Mansoor Ahmad

Roll No 12
Section B

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The Theme of Nature and Supernature.

“The Pearl” is , indeed , a big deal to deal with the multifaceted and diverge
themes __including the relation with nature and supernatural elements
explained in either implicit or explicit way.
Natural elements often serve to instigate crucial plot-points. The nature, firstly,
hooting with the poverty-stricken family that leads a life of impoverishment and
in sense stupid, senseless, worthless, spiteful, ailing, horrid ( in relation to
modernistic and capitalist view ) despite it is content and serene one. “Kino
heard the little splash of morning waves on the beach” glimmers the obliquitous
tranquillity in the greed-free and relatively stable life .Moreover the natural
elements in the parable often served as safe haven for the Kino and his family as
they are provided with short term protection against trackers while they are
being chased. In contrast , sometimes they are at the verge of extreme
wretchedness as the “ Scorpion” bite the infant Coyotito by the same natural
elements. And throughout the novella, Kino is described as being, like his
ancestors, intimately connected with nature. He is said to have “the deep
participation with all things, the gift he had from his people. He heard every
little sound of the gathering night, the sleepy complaint of settling birds…and
the simple hiss of distance” indicating the extreme enactment with the nature.
“Kino could feel the blown sand against his ankles and he was glad, for he knew
there would be no tracks……” ,once more , indicates that he gets favour from
the natural elements as well . Though powerful, however, nature’s force is
essentially neutral, despite the meaning that mankind, here Kino and Juana,
confer upon it. As described above, the Pearl in itself is worthless—a mere
cement-wrapped grain of sand—but, in the course of the novel, it represents for
Kino and Juana first prosperity and hope, and then evil and despair. In
attributing the pearl such meaning, Kino drifts away from his practice of “deep
participation with all things” and into a system of valuation that is not his own,
and that ultimately ends up backfiring. Finally, ridding himself of the pearl and
all of the significance it’s been overlaid with, Kino is free to return to his truly
meaningful, ancestral relationship with nature. Steinbeck through “The Pearl of
the World” perceptibly conveys the relation of human being with the nature and
how it is stirred up by third party ( in this case is the pearl).

“Thus it might be that the people of the Gulf trust things of the spirit and things
of the imagination” , giving the parable a spark of supernatural entities that
linger inside the minds of the people . It reveals, though, that the people of the
peninsula have superstitions and belief in the existence of spirits although the
overall notion of the novella contradicts with it as it denies fate, faith, religion
and mere approves of ‘chance’ and arbitrariness. Morever, the pearl is often
personified as having an evil influence, corrupting Kino and the
townspeople. However, this evil can be interpreted as a manifestation of Kino's
own greed and paranoia, amplified by the power of the pearl. “The Song of
Evil” arises as reaction to disturbing the nature-current of life by erupting greed
and avarice in Kino and townspeople . Stienbeck indirectly reveals the
influence of the supernatural elements on Kino’s misfortune as “ Some ancient
thing stirred in Kino” and “Some ancient thing out of the past of his people was
alive in him” these ancient things could be interpreted as ghosts and
superstitions( and the influence of evil in the universal order) as he moves
‘cautious and wary and dangerous’. Kino has several dreams throughout the
novella that can be interpreted as premonitions or messages from a higher
power. These dreams serve as warnings and foreshadow the challenges and
dangers that lie ahead for Kino and his family. In all , the parable has its root in
the ‘evil’ and is used as motif along the course of the actions. The plot-line and
storytelling is implicitly affected by the supernatural influences of the unreal
order. Moreover, in the plot it could be fathomable that ‘evil’ and supernatural
entities also influence the psychology of the Kino as he lost his mind by
‘hitting’ Juana when she tries to chuck the Pearl to the Ocean. Nevertheless, the
cupid and greedy nature of man is more responsible for such erratic behaviour.

In the novella there is transformation of natural element and supernatural

elements . The finding of a pearls could be seen as bestowment of God –as a
natural element and turning out an evil—a supernatural element. Thus the plot
intertwined both. Coyotes, dogs, and vultures take on symbolic roles, often
associated with death and misfortune. These creatures blur the lines between the
natural and the supernatural, adding an ominous layer to the narrative. As Kino
becomes consumed by the pearl's influence, his connection to the natural world
seems to diminish. He loses his connection to the ocean, and even his
relationship with Juana suffers. This transformation further emphasizes the
destructive power of the pearl and its ability to sever one's bond with nature.
Hence the novella exhibit the blend of both elements.
In conclusion, the Steinbeck reveals the very nature of human beings and
relation of nature to human beings throughout the plot. Precisely, Natural
entities enforce Kino and Juana while at the other hand supernatural elements ,
acting as a premonition, and tampering of character.