...Katie, the five-year-old in her family's tomb, is one of the most complex characters in Mexican playwright Elena Garro's 1957 short piece A Solid Home (Un Hogar Solido). Katie seems torn between longing for the living world she left so young and being confident that her future "solid home" is the mixing of her elements into other forms – Garro's theory of the afterlife. Although scholar James Mandrell states flatly, "Garro makes obvious the impossibility of escape from the determinants of existence in the time that is history" (233), Katie struggles against her history and future home. Garro may have had similar concerns. In 1937, she went with her new husband, Octavio Paz, to the Spanish Revolution, then returned to Mexico, moved to Berkeley, then San Francisco, New York City, Paris, and Tokyo before returning to Mexico, where the government forced her to undergo naturalization (Greenwald, Schultz, & Pomo, "Elena" 773). Following all these moves, while talking to her cousin at a bar in Mexico City, Garro noted, "What I need is a solid home" (qtd. in Greenwald, Schultz, & Pomo, "A Solid" 774). After so few solid homes, Garro wrote a play exploring that topic for her famous husband in a mere half hour (Greenwald, Schultz, & Pomo, "A Solid" 774). Like Garro, Katie had perhaps more homes than she wanted. Katie's contradictory, childlike character is both sadly angry about missing life by dying young and cynically amused by realities about death that she has learned. ...
Words: 1121 - Pages: 5
...On the other hand, fulfilling the customer’s expectation may be based on their complaints, customer complaints can be an opportunities for school to improve their quality. Effectively dealing with these complaints cannot only appease the unhappy customer but also build loyalty in the eye of happy customers and make them fearless to share their feelings. However, in fact, there are a lot of unhappy students don't dare give their complaints for the program, partly because they think the complaints will not be met, the other part is because they feel shy to share the view with the teacher or the admin staff. I found that an existing regularly complaints is the ITP program does not have many extracurricular activities associated with local program at the Banking Academy; this creates a lack of dynamism as well as lack of soft skills for ITP students. On the other hand, a study noted that ‘employers prefer soft skills rather than technical knowledge in graduates they are recruiting’ (bbc.com, 2014) . In detail, according to a member of International Connection Club (ICC), there are only about 10 students in a total of 160 ITP students of the course F06 (about 6.25%) who participated in the ICC, a club whose mission is to connect ITP student with other faculties in the school through extracurricular activities. The reasons why students do not participate in the clubs are that they do not get much encouragement from the school and have to spend too much time for the assignments. Thereby...
Words: 301 - Pages: 2
...The documentary film Murderball, which also refers to as wheelchair or quadriplegic rugby, is a fast-track, physical contact sport by quadriplegic athletes who utilize an indoor court to play the game. Participants in this game use a broad range of functional impairment in all four limbs play which includes both offensive and defensive roles. The film is a documentary, music video, sports entertainment and narrative hybrid that traces the rivalry between the United States and Canadian teams in international competition, interspersed with stories of the athletes’ everyday lives and personal relationships. Released by MTV movies and ThinkFilm, subsidiaries of the giant MTV media conglomerate, Murderball is one of the highest-grossing documentary...
Words: 299 - Pages: 2
...from the others. It is the way people from the same culture identify and communicate with each other. Therefore, when you do not understand other people from different parts of the world, it can make you feel very lonely. This is what Pat Mora is trying to say in his poem “Elena”, a Mexican mother who is being portray as feeling lonely in the United States. In Pat Mora poem “Elena” he writes, “My Spanish isn’t enough. I remember how Id smile listening to my little ones, understanding every word they’d say, their jokes, their song, their plots” (1-5). The first line, “my Spanish isn’t enough” is very important because it let me knows the problem is about communication. The word, “enough” makes me understand...
