Critics on some of the characters in John Steinbeck's "The Pearl"

Essay by Anonymous UserHigh School, 10th gradeA+, January 1995

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its an okay wrighting for John steinbeck's the pearl Excelant Idea ... Very Creative

Essay: The Pearl:

I chose to write my essay on the profound amount of selfishness and greed displayed by some of the characters in The Pearl.

The person who I feel is the most selfish is the doctor. After the baby, Coyotito, is stung by the scorpion and Kino takes him to the doctor, the doctor refuses to treat Coyotito because they don't have any money. The doctor makes the statement to his servant, 'Has he any money? No, they never have any money. I, I alone in the world am supposed to work for nothing- and I am tired of it.' The doctor is refusing to spend a few seconds of his time to look at the baby's wound, which he knows could be fatal, simply because they cannot pay him immediately.

The doctor shows his selfishness again, after learning that Kino has found a large pearl.

When the doctor sees that Coyotito is improving, he says to Kino, 'Sometimes, my friend, the scorpion sting has a curious effect. There will be apparent improvement, and then without warning - pouf!' Then he poisons Coyotito and tells Kino he will return in an hour. When the doctor returns he gives Coyotito the anecdote and then asks when he will get paid.

The next show of greed comes from the dealer that Kino was going to sell the pearl to. The dealer tells Kino that his pearl is large and clumsy, and that no one would buy it. Then he offers Kino one thousand pesos, but Kino knows that the pearl is worth fifty thousand pesos. When Kino doesn't agree to sell the pearl for a thousand pesos the dealer tells his servant to go find...