Opportunistic Nature of Humans in The Pearl
In The Pearl, some characters are naturally opportunistic. They take unfair, unprincipled advantage of opportunities for selfish ends. These exploitative characters include the priest, the doctor, the dealers and the trackers. The shopkeepers and the beggars also hope to benefit from Kino's pearl but their aspirations are rather low-key.
The Priest is opportunistic
He gets wind of Kino's pearl when walking in his garden. He only thinks of certain repairs necessary to the church, and about the pearl's worth. He also wonders whether he had baptized Kino’s baby Coyotito or married him. He is not really interested in helping Kino but hopes to benefit from his pearl. (pg 41)
When he visits Kino, he tells him that he is named after a great man and a great Father of the church. “Thy namesake tamed the desert and sweetened the minds of thy people.” He takes advantage of Kino's ignorance by saying, “It is in the books.” Kino hopes that after Coyotito is educated he would discern what things were in the books and what things were not. (pg 47-48)
The priest refers to Kino's pearl as a great fortune. He is astonished by the size and the beauty of the pearl. He reminds Kino to give thanks “to Him who has given thee this treasure” (pg 48)
One wonders why he never visited before Kino found the pearl. He is clearly opportunistic.
When the news of Kino's pearl comes to the doctor, his avaricious, opportunistic nature is exposed. He says about Kino, “He is a client of mine; I am treating his child for a scorpion sting” (pg 41-42). The doctor sees himself sitting in a restaurant in Paris about to enjoy a bottle of wine.
It is surprising that he says Kino is his client since earlier he had refused to attend to his son Coyotito. The doctor knew that Kino has no money. The doctor's servant dismissed Kino saying the doctor was called out to a serious case (pg 28).
As a matter of fact, the doctor never comes to the brushwood houses. He prefers taking care of the rich people who live in stone and plaster houses of the town. (pg 23)
The doctor visits Kino planning to exploit him for his pearl. He claims he was not in when Kino came in the morning. When Kino tells him that the baby is nearly well now, he claims that the scorpion sting has a curious effect-he scares Kino when he says it could lead to a withered leg, blind eye or a crumpled back. He claims the poison has gone inside and would strike soon. He also shows Kino Coyotito's eye which is a little blue. Kino wallows in confusion and bewilderment. Like the priest, the doctor takes advantage of his ignorance (pg 50-52)
The doctor goes as far as poisoning Coyotito with a view of fully exploiting Kino for his pearl. An hour after he gives the baby a white power, Coyotito becomes very sick. His face is flushed, his throat works, a thick drool of saliva issues from his lips and he vomits and writhes in his mother's arms (pg 52) (pg 54)
When the news of the baby's illness spreads, some of the brushwood dwellers remark, “Luck, you see, brings bitter friends” (pg 55)
Pretending to cure the baby, the doctor administers 3 drops of ammonia. The baby splutters and screeches (cries loudly from extreme pain or fear) under the treatment. All along, Kino is suspicious of the doctor, his bag and the bottle of white powder. (pg 55)
When the baby falls asleep after vomiting relentlessly, the doctor asks about payment for the treatment, acting oblivious of Kino's pearl. He acts surprised when Kino mentions the pearl but offers to help him keep it safely. He suggests that it might be stolen before Kino could sell it. Suspiciously, someone tries to steal Kino's pearl later that night. (pg 58-59)
The doctor is not only opportunistic but also callously avaricious.
The Dealers are opportunistic
These are the men who bought pearls from the fishermen. They strived to buy the pearls at the lowest price a fisherman could stand. There was only one buyer who kept many agents to create a semblance of competition. The dealers had aspirations of taking over from their patron and needed capital to do it. Kino's pearl could provide the perfect opportunity. (pg 42-43)
There was one pearl buyer with many hands. His agents already knew what price they would offer, how high they would bid, and what method each one would use. A pearl dealer's greatest joy is buying pearls at the lowest prices. (pg 64)
Juan Tomas, Kino's brother cautions him to be careful to see the pearl buyers do not cheat him. (pg 67)
The pearl buyers know about the beauty and loveliness of Kino's pearl and they wait eagerly for his arrival. When Kino arrives, he first meets a stout slow man whose appearance is deceptive. He appears fatherly and benign and his eyes twinkle with friendship. He is a jolly man who knows all jokes but could also remember the death of your aunt and offer a seemingly sincere sorrowful condolence. Like the doctor, he is scheming and opportunistic. He appears unaware of Kino's pearl yet he had connived with other dealers on how to cheat Kino out of his precious pearl. (pg 69-70)
When Kino tells him that he has a pearl, he says, “We will value it and give you the best price” but was planning to exploit him.
He says Kino's pearl is akin to fool's gold-it is too large and only a curiosity. He adds that it may be taken to a museum as a collection of sea-shells since it is large and clumsy. He offers a measly one thousand pesos. Kino says his pearl is worth fifty thousand (p 72).
Kino regards the buyers as wolves and vultures (pg 73)
The first dealer is dry and stringy. He calls the pearl a monstrosity and refuses to make an offer.
The second dealer is a little man with a shy voice. He examines the pearl and laughs. He says better pearls are made of paste and Kino's is soft and chalky and would lose its colour and die in a few months.
The third dealer says one of his clients likes “such things” and could buy it for six hundred. He offers five hundred pesos.
The man behind the desk sticks to his first offer of one thousand but later revises it to fifteen hundred when Kino says, “I am cheated. My pearl is not for sale here.” (pg 74-75)
That evening after the ordeal at the pearl buyers' offices, Kino's neighbours discuss. Some think Kino is a brave man who could profit from his courage while others feel he is a pig-headed fool who let a great opportunity slide through his fingers
They conclude that had the dealers discussed before Kino's arrival, they have been cheated all their lives (pg 74-75)
The Trackers are opportunistic
The trackers are inland hunters and Kino knows they are hunting him (pg 100). When Kino leaves La Paz with a view of selling his pearl, he is pursued by three trackers, two on foot and one on a horseback. When Kino recognizes them, a chill of fear goes through him.
Kino grows helpless and hopeless. Juana knows that the
trackers would take the pearl and kill her family. When Kino suggests that he
capitulates and let them take him, she asks, “Do you think they would take you back alive to say they had stolen
it?”
Kino plans to kill the trackers and save his family. Eventually, he manages to kill them but not before Coyotito is shot dead by the tracker with a rifle. The opportunistic trackers do not profit from Kino's pearl.
John Steinbeck submits that humans are naturally opportunistic. However, people that take advantage of situations in order to benefit themselves without thinking whether their actions are right or wrong rarely succeed.
Do you know any opportunistic individuals? Tell us in the comments.