Words: 685 - Pages: 3
...Literary devices in a story can really bring out its themes and the point that the author is trying to get across. John Steinbeck’s novel The Pearl is abounding with literary devices that are used to show greed. Greed had a very important role in this novel. The main character, Kino, had found what he called ‘the pearl of the world’ and was overcome with greed because of this relic. Kino originally wanted to use this pearl’s wealth to heal his son, Coyotito, who was stung by a scorpion. However, it wasn’t just Kino that was overcome with the power of the pearl-some characters in the book felt its pull indirectly. This novel shows symbolism, foreshadowing, and character reactions to the power of the pearl. Symbolism in this novel is extremely prevalent. The author uses different, seemingly unrelated sentences in the story to show how you can use symbolism to show an emotion, such as greed. One of these examples shows ants in Kino’s brush house. “The ants were busy on the ground, big black ones with shiny bodies, and little dusty quick ants. Kino watched with the detachment of God while a dusty ant frantically tried to escape the sand trap an ant lion had dug for him.” (Steinbeck, 8). This shows not only the lives of the ants and how they are different, but it shows how the lives of the ants are similar to those of the brush and plaster house people. The little ants are the brush house people, trying to go their own way and mind their own business. However, the large ants, shown...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
...Introducere In Dictionarul enciclopedic, imaginea de sine apare ca „expresia concretizata a modului in care se vede o persoana oarecare sau se reprezinta pe sine, ca trairea aspectului unificator de coeziune a personalitatii”. Imaginea de sine este contaminata de dorinte dar si de modul in care evalueaza ceilalti persoana respectiva si de identitatea traita.Este vorba cu alte cuvinte de „felul cum se percepe individul, ce crede el despre sine, ce loc isi atribuie in raporturile cu ceilalti”. Adica, imagine de sine este rezultatul unui proces de autoevaluare a personalitatii si reprezinta „totalitatea cerintelor, reprezentarilor, ideilor individului despre propria sa personalitate” Trăim sub imperiul imaginii, acest concept se impune din ce în ce mai mult în viaţa noastră şi nu doar ca imagine concretă, intuitivă, ci şi ca imagine mentală, reprezentare despre ceva sau cineva. Imaginea personala, putem spune, sta la temelia intregii noastre personalitati. in raport cu ea, experientele noastre tind sa se adevereasca si sa intareasca propria imagine, ducand astfel la un cerc vicios. Toate actiunile si sentimentele noastre sunt in concordanta cu imaginea noastra personala desi in ultimii ani oamenii si in principal personalitatile,incearca sa-si creeze o alta imagine,una pozitiva pentru a atrage simpatia publicului,considerand ca mult mai importanta este,,interfaţa’’ cu lumea, ceea ce arătăm în afara noastră şi nu cea ce există cu adevărat, conţinutul...
Words: 5167 - Pages: 21
...In his novel, The Pearl, John Steinbeck uses characterization to develop the idea that greed is a destructive force. A second example of destructive greed in The Pearl is the character of the doctor. First, during the procession led by Kino towards the doctor’s house, as they pass by the church and the beggars, John gives insight to the beggars’ knowledge of the whole town, “They knew his [the doctor] ignorance, his cruelty, his avarice, his sins. They knew his clumsy abortions and the little brown pennies he gave sparingly for alms,” (9). The beggars describe the doctor; his greed and cruelty, how he cares not for the well-being of his patients, but for how much money he can make and keep from them. The patients having the abortions lives’...
Words: 337 - Pages: 2
...Theme Art Explanation One of the themes of the pearl is greed that corrupts the minds of people and makes them want more and greed is a corruptive influence. The doctor, the priest, and the people envy for the pearl’s wealth and want things from the wealth of the pearl. The pearl’s wealth changes the good people to become greedy for wanting money and wealth from the pearl. The picture shown shows the greediness of the doctor, the priest, Kino, and one of the townspeople and how the wealth of the pearl made them want to take it from Kino, become richer and have more wealth. Greed corrupted the minds of the people in La Paz, from them becoming envious of the pearl to trying to take the pearl from Kino. The theme of the pearl is the greediness...
Words: 482 - Pages: 2
...In The Pearl by John Steinbeck, the pearl diver Kino’s son is stung by a poisonous scorpion. Given their last chance, Kino and his wife, Juana, go pearl diving, and discover the “Pearl of the World”, which gives them hope and security, but while also giving them greed and danger. One of the many themes in this book are the struggle between good and evil. This struggle is shown by Kino looking into the pearl for the future, Kino’s “self-defense” killing rampage, and Juana’s chance to throw the pearl away. In the beginning of the book, when Kino finds the “Pearl of the World”, Kino’s brother, Juan Tomas, asks Kino what he shall do with the pearl when he cashes it in. Kino gazes into the pearls and responds, “We will be married”(24). Kino then imagines him, Juana, and their infant son, Coyotito in their new, white clothes praying on the altar. Then, Kino looks into the pearl some more and imagines his family with all new clothes, a new harpoon, a rifle, and that Coyotito will go to school. As soon as Kino realizes all that he can have now with his money, almost everyone in his village starts turning on him and tries to steal the pearl for their own. At the very end of the book, when Kino and Juana are walking back to the village after hiding on the mountain, Kino gazes into the pearl for the last time. He describes its surface as “gray and ulcerous”(89) in comparison of describing it as “perfect as the moon”(19). He looks into the pearl and sees the dead man in the pool...
Words: 868 - Pages: 4
...The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a great book that depicts how greed can corrupt a man. The Pearl is best known for its surplus of imagery and symbolism. One example of symbolism Steinbeck incorporated in the book is Kino’s boat. Kino’s boat can be seen as a symbol for family. His family was all pearl divers and the boat had been passed down from generation to generation. The songs that Kino hears are also symbols. They symbolize what is going around him. For example, when Kino first sees the pearl in its shell, he hears the Song of the Pearl That Might Be, also, when the doctor enters Kino’s home, he hears the Song of Evil. Another example of symbolism Steinbeck included is the pearl itself. When Kino first finds the pearl, it is seen as...
