Someone once said, “Why do we fall? We fall to pick ourselves up.” An ideal example of this is demonstrated in the novella, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. A poor young man, Kino, and his wife, Juana, found a pearl, near the city of La Paz, called “The Pearl of the World” during the story. What thought to be the solution to all of their problems, “The Pearl of the World” quickly became an attraction for greed; as a result, Kino and Juana had to go though many difficulties. Throughout the story Kino’s wisdom, he and his wife’s trust, changed, also these changes have greatly affected the story. Kino and Juana displayed these changes in numerous occasions.

From a headstrong young man, Kino gradually became wiser. When Kino found “The Pearl of the World”, he was determined nothing will get between his family and the opportunities that await them. Instead of helping him, this determination made Kino’s life more dangerous; which led him to make some exceedingly poor judgments. “He heard the rush, got his knife out and lunged at one dark figure and felt his knife go home, and then he was swept to his knees and swept again to the ground.” (pg.59). From this, he learns that on the surface, wealth might look like the solution to all of our problems, but deep down wealth causes selfishness, greed, and evil. “Evil faces peered from it into his eyes, and he saw the light of burning. And in the surface he saw the frantic eyes of the man in the pool. And in the surface he saw Coyotito lying in the little cave with the top of his head shot off.” (pg.89). Normally most of us had trouble learning how to ride our bikes, but every time we fell, we would get up again, a little more aware of what not to do and what we should do. As a result, every time Kino made a mistake, he would come out comes out a little wiser.

As much as Kino and Juana love each other, they didn’t always listen to the other’s advice until it was too late. When Kino and Juana were being pursued by the trackers, Kino said “Juana, I will go on and you will hide. I will lead them into the

mountains, and when they have gone past, you will go north to Loreto or to Santa Rosalia. Then, if I can escape them, I will come to you. It is the only safe way.”(pg.87). Both of them knew this is true, but due to Juana’s self-indulgence, she ignored this and continued to follow him anyways. The most important advice, however, was ignored by Kino “Throw it away, Kino. Let us break it between stones. Let us bury it and forget the place. It has brought evil. Kino, My husband, it will destroy us…. It will destroy us all, even our son.” (pg.56). Time and time again Juana had warned Kino about this but he didn’t listen, as a result his son, Coyotito, died. A lot of the time when people warn you about something it’s usually right, but due to the temptation we do it anyway which, in the end, results in shame and regret. Because Kino and Juana didn’t listen to each other consequently they had to face the death of their only son. Even though Kino and Juana both fell by paying heed to the other’s advice, from their son’s death, they learned to pick themselves up.

In all respects of the book, the adjustments that Kino and Juana made in their lives had a significant effect in the novella. When Kino became wiser, he began to think more about what will happen to the people around him, if he made his decisions “If they kill me, (Juana) lie quietly. And when they are gone away, go to Loreto.”(pg.83). As Kino and Juana started to accept more of each other’s decisions, both were able to get a significant amount of work achieved. “He turned slowly to Juana and held the pearl out to her. She stood beside him, still holding her dead bundle over her shoulder. She looked at the pearl in his hand for a moment and then she looked into Kino’s eyes and said softly, “No, you”” (pg.89). As people began to accept the adjustments that they made in their lives, they don’t often realize how much these changes had helped or obstructed their decisions that they made. Similarly, Kino and Juana don’t realize how much their altered lives had affected them in a significant amount of ways.

During this book Kino and Juana have showcased their numerous adjustments many times. Throughout the novella, Kino’s wisdom, his and Juana’s trust, have greatly affected the story’s plot. With these adjustments, Kino and Juana might be able to accomplish more in their lives. Someday, when they are old, they will be able to pass on their experiences of how they were able to change, thus teaching the next generation, “We fall to pick ourselves up.”