THE PEARL

STUDY GUIDE

CHAPTER 1

1. Where is the setting of the story?

2. Who are the characters met in the first chapter?

3. When does the story begin?

4. What happened to the baby Coyotito, this morning that was different?

5. What did Juana do?

6. Juana asks Kino to get the doctor. Why is this so unusual?

7. Does Kino go for the Doctor?

8. What do the people in the brush-huts do when Kino and Juana go to the
doctor?

9. Who are the best informed people of the town? Why do they follow Juana and
Kino?

10. Where does Kino hesitate at the Doctor’s door?

11. Where does the Doctor wish that he was?

12. What is this answer when the servant tells the doctor that Kino and Juana and
their small baby are there?

13. What question does the doctor ask his servant about Kino?

14. Did Kino have any money?

15. What is Kino’s reaction to this?

16. Why did the beggars and the people depart?

 THE PEARL

STUDY GUIDE
CHAPTER 2

1. Describe the boats Kino’s people use to go pearling in?

2. Where are the brush huts located?

3. What is the one thing of value that Kino owns? Where did he get it? Why is it
so important?

4. What does Juana do for the baby?

5. Is this a good remedy? Why then does Juana worry?

6. Where are Juana and Kino going?

7. What is the pearl and how is it made?

8. Who has become wealthy and powerful because of these pearls and pearl-
divers? What does he do with his wealth?

9. How do the men get pearls and oysters? What do these words suggest?

10. How long can Kino stay down when he dives?

11. What does Kino find? How does Kino react?

12. What does the finding of the pearl seem to do for Coyotito?
 THE PEARL
STUDY GUIDE

CHAPTER 3

1. How does finding of the great pearl affect other people?

2. Why is Kino now every man’s enemy?

3. What does Kino see as he looks into the pearl?

4. What is the difference between men and animals?

5. How do the neighbors view Kino?

6. Who came to the brush-hut that evening?

7. What song comes into Kino’s mind as the priest enters?

8. Who next comes into Kino’s hut?

9. Why does Kino allow the doctor to treat the baby when he is almost well?

10. What does the doctor give Coyotito? When does the doctor day the poison of
the scorpion will attack?

11. Where does Kino hide the pearl? How is he acting?

12. What happens in one hour?

13. When the doctor returns, what does he say about Coyotito? What question
does he ask about the pearl?
14. Why does he act as though he knows nothing about the pearl?

15. Between the doctor’s first and second visits, what does the description of the
animal life tell us about the doctor and his treatment of Kino?

16. Is there any evidence Coyotito has recovered before the doctor came?

17. Do you think the doctor poisons Coyotito?

18. When everyone has gone, what bothers Kino?

19. Where does he now put the pearl?

20. Kino awakens. What does he hear?

21. Who has sent the intruder to steal Kino’s pearl?

22. What does Juana tell Kino about the pearl?

23. What does Kino answer?

25. What is the meaning of the pearl at the end of chapter 3?

 THE PEARL
STUDY GUIDE

CHAPTER 4
1. What does everyone know in the town of La Paz this morning? Who
especially is interested?

2. How many pearl buyers are there?

3. What did the neighbors say they would do if they had the pearl?

4. How would time be measure in the village from now on?

5. Does the priest perform marriages and baptize children among the people of
the brush huts?

6. Who follows Kino and Juana to the pearl buyers?

7. What had Kino’s people tried to do in the old days? What happened? What
did the priest tell them?

8. What sermon does the priest give once every year?

9. The pearl buyer who practices legerdemain does what when he sees Kino’s
pearl? What does this signify?

10. What does the pearl buyer offer? What does Kino think is it worth?

11. Does Kino sell his pearl?

12. What does Steinbeck mean when he says, “Kino had lost one world and had
not gained another?”

13. What does Juan Thomas, Kino’s brother tell him?

14. How long can Kino expect his friends to help him according to Juan Thomas?

15. Kino feels something is awaiting him outside his hut this night? What
happened?

16. Again, Juana asks Kino to do what?

17. What does Kino answer?

 THE PEARL
STUDY GUIDE

CHSPTER 5

1. What does Juana do with the pearl during the night? What did Kino do? What
kind of action is this?

2. How does Kino feel about striking Juana?

3. On Kino’s way back to his hut, what happened?

4. What does Juana find as she returns up the path to her brush hut after being
beaten by Kino?

5. Why doesn’t Juana throw the pearl into the sea?

6. Kino finds a hole in his boat. Why does this enrage him?

7. What decision does Kino come to now that they cannot go by sea?

8. What happens to their brush hut?

9. Who did Kino and Juana in his hut and told false information about their
whereabouts? Should his neighbors have helped him?

10. What does Kino tell his brother the pearl has become to him?
 THE PEARL
STUDY GUIDE
CHAPTER 6
1. Where does Steinbeck say Kino and Juana are going?

2. How is Kino again like an animal at this point as they leave the brush hut?

3. What happens that is lucky for Kino?

4. As Kino looks into his pearl, what does he now see?

5. Kino dreams and awakens. He is uneasy, restless. When he returns to the road,
what does he find?

6. Kino says, “perhaps I should let them take me.” Who goads him into action
again?

7. Where do they flee now?

8. Do animals do as Kino is doing?

9. As Kino’s situation worsens does Steinbeck description of nature parallel his

condition?

10. What is Kino’s idea for Juana and Coyotito? Does she agree?

11. Where do they now go?

12. Do the trackers come to the pool of water also?

13. Kino makes a decision. What is it?

14. What draws the rifleman’s attention as Kino prepares to attack? What does
the rifleman do? What does Kino do?