Sunday 28 March 2021

Opportunistic Nature of Human Beings in The Pearl


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.

 

human beings naturally opportunistic pearl


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.

 


 The Doctor is 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.


 In brief, when Kino gets the pearl, all manner of people grow interested in him-people with things to sell and favours to ask. Every man becomes related to Kino's pearl and it goes to everyone’s dreams, schemes, plans, speculations etc. Only Kino stood in their way. Kino's pearl reveals the underlying opportunistic nature of man. The shopkeepers looked at men's clothes that had not sold well and the beggars giggled a little with pleasure “for they knew that there was no alms-giver in the world like a poor man who is suddenly lucky” (p 42)

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.

NEXT : The Pearl Essay Questions & Answers 

Tuesday 2 March 2021

SACRIFICIAL ROLE OF WOMEN IN A DOLL'S HOUSE

 THE SACRIFICIAL ROLE OF WOMEN IN A DOLL’S HOUSE


One of the major issues handled in A Doll’s House is that of the sacrificial role of women in the Victorian society. Self-sacrifice is a virtue and both men and  women can give up their own interests in order to help others. In A Doll’s House, characters like Nora, Mrs. Linde and Anne seem to be concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with their own. Nora’s altruism is evident when she places the needs of her father, her husband and her children before her own. She gives up so many things for the sake of others.


sacrificial role of women in A Doll's House
 

Material comfort

After secretly taking a loan in order to save Torvald’s , life Nora is forced to work painstakingly, with a view of repaying the loan. Since a wife cannot borrow without her husband’s consent (pg 18), she is forced to conceal the fact that she borrowed 250 pounds to facilitate the trip to Italy. She struggles to repay the loan secretly without Torvald's knowledge.

Nora keeps the loan a secret from Torvald to avoid hurting him and to protect his manly independence. She also does it to avoid upsetting their mutual relationship. It would be painful and humiliating for him to know a woman owed him anything. (P 20)

Nora reveals to Mrs. Linde how difficult it has bees to repay the loan

“I can tell you too that this affair has caused me a lot of worry.”

It’s been difficult to meet her engagements punctually. The quarterly interests and payment in installment have always been difficult to manage. She has also had to save some money from her housekeeping money. She sacrifices her material comfort by buying the simplest and cheapest things. All the while, she makes sure Torvald has a good table and her children are smartly dressed.

Apart from saving, she has found other ways of earning money. Last winter, she got a lot of copying to do. She did it every evening until quite late and was desperately tired many a times.

“It’s very difficult to keep an account of a business matter of that kind. Many a time I was at my wits end" (pg. 22)

When she could not think of ways to procure the money Nora would sit and fantasize about some rich old man who could let her inherit all his possessions when he died.

 


Opinions & Desires

Nora also sacrifices her desire and her own opinions in order to please her father and husband or at least to avoid upsetting them. Nora feels that Torvald has never understood her.

“I have been greatly wronged, Torvald first by papa and then by you.” (p 110)

At home Nora’s father told her his opinion about everything and influenced her to have the same opinion. In order to avoid straining their relationship, she would conceal the fact, if she differed with him. To him she was a doll-child to be played with like she played with her dolls. Nora feels that Torvald is no different from him. He arranges everything according to his own taste and Nora is forced to follow suit or else pretend to. She blames the two men for failing to make anything out of her life.

“I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald” (pg. 111)

Torvald even forbids her from her from trifling things like eating macaroons, and so she has to enjoy such pleasures discretely.

Nora sacrifices her own desires and opinions for the sake of her father and her husband Torvald.

 

Self-worth & Respect

Thirdly, Nora also gives up her self-worth and respect when she fraudulently obtains a loan in order to save Torvald's life.

“That trip was to save my husband’s life. I couldn’t give that up.” (pg.40)

Nora thinks the law is foolish since it forbids her from sparing her dying father anxiety and care in order to save her husband’s life. Krogstad opines that the law does not care about motives (pg41)

When Torvald leaves his office job after he marries Nora, he overworks himself and falls dreadfully ill. The doctor says it was necessary for him to go South (pg. 12). Nora tries to get him to go but her efforts prove futile. She tries to coax him that she would love to travel abroad like other young wives; she tries tears and entreaties and even suggests that he raises a loan. He remains obstinately adamant and Nora is forced to borrow money for the trip. (pg. 19)

Nora borrows money from Krogstad on the security of a bond that her father was supposed to have inserted the date on which he signed the paper. Since he was very ill, Nora forged his name with a view of sparing him anxiety since she needed the money badly to save her husband who was in a dangerous condition

Nora finds it impossible to agree that the law is right

“According to it, a woman has no right to spare her old dying father or to save her husband life" (pg. 115)

Nora sacrifices her honour by securing a loan through illicit procedures for the sake of love.

“I did it for love’s sake.” (pg. 42)


Home & Family

Nora makes a major sacrifice by leaving her home and her family in pursuit of self fulfillment. Nora is tired of the repressive environment at Torvald’s home

“There must be perfect freedom on both sides” (pg. 119)

In order to achieve self fulfillment Nora has to try and educate herself.

“I must try and educate myself. You are not the man to help me in that. I must do it myself. And that is why I am going to leave you now” (pg. 112)

Nora says that Torvald doesn’t understand her and she has never understood him either. They have never had serious conversation for the 8 years they have been married. Nora says she has never been happy, only merry (pg. 111). She says their home has been akin to a playroom; and Torvald admits that it’s true and even promises that things will be different. (pg. 112)

Nora discloses that her most sacred duties are the duties to herself. She is no longer content with what most people say or what is found in the books. She does not exactly know what is found in the books. She does not exactly know what religion is. She thinks the law is wrong and that is why she has to make this sacrifice.

“I am going to see if I can make out who is right, the world or I.” (pg. 115)

She says the children are in better hands than hers since she leaves them in Anne’s care (pg. 118)

Torvald Helmer says that no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves, to which Nora replies “it’s a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done” (p 117) 

Nora even contemplates suicide in order to spare Torvald the shame of having to cover up for her by admitting that he is the guilty one. 



Mrs. Linde sacrifices her happiness and reputation with the aim of fulfilling her duties to her family members, her bedridden mother and her young helpless brother. (pg. 14)

"You must not forget that I had a helpless mother and two little brothers” (pg. 86)

Mrs. Linde is proud of what she did for her mother and brothers.


SUMMARY

Nora's sacrifices: 

  • Material comfort
  • Opinion & Desires
  • Self-worth & respect 
  • Home & Family

Mrs. Linde's sacrifices: 

  • Happiness & reputation

SAMPLE QUESTION ON THE SACRIFICIAL ROLE OF NORA 
Self sacrifice must be rewarded. Write an essay to validate this claim basing your illustration on Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House.

Read the full essay on how Nora is portrayed as a selfless character

NEXT: A Doll's House essay questions and answers 


LEAVE A COMMENT: Do you think women are more selfless than men? 

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