Symbolism in the Novel

What we learn about the pearl's symbolism from the reactions it evokes is that it is starting to symbolise nervousness, loss of confidence, and a feeling of worry and suspicion. In Kino the pearl brought out loss of confidence and defensiveness because when the pearl buyers were looking at Kino's pearl they were criticizing, which made Kino become offensive because he thought the pearl was worth much more than the suggested it was. In Juana the pearl is brought out worry and suspicion because when suddenly several bad things started happening to Kino and the rest of the family, she started becoming worried about her family and suspicious of the pearl and thinking of it as an evil thing instead of a great thing that happened to her family. In the family's neighbors the pearl brought out a bit of jealousy and a lot of interest and also some suspicion because the neighbors were always talking about the pearl what they would do if they had found it and hoping the pearl doesn't destroy the families good natured ways. In the doctor the pearl brought out only greed because the doctor only treated the family so good because of their sudden wealth. In the priest the pearl brought out disapproval because he did not want Kino and his brother to have an agent bring the pearl to the capital and only take his share of the profit because that method of getting more money out of the pearl is against religion. And last, in the townspeople the pearl brought out much curiosity and wonder of what the family will do with all the money they might get from the pearl. The pearl also brought out worry for the family because the townspeople were worried that the pearl might destroy the family's good natured ways.