In John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, Kino is a poor pearl diver living in the city of La Paz with his wife, Juana, and his son, Coyotito. Their lucks shifts when Kino finds a large pearl believed to be of great value. Following his finding of the pearl, Kino changes character dramatically, altering his family’s lives forever. Kino’s wife, Juana, tells Kino that the pearl is evil and that it is responsible for the misfortunes following Kino’s discovery of pearl. Kino or the pearl is responsible for the sudden change in Kino’s character. Kino’s own actions brought the sudden change to the lives of his family, not the pearl.

            Kino’s planned for impossible things, and became greedy after he . Kino decides to buy “a rifle-but why not, since he was so rich” (25). Kino thinks that he will be a rich man, and he stated his probable wealth as a fact. This is why it destroys Kino when he finds out that he will not be a rich man after he sells his pearl. Kino also planned that his “son will go to school” (26). Kino’s people didn’t go to school. Kino dreamed to have his son be the first to get an education. Instead, the pearl buyers are not willing to pay very much for Kino’s pearl and Kino’s dreams are shattered. This resulted in Kino’s greed for money to fulfill his dream of his son in school.

            Kino grew attached to his pearl out of greed, and became unable to let it go. “In the pearl Kino saw himself and Juana squatting by the little fire in the brush house while Coyotito read from a great book. ‘This is what the pearl will do’, said Kino” (26). Kino dreams about Coyotito’s education and the pearl that would pay for the education enters Kino’s thoughts, constantly reminding him of it as Kino grows to feel a need for the pearl. “’This pearl has become my soul’ said Kino. ‘If I give it up I shall lose my soul’” (67). Kino changes to become a fearsome protector of the pearl that he believes is a part of him. Even after he has lost his brush house and his canoe, he will still not let go of his dream of getting married, having a rifle, and educating Coyotito.

            Kino greatly fears losing his pearl, and stubbornly keep hold of his dreams. Kino said, “I will fight this thing. I will win over it…we will have our chance…no one shall take our good fortune from us” (37). Kino changes character to become he is afraid of losing the pearl. He believes that the pearl will bring them wealth and fulfill his dreams, and believes that the people around him are trying to take his dreams from him. Kino and his family become victim to Kino’s struggles to carry out his dreams. “Our son must learn to read, he [Kino] cried frantically” (71). Kino fears losing his pearl; for his dreams of getting married, getting a rifle, and Coyotito receiving an education that he had planned and wished would not come true. He was no longer content, but was greedy and frantic for his dreams.

            Kino is responsible for the dramatic change in character of himself, his family, and their perception of the world around them.