Summary Novel

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The story told about Kino, who was a fishemen of pearl who lived in a small hut on
the beach near La Paz, with his wife Juana and their son Coyotito. One day, like in the others
morning, Kino woke up from his slept, then Kino and Juana did their activity like usual in the
morning. Their son, Coyotito was sleeping in a hanging box. Their life was calm and peaceful
until something happened to Coyotito in that morning. A scorpion stung their beloved son at
that moment. Looked at that, quickly Juana lifted her son whose screamed in pain because of
the sting of the scorpion. Then, she quickly sucks that sting on the shoulders of her little boy.
While Kino, with angry caught the scorpion that had hurt his son, then he grasped and
squeezed it hardly with both of his hands, so that the animal was destroyed. With panic, Juana
and Kino needed help from a doctor to treat their baby. But it feels like a strange desire for
them, because in their neighborhood, there have never known about doctor. Usually, they just
utilize the natural surroundings or traditional medicine to treat something.
Immediately they run from their hut with the baby that carried by Juana, and they was
followed by their neighbor who wanted to know what will be done by the doctor to ordinary
people like them. They run from their village to the doctors house. After a moment, they
arrived at the doctor's house, who was arrogant, greedy and bad. The doctor knew from where
Kino and Juana came from. So, he sent his servants to extrude Kino and his wife because he
suspected that they would not be able to pay the cost of treatment. Knowing this, Kino felt so
humiliated by the service of the doctor and he reacted with a punch on to the gate of the
doctors house, till the blood flows from the fingers of his hand. Then they back home.
After they arrived in the village, Kino and Juana were still holding her baby walked
toward the canoe (small boat) usually used by the angler to work for find pearls or fish. Kino
was pedaling his canoe into the sea and hoping that he would get a pearl quite a lot so he can
pay the doctors to treat his son. Arrived at the sea, Kino came down from the boat to dive to
the bottom looking for pearls, while Juana waited in the canoe and she bandaged Coyotito
with potions of leaves. While Kino dive among the rocks and coral, he saw a very large oyster
lying alone covered by sand and sea plants. Then he picked it up and put it on a canoe. Then
with shakily he opened those oysters, while his wife hold their breath when the oysters are
opened. After it opened, they saw a pearl that is very large and beautiful that they had never
seen before.

Kino shout loudly, so that the other fishermen heard. In short, the news about the
discovery of a 'huge and beautiful pearl' by Kino also spread to the village even to the city.
Everybody looks like they take a part in that discovery. The pastors of the Church think about
Coyotitos baptism in church. Traders think about selling his wares to Kino, and beggars think
about the charity that they would get from Kino. Kino also always dreamed about what he
will do later on from the money that he will get when he sold this beautiful pearl. Then, when
the doctor heard the news about this pearl, he said that he would handle Coyotito wounds.
Interested with Kinos pearl, a pastor of a church near the village come to the Kinos
house. The presence of this pastor made Kino felt worry. The pastor reminded Kino that he
should donate some money to the church. Afterward, it was a doctor came to him and said that
he will treat Coyotito. The doctor said that the condition of Coyotito would become in danger
if his did not get any medicine. Finally, Kino let the doctor treating his son. Then, before he
left the Kinos house, he has warned Kino to pay for medical after he has having money. After
the doctor go back, Kino took the pearl and buried it underground of the cabin, then he went
to have sleep.
At that night, suddenly Kino heard a noise in the bushes outside his hut. Then he came
out with a dagger in his hand. In short, there was a fight between Kino and unknown person.
After that, Kino went back into the hut and told his wife. Then Juana told Kino, that to left the
pearl so that their life will be save. But Kino stubborn that he will sell that pearl. The next day,
Kino went to the town to sell the pearl. Again, Kino followed by all of his neighbors, because
they want to see how much the pearl was. In the city, the first buyer, bid Kinos pearl at a very
low price. Another buyer also bid Kinos pearl at the same low price, like they had conspired
beforehand. Heard about it, Kino became angry and he will not give that pearl to those buyers.
He would go out from that town to sell it and bring back the pearl home. Once again, when it
was night, Kino attacked by unknown person and at that time Kino must kill the attacker. The
next day in early morning, Kino and Juana with Coyotito hurried went to the canoe to leave
out the town. Arrived at the beach, Kino saw his canoe had been tampered. Then they returned
to their hut and Kino saw their hut already in flames. Finally they went to Kinos brothers
named Juan Tomas to have shelter. When it was late at night, Kino, Juana and Coyotito walk
down at the beach headed out of town. They decided to find a way that has never been
bypassed by people to avoid people who want his pearl.
Then they arrived at forest and they took a rest there. When Juana was asleep, Kino
saw that there are three people follow him. Knowing that they continue their journey to the
mountain and have a rest in a cave on the hill. Again, Kino saw that three people, and this

time they were very close from his hiding place. Then, Kino planned to attack those three men
and left Juana and Coyotito in the cave to be safe. At that time, Juana did not approve it. But
he had no other choice, by kill those people so they could go safely. Finally, Kino left his wife
and child. He sneaked among the shrubs towards the resting place of those three men. When
Kino want to slammed his knife into the body one of them, suddenly it heard sound of cries
from the top of the cave. Heard that, one of the three men with guns standing with rifles ready
in their hands. The crying sounds stopped, and the man riflemen lowered the weapon. Then
that sound came again and this time the man immediately fired his rifle to the crying sound.
Along with Juanas cried and screamed of death of Coyotito, Kino quickly attacked those
three men. Then there was fight between Kino and those three man.
In short, Kino had killed them, though with a uncertain feeling. After that, in hurry he
went to cave where Juana stayed. Sadness and anger were in the cave. Then they went back to
La Paz with sadness and regretless. Along the way, everyone seemed silent from what have
they seen. Kino and Juana just kept going, passed their ex huts that had been flattened, passed
their canoes were already half submerged, they walked without looking slightest. Their eyes
straight and empty, looking to the beach. Then, after they arrived at the beach, Kino took his
pearl. He held it tightly, held it up, and threw it far out to the sea. They looked at the pearl was
floated in the air, then fell into the sea and disappeared from their view. For them, now all that
remained was sadness, disappointment and sorrow.