Words: 274 - Pages: 2
... The Pearl Literary Analysis In 1947 John Steinbeck wrote a novel, “The Pearl”, about exposing social injustices practiced on a poor indigenous community of pearl divers in La paz Mexico. John used the pearl as multiple motifs to make the theme during the book. The indigenous pearl divers of La Paz would never break out of poverty, even when they find a big beautiful pearl.The reason is that the people who live in the town would never allow it by stealing, tracking, and even killing. This book is exposing it secretly with the pearl representing something different throughout the book. In the beginning of the book the pearl represents hope and opportunity. The quote is “On the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams from” (19). The quote means that with the pearl they could do things that they only thought of in their dreams. The pearl represents something else, which is evil. Everything that the family thought would be so good went downhill very fast. “He felt cloth, struck at it with his knife and missed, and struck again and felt his knife go through cloth” (37). Kino, the main character, is attacking someone trying to steal the pearl in the middle of the night. After all the evil there was still more bad things, but it wasn't evil, it was anger and refusal. “I am cheated, Kino cried fiercely, my pearl is not for sale here” (37). Kino is rejecting the pearl buyers because they are trying to scam him so, he got angry and left. At this part of the book Kino is avoiding...
Words: 477 - Pages: 2
...Have you ever wished for something valuable, to get you out of a difficult situation? Yet, when you have it, you wish you never wished for it in the first place? Well, The Pearl written by John Steinbeck is a parable, a story that teaches a moral lesson. The focus of this novel is on a poor Indian family. The family consists of three members: Kino, a husband, father, and fisherman, Juana, his wife and loving mother; and Coyotito their infant son. This indigent family lives in a small brush hut along the Gulf of Mexico by the town of La Paz. One day a scorpion bites Coyotito; a scorpion sting can be deadly to a baby. Kino and Juana are very worried over the health of their baby; therefore, they hope to find a pearl worthy enough for the doctor’s payment to the doctor to treat Coyotito. With luck on their side, Kino finds a pearl the size of a seagull’s egg; he calls it “The Pearl of the World.” This novel like others is centered on a major theme; the theme of a literary work is defined as the main idea, concern or purpose about life that the author wants to convey to his or her reader. John Steinbeck in his novel The Pearl reveals the vital theme of Kino and his family’s struggle with greed and ambitious, meanwhile they had already had everything they needed it. Yet illustrates the readers a valuable lesson the character learn thought out the struggles Kino and Juana go through. Thanks to their desire on materials, they never needed in the first place. This major theme of...
Words: 951 - Pages: 4
...Drew Forbes English 1 Honors 12/30/14 Theme Essay The Pearl Theme "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck is said to have many themes or lessons to it, but which was the main/most important one? I think the main theme in the book is greed. Kino defended his pearl from those who wanted it, killed people just so he can keep it safe, he also started thinking/acting differently because of the pearl. Lastly Kino's greed led him to kill his son, the one who he had many hopes and dreams for because of the pearl. An example of greed in the story is when people desire for the pearl was too great that they attempted to steal Kino's pearl but Kino defended it with his life, "But Juana's hand came creeping over to him in warning, and then the sound came again! the whisper of a foot on dry earth and the scratch of fingers in the soil" (Steinbeck 37). He also killed just to keep the pearl safe even though all of those around him told him it has brought evil, "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" (Steinbeck 59). Kino also stated how he has become every single man’s enemy, “Every man suddenly became related to Kino’s pearl, and Kino’s pearl went into the dreams, the spectacles, the schemes, the plans, the futures, the wished, the needs, the lusts, the hungers, of everyone, and only one person stood in the way and that was Kino, so that he became curiously every man’s enemy”...
Words: 740 - Pages: 3
...What drives Kino? Is it family? Greed? Pride? Fear? Make a case for one answer and provide references from the novel to back your position up. John Steinbeck, in his book “The Pearl”, showed us the history of Kino’s family. They faced a hard situation in which his son was stung by a scorpion and they didn’t have money to pay a doctor. Then, they found a big pearl and they would try to sell that to get money. In my opinion, this is the moment in which the history started to become hard for the Kino’s family because the feeling of greed and ambition drove Kino. After Kino finds the pearl, he just think in get a lot of money selling that. He also wishes in stay in a good financial situation. A passage that describes this is when Kino says “We will have new clothes” and “A rifle, perhaps a rifle”. The ambitions guide the man for always want more and more. Kino didn’t accept the low price that dealers offered, maybe he could take that money and pay a doctor for Coyotito but he didn’t, he was just thinking in money. Another factor that drove Kino was the greed for wealth. In the story, he did everything to don’t lose the pearl, until kill people. Before he gets the pearl, there was a family feeling, but after just a wish for materials goods. A passage that describes this is when the Kino’s wife, Juana, says “This thing is evil…This pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us”. I think the moral of the history is that wealth is benignant for human; however is...
Words: 313 - Pages: 2
...The Pearl’s Lessons In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, there are a ton of life lessons. There are so many examples of life lessons it’s hard to pick one. Because of the many uses of life lessons, this novel has been named a parable. The main lessons I took away from this novel are money causes problems, people are more important than objects no matter how much “more valuable” the object is than the person, and listen to the people closest to you. In this novel the only reason people read it was because money caused Juana and Kino problems. Money was wrecking Kino’s relationship with Juana and Kino's brother Juan Tomas. The Pearl is a lot like Lord of the Rings in the sense that you have this object and people will do anything for it and the...
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
