Graded Assignment Literary Analysis and Composition II | The Pearl | Lesson 1

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Graded Assignment – LACII The Pearl, Lesson 1

Journal Part 1
The questions in this journal assignment cover Chapters1–3 of The Pearl. You will be prompted to answer these
questions as you work on the lessons covering these chapters. You will need to turn in this assignment after you
complete the lessons covering these chapters. Your answers should be written in complete sentences and include
examples from the text.
(4 points)

1. In the first chapter, readers are introduced to Kino as he faces a very serious situation— Score
the poisoning of his son by a scorpion. Describe Kino’s behavior in this chapter and the
initial impression he makes on readers based on this behavior.
Answer:
When he first woke up it was a good day he was enjoying it. He felt calm and happy until he saw the scorpion. He
started feeling nervous and there was nothing he could do for his son. At the end he was upset and anget
because he had no money to get his son healed.

(4 points)

2. Reread Steinbeck’s initial description of the pearl after Kino opens the large oyster: Score
Kino lifted the flesh, and there it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon. It captured the
light and refined it and gave it back in silver incandescence. It was as large as a
sea-gull’s egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world.
How does this description affect the way readers imagine the pearl? How does this description affect what
readers expect the pearl to mean to Kino, Juana, and Coyotito?
Answer:

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 Graded Assignment Literary Analysis and Composition II | The Pearl | Lesson 1

(4 points)

3. When the priest is not sure that Kino believes what he has said about Kino being named Score
for a great man, he tells Kino, “It is in the books.” Later, the doctor tells Kino that he has the
knowledge necessary to be certain that Coyotito will recover from the scorpion sting, and
Kino realizes that the doctor might be telling the truth. How does Kino feel when these men
suggest that they know things that he does not know? How are Kino’s hopes for his son tied to those
feelings?
Answer:

(3 points)

4. As Chapter 3 draws to a close, Juana begs Kino to get rid of the pearl. She insists that Score
the pearl will destroy their family, including Coyotito. How does Kino react to Juana’s pleas?
Why does he answer Juana as he does? What does this suggest about Kino’s personality?
Answer:

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Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited.