Skip to main content

THE PEARL: LISTENING TO ADVICE

 

“When one fails to heed advice, they suffer.” With illustrations from John Steibeck’s The Pearl, write an essay to validate the above statement.

Sometimes it is important to heed advice from those around us. Even though we may think that we are right, the advice given may go a long way in helping us. According to the play, The Pearl, Kino did not heed to the advice of others and this led to disastrous outcome.

Kino comes out as a proud masculine man. It is for this reason that Kino does not want to listen to his wife. When Juana proffers an advice, Kino does not give it so much thought. He assures her that he is a man and he knows what he is doing. For instance, Juana observes that the Pearl they had found from the sea will bring evil to their family. While Kino can see the evil lurking in the darkness, he does not want to let go of his treasure.

Juan Thomas seems to know Kino well. As an elder brother, he keenly walks Kino into the history of their people and how they had been robbed blind by the pearl buyers and those whom they had sent to find better prices elsewhere. In this respect, Juan is cautioning his brother against taking drastic measures. Nevertheless, the thoughtless Kino refuses to take the price he had initially been offered for the pearl.

In his anger Kino forgot all the advice he had been given in the church and those of his brother. He is adamant. He decides to travel north and sell his pearl for better prices. The refusal to sell his pearl attracts attention to Kino and his family. He is attacked and kills a man trying to protect the pearl.

Having killed a man, Kino had nowhere to hide but emigrate. Together with his wife and son; Coyotito, Kino starts his journey northwards. As they are the most wanted people, Kino and family travel at night. In spite of this, they are followed.

In order to protect his family from the pursuers, Kino requests Juana to go ahead with Coyotito and the pearl while he deals with his enemies. Juana refuses. Shielded by night, Kino attacks his assailants killing them all. During the fight a stray bullet kills Coyotito.

The events leading to the death of Coyotito include Juana’s refusal to listen to Kino on two matters: running away to the city where the two will reunite and staying in the cave until when Kino came back. Had Juana listened to her husband, Coyotito would have been alive.

It is therefore important to listen to people who give us advice. We may never know how invaluable that advice may be in our lives.   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POSITIVE ASPECTS OF NASILIAN CULTURE IN BLOSSOMS OF THE SAVANNAH

SOME ASPECTS OF CULTURE ARE BENEFICIAL AND OUGHT TO BE MAINTAINED. USING EXAMPLES FROM THE NOVEL, BLOSSOMS OF THE SAVANNAH, WRITE A COMPOSITION TO ILLUSTRATE THE TRUTH OF THE STATEMENT Culture defines our identity and social relationships within a certain setup. Sometimes, some cultural aspects come off as bad while others can be looked at as good. However, culture only becomes bad when compared to another that seems superior. Many African communities found themselves at crossroads when the ‘superior’ European culture was thrown down their gullets. Nevertheless, many African cultures have grown into what they are today while some have retained what can be perceived as negative cultural practices. In the book Blossoms of the Savannah, H.R Kulet presents a boiling pot of cultural confusion within the Maa community specifically the people of Nasila. As we can see, some of the Nasilian cultural practices can be beneficial to the wellbeing of society and, therefore, should be maintaine
22 comments
Read more

NEGATIVE CULTURAL PRACTICES AMONG THE PEOPLE OF NASILA IN BLOSSOMS OF THE SAVANNAH

The book Blossoms of the Savannah explores both the positive and negative cultural practices. H. R Kulet describes intimately those cultural practices he believes are best and on the other hand, lets us in on some of the cultural practices he believe were injurious. Interestingly, the negative cultural practices are aimed at women. The most poignant cultural practice that negatively affects women is Female genital mutilation. Although according to Parmuat, the practice was started by women to resist the evil Ilarinkoi, it continued to cause wanton pain and torture on women. Taiyo and Resian are determined to fight it. Resian manages to evade the brutal practice however Taiyo barely makes it having been forcibly cut. FGM is a global menace affecting millions of women in Africa and Asia. Although its benefits are only anthropological, its effects are very damning and could lead to death.  Second among the negative Nasilian culture is early marriage. Resian still has goals to fu
34 comments
Read more

THE THEME OF INHERITANCE IN THE PLAY INHERITANCE BY DAVID MULWA

Inheritance refers to what is left by the deceased to the family in material wealth or sometimes power. However, the word could have diverse meanings when applied to works of literature. In this respect, David Mulwa looks at inheritance in various ways. The play revolves around a three decades old Kutula under its new leadership. Having achieved independence from colonial masters, Kutula is now governed by Lacuna Kasoo-the son of pre-independence King Kutula XV. Lacuna ascended to power after the death of his father. Although the King has adopted Princess Sangoi as his successor, he dies mysteriously thus handing the power to the greedy, self-centred Lacuna. As it were, Lacuna conspired with the colonial masters to assassinate his father King Kutula XV. Having assumed power with the help of colonial masters, Lacuna runs the government under the influence of Kutula’s former imperialists. He receives hefty loans aimed at ‘developing’ the country. However, the loans are meant to make Kutu
5 comments
Read more