killed a man and their house is burning down. Kino also soon figures out that there has been a hole knocked out of the bottom of the canoe. Now that Kino had killed a man, they must leave the village because people would be searching for them. The rest of the village thinks of them as dead, for this house is ablaze yet Kino and Juana are not seen. The hide out in Juan Tomas's house until it is safe for them to go. Chapter six should be titled "The Escape" because it is the chapter in which Juana and Kino escape the village at night and head north. They travel on foot, and are grateful that the wind will erase most of their footprints incase someone is in the search of them. Sure enough, someone is looking for them; the trackers. This means that Kino and Juana must now make their way winding along, and hopefully lose them in the mountains. However, this only brings trouble. Kino's plan would have worked perfectly, but sadly one more died than planned; Coyotito.
2. In these two chapters Juana proves how strong she is and her understanding on things. When she was trying to get rid of the pearl, like she was all a long, Kino caught her. Not only did he find her in the middle of her plan, but he struck her in the face and kicked her in the side. Even though this happened, she "stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes... she knew there was murder in him, and it was all right; she had accepted it..." (Steinbeck 59). When Kino had said "I am a Man" (Steinbeck 57), it meant to Juana that he was half god and half insane, but she was ok with it. She knew that he would try the impossible, that’s why made him a man, and a man is what she needed. Juana is also strong, and has a will power. When Kino mentioned about hiding her in the mountains, because it would be safer Juana refused. Juana argued that she will go with Kino and Kino tried to tell her no. "He looked then for weakness in her face, for fear or irresolution, and there was none. Her eyes were very bright....but he had taken strength from her." This whole time Juana had dealt with the problems the pearl had brought, and she knew that it was evil. She knew that they should have gotten rid of it because of the evil it has brought upon them. Honestly, even though the tradition of a husband being higher than a wife, they are equal. This is proven when they walk into the village, walking side by side. Juana is just a strong as Kino and they have both dealt with the loss of their first son.
3. Kino and Juana's escape, in my opinion, could be used as a symbol of the things the pearl has brought them. They first start out, walking at night, not being followed by anything but playing it safe. This is like how they are with Coyotito and his scorpion bite, because even though Juana sucked most of the poison out, and he seems as thought he is healing, they still have the doctor treat him just in case. However, Kino spots the trackers that are looking for them, and think of a plan. This is almost like his plan to go to the capital, because he is not very sure how the outcome will be and if it will be successful. On his way, he zigzags up the mountain, gaining time ahead of the trackers and time to think of their next move. This is like how they were with trying to get away from the intruders and obstacles that the pearl brought because they have to go in complicated directions just to get a certain outcome. Kino and Juana hide out in the caves (like they did in Juan Tomas and Apolonia's hut) they just wait for the trackers. Kino has a plan, he "must go before moonrise" (Steinbeck 83) and get the tracker with the rifle, and kill the others. However, this is not a simple task. "Kino edged like a slow lizard down the smooth rock shoulder... His spread fingers gripped the mountain... any sound that was not germane to the night would make them alert..." (Steinbeck 84). All these ways that Kino and Juana goes about things really show what is important to them. To Kino, the pearl was very important because it meant so much for his future. To Juana, staying with her family was important. She could have stayed back in the village, and hoped for Kino's return, but she didn’t; she went with him.
4. In this part of the book, it reminds me about playing hide-and-go-seek with all of my neighborhood friends. When we played neighborhood games, we got very intense, we were serious with the rules and we took pride in how we played. We each had our certain skills when it came to hide-and-go-seek, such as how Kino and Juana zigzagged along and choosing places that would show less signs trespass. We would always make it sound and look like we went one way, but we should switch out direction. When we played in the neighborhood, we had so many spots and places to hide; that’s what made it fun and kept it interesting. One time, Brittany and I went to the end of our street and made obvious signs of our tracks. Then, silently we sneaked pass houses until we were at the other half and we hid up in a low tree. No one thought to look there, and no one found us, until we decided to jump down because it was taking them too long. Kino and Juana made their long way up into the clefts, hid there and stayed. Kino waited for the opportune moment to leave. However, in our case we left our spot due tiresomeness of waiting. We always tried our best to hide in the shadows, and move along the ground. It was one of our favorite games, and we basically had no limits to how far we would take our ideas of creativity. One day Emily and I hid in the back of our neighbors trucks because we didn’t have enough time to think of somewhere else to hide. In Kino's sake hiding wasn’t so much a game as it was a way of survival from the trackers.
5. My overall thoughts about the reading is just how great fortunes can ruin people, and their lives. Kino, Juana, and Coyotito were living their life fine without the pearl, and once it came in it only gave ambitions that were never meant to be and people ready to attack for its value. People were searching around Kino and Juana's hut in the night just in hopes to dig up the pearl. People burned his house, and physically attacked Kino. Everyone knew that the pearl was worth so much, but it gave the pearl buyers such an ego that they figured they could cheat Kino. The pearl had become everything Kino hoped for, instead of just a blessing that could cure Coyotito. However, the same pearl that was going to save Coyotito technically killed him as well. I am predicting that Kino and Juana will go back and build up another hut, mourn for some time, and then hopefully have another child. Coyotito was their first, but they are a young couple so I doubt that they will just go on without having another baby in their lives.
6.
irresolution- lack of decision or purpose
intercession- a prayer to a God on behalf of another
malignant- very dangerous or harmful
petulant- easily irritated or annoyed
resinous- an aroma of incense, cedar, pine, camphor or a sticky sap
