The Pearl Chapter 2 Quiz and Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What are three details about the town that allow you to make inferences about the lifestyle of the villagers?

Canoes - village located on beach, villagers spend time in water, make their living on water (food, pearls); Hungry animals searching for food - food is scarce, don't have resources to care for animals, no pets; Illusion vs. Reality - they don't travel because they think life everywhere is like theirs, they know no different.

What object of great value does Kino have? Who gave it to him? From where? Why is it valuable?

Kino has a canoe given to him by his grandfather, who brought it from Nayarit. It is valuable because it has been passed down from generations and is used to get food by fishing and to earn money by hunting for pearls.

How are pearls created by oysters?

When a grain of sand ends up in the folds of muscle and irritates the flesh, the flesh coats the grain with a layer of smooth cement.

Describe how Kino searched for pearls.

<ol> <li>Starts in canoe 2. Ties one rope to basket and one rope to a heavy stone 3. Jumps out of canoe with the rock tied to his ankle 4. Quickly tears the oysters loose and places them in his basket 5. When done looking, removes rock and floats to the top of the water so he can get in the canoe 6. Opens oysters - no pearl - throws back into water.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

Why do Kino's people sing songs? Give an example of a song and tell why it was sung.

They sing to bring strength in bad times and joy in good times, and they sang about everything that ever happened or existed. For example, they sang about 'the pearl that might be' in the hope that one oyster placed in the basket would contain a pearl. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Kino want to save one particular oyster to open last?

He thinks he might have seen something in the shell that appeared to be a pearl. He doesn't want to force the luck away by wanting the pearl too much and knows it could have just been a reflection, so he doesn't want to get too excited. Signup and view all the answers

After Kino finds the great pearl, what happens to Coyotito?

The swelling in Coyotito's shoulder starts to go away and the poison was also reducing. Juana sees this as a miracle. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Town Lifestyle and Environment

Canoes indicate the village is coastal; fishing and pearl diving are primary livelihoods.
Scarcity of food highlighted by hungry animals; villagers lack resources for pets, reflecting economic struggle.
Illusion versus reality: villagers don't travel, believing life elsewhere mirrors their own, limiting their worldview.

Kino's Valuable