In his essay "The Pearl: Realism and
Allegory," Harry Morris discusses how Kino, an Everyman, represents the Indian who comes
from an intellectual, political, theological, and sociological darkness as he begins to
question the institutions that have kept him primitive: medicine, the church, the pearl
industry, the government.
When Kino says, "If I give it
[the pearl] up I shall lose my soul," he is still in the darkness of the sins that
motivate the pearl buyers and the doctor. But, when he throws the pearl away, he
demonstrates that he has learned about good and evil, thus attaining a new spiritual
strength. Kino becomes free when he casts away the pearl that no longer has
significance because his son, for whom he would buy an education, has died. With the
end of the pearl, Kino demonstrates his willingness to accept the death of his child;
furthermore, he proves that he cannot be cheated or destroyed. Thus, the act of
throwing away the pearl is an act of spiritual awakening, a salvation of the soul for
Kino.
No comments:
Post a Comment