Billy Wang

11/9/10
PD 4 English

Argument Essay
The quote “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”- Henry Miller is
portrayed in The Hobbit and The Pearl. This quote is an important statement in both books because it
shows how the characters change throughout their adventures through the book. In the Hobbit, Bilbo
discovers a new person within himself when and after he goes on his adventure to take back the
treasure stolen by Smaug. In The Pearl Kino finds his soul changed and changed again due to the
mysterious and unusual pearl that was found in the sea. Nevertheless, this quote: “One’s destination is
never a place, but a new way of seeing things” is a quote that describes the actions that have occurred
quite well.

In The Hobbit, there are many examples that support the previous quote, proving that this
quote is fits both or at least one of these books really well. One example is when it says “They could not
find Bilbo with the ring on, slipping in and out of the shadow of the trees, running quick and quiet, and
keeping out of the sun.” (Tolkien Pg. 90) From this, I can conclude that Bilbo has taken on being an
adventurer whether he likes it or not, since he had just escaped from the hiding place of the goblins.
Also, Mr. Baggins had just escaped from Gollum, who he cleverly tricked. This shows Mr. Baggins
improvement in deception, showing that he is becoming more and more of an action-seeker, instead of
one who just stays home and does nothing. Another example was showed by this quote: “The dwarves
looked at him with quite a new respect...” (Tolkien Pg. 94) shows that Bilbo has transformed into a
different person since when Bilbo first met the dwarves, the dwarves abhorred and almost despised
Bilbo. Back then, Bilbo was a good for nothing weakling, that just tagged along and did almost nothing.
Now, after all that Bilbo had done for them, fighting off spiders and goblins, saving their lives, finding the
opening to Smaug’s cave, this has all proved Bilbo to be a formidable ally. Through this, Bilbo has gained
new respect through the people who once looked upon him with disdain. In addition, Bilbo says “The
coward who flushed out Smaug? The coward who saved you time and time again? The coward who
always went forward while you cringed behind?” In this quote Bilbo is talking about himself. This shows
a great change of character throughout the story. In the beginning, Bilbo was a quiet, relaxed hobbit
who liked to eat cakes and smoke his pipe. Now, he has completed courageous feats, and defeated
countless merciless villains. He has seen new things by going on his adventure, which has deeply
changed the person he once was.
Billy Wang
11/9/10
PD 4 English

In The Pearl, there are many examples that prove the quote “Ones destination is never a place,
but a new way of seeing things”. The Pearl is a book about a man named Kino who finds an
exceptionally large and magnificent pearl. He is currently a poor deep sea diver, who hopes to sell the
pearl to become rich. Unfortunately, he believes that the buyers are trying to cheat him out of his pearl.
The book is mainly about Kino and the adventures and hardships he goes through because of the pearl,
and how the pearl alters him in the story. One instance that displays this was right after he found the
pearl. The quote “My son will read and open the books . . . he will know and through him we will know. .
. . This is what the pearl will do”. (Steinbeck Pg. 22)This quote shows the future that Kino is wishing of
having. He is hoping that with this mystical pearl, his son will be allowed to go to school, a privilege that
he and his wife did not have. This is more important, because it provides their son, Coyotito with a
greater opportunity of success in the future than them. Along with that, Kino also hopes to have a
“proper marriage in the church” (Steinbeck Pg. 22) with his wife, and “new clothing for the family”
(Steinbeck Pg. 22). In the scene, where Kino is depicted “Grabbing the pearl from her, he punches her in
the face and kicks her in the side when she falls down”,(Steinbeck Page 58) shows that Kino has truly
changed from the first time he found the pearl. Since then, the buyers of the pearl have tried to cheat
Kino, which have angered him. From then, he has been enraged and feels that everyone is out to steal
his pearl. When he sees Juana trying to dispose of the pearl, he attacks her mercilessly and takes the
pearl. This man is the same man who cared so much for his family, and would be so nice to not hurt a
thing, but somehow he has transformed into a monster. Right after this, Juana goes back to the house
and “Juana spies two dark figures lying in the road and recognizes one of them as Kino.” (Steinbeck Page
60) Kino has just killed a man. He used his knife and dug it into the flesh of the other being. This is even
more severe as before, showing that he has descended even lower into the depths of demonic injustice.
At the end of the book, Kino felt that the pearl was causing more harm than good and had an epiphany
that the pearl was committing evil to him and his family. In result, “Kino stops and pulls the pearl from
his pocket. Holding it up to the light, he stares into it carefully, and a flood of evil memories washes over
him. Kino holds the pearl out in front of him, and then flings it out into the ocean.” (Steinbeck Page 89)
As Kino thrusts the pearl into the sea, it signifies throwing all the evil memories away and letting them
all drift lost in the sea. In the end, Kino realizes that the pearl was a horrific curse that brought despair
and tragedy upon him, and throughout his journey, discovered that “One must be grateful for what one
has, and not wish for wants that are not needed”.

In both books, the quote “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”
affected the two characters. It turned Bilbo Baggins from a composed being into a courageous and
outgoing creature. It also turned, kind Kino to a ravenous beast, then back to his old self at the end. For
both characters, they have experienced something that has opened their eyes and made them realize or
discover something that they have never have ever thought of, which has brought them great wisdom.
Billy Wang
11/9/10
PD 4 English

References

Works Cited

Steinbeck, John. The Pearl. Illus. Jose Clemente Orozoco. N.p.: The Viking Press & William Heineman,

1947. Print.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Hobbit. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. N.p.: Del Rey Books, 1956.

Print.

“They could not find Bilbo with the ring on, slipping in and out of the shadow of the trees, running quick
and quiet, and keeping out of the sun.” (Tolkien Pg. 90)

“The dwarves looked at him with quite a new respect...” (Tolkien Pg. 94)

“My son will read and open the books . . . he will know and through him we will know. . . . This is what
the pearl will do”. (Steinbeck Pg. 22)

“Kino stops and pulls the pearl from his pocket. Holding it up to the light, he stares into it carefully, and a
flood of evil memories washes over him. Kino holds the pearl out in front of him, and then flings it out
into the ocean.” (Steinbeck Page 89