NovelStudyGuide_ThePearl
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
DHA Suffa University, Karachi *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
INORGANIC
Subject
English
Date
Nov 24, 2024
Type
Pages
7
Uploaded by AgentBeaver937
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
Blessing or Burden?
How would you respond if you came across a treasure that could change your entire life? At
first, you would probably be very excited and thankful. Then as your life starts to change,
sometimes out of your control, you may wish you had never discovered the treasure at all. This
is what happens to Kino when he finds a valuable pearl while diving, a pearl that tempts him to
leave everything he has ever known.
Be a Better Reader
As you work through the study guide for
The Pearl
, you’ll also practice these skills, which will help you
when you read novels in the future, for school assignments or just for fun.
1. Describe the development of the main character.
2. Discuss how the plot develops throughout the novel.
3. Describe themes in the novel and trace their development throughout the text.
4. Cite textual evidence to support discussion of the novel.
5. Describe and analyze the role of setting in the novel.
Behind the Scenes
John Steinbeck, the author of
The Pearl
, is recognized as one of the foremost writers of
American literature. After leaving Stanford University, Steinbeck began working as a reporter
and manual laborer. He also began publishing and receiving attention for his early novels, most
notably
Tortilla Flats
which was published in 1935. Steinbeck continued writing and earning
critical acclaim for his novels including
Of Mice and Men
in 1937 and
The Grapes of Wrath
, for
which he won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize.
The Pearl
, a shorter novella that originally appeared in
Woman’s Home Companion
with the title “The Pearl of the World” in 1945, remains one of
Steinbeck’s most popular and easier to read pieces. Steinbeck’s work influenced other
American writers including Ernest Hemingway. Steinbeck was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize for
literature.
Get This!
1.
The Pearl
possesses numerous symbols. Be sure to notice and try to figure out the symbolism
of the pearl, the scorpion, and Kino’s canoe.
2. A parable is a story that relates a life lesson, especially one involving morals. As you read,
notice how
The Pearl
creates a type of parable and the lesson it teaches.
3. What do you think
The Pearl
says about the American Dream and its constant drive for more
and more expensive things? How does Kino’s story relate to the American Dream?
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
The Plot
John Steinbeck’s
The Pearl
follows the events that occur to Kino and Juana after Kino finds a
pearl of great value while diving in the ocean. As you read, fill in the boxes for each element of
the novel’s plot.
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
The Characters
John Steinbeck uses several sympathetic and villainous characters to tell his parable of
The
Pearl
. Draw a picture of each character listed. Then describe the importance of each character’s
role in the box beneath each picture.
Kino
Juana
Coyotito
Juan Tomás
The Doctor
The Priest
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
The Setting
John Steinbeck sets
The Pearl
in a small town on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico during the
Colonial Era.
Use the spaces below to describe the setting in the novella. In the first column, type or write
direct quotes from the text—phrases and sentences that are used to show what it’s like
throughout the book. In the second column, explain in your own words what the author is
trying to convey. An example has been completed for you.
Direct Quote Related to Setting
Your Explanation
“Kino awakened in the near dark . . . It was
a morning like other mornings and yet
perfect among mornings.” (Chapter 1)
Kino and his family are very poor and live in a
small hut.
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
Tracking Themes
What does it all mean? . . . What message is John Steinback trying to communicate in
The
Pearl
? The main themes in
The Pearl
are related to greed and the role of fate in one’s life. See if
you can identify and analyze those themes.
Step 1:
What parts of the plot seem related to a possible theme in the novel? (Think about the
main conflict and how it get resolved or worked out.)
Step 2:
Which characters seem related to a possible theme? Which characters change, and
what do those changes suggest about greed and the role of fate?
Step 3:
How does the author use symbols to hint at the novel’s themes? What objects, people,
or places stand for something “bigger” in the story?
Step 4:
What does the novel’s title suggest about the novel’s theme?
Step 5:
Write one or two of the novel’s main themes in your own words.
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
Talk About It
What do you think about
The Pearl
? What lesson do you think the novella intends to teach? Do
you agree or disagree with Kino’s decision to throw the pearl back into the ocean? Why or why
not? In the space below each question, write an answer based on your own experiences and
your own understanding of the novel. Include some textual evidence or examples that helped
you arrive at your answer.
1. Some people read John Steinbeck’s
The Pearl
as a parable, a story intended to teach a lesson.
What lesson do you think the novella intends to teach, and how well do you think it does so?
Textual Evidence or Examples:
2. At the end of the novella, Kino throws the pearl back into the ocean, ostensibly losing it
forever. Do you agree with Kino’s decision to do so? Why or why not?
Textual Evidence or Examples:
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Student Name:
The Pearl
Study Guide
Represent!
Show what you know about
The Pearl
and its relevance to your life. Choose one of these
projects to complete and share with your teacher, classmates, and others.
Choice 1:
The Pearl
Today
While the themes of greed and the role of fate extend across time, the setting of the
The Pearl
is specific to one time and place. Think about how Steinbeck’s novella could be updated for a
modern
‐
day audience. What would most represent greed to today’s world? Where would an
updated story occur? Who would the characters be, and what would they do?
Create a modern
‐
day version of
The Pearl
. You may create a written or a video version. Be sure
to think about how to translate the novella into the present day.
Choice 2: Monologue and Point of View
The Pearl
uses an omniscient point of view which provides a balanced view of the events and
the characters in them.
Create and perform a monologue as Kino or Juana, emphasizing that character’s point of view
of the events in the text. You do not need to use an accent when performing. You may focus on
a particular event in the novella or perform snippets from several different events. Be sure to
write your monologue in the form of a play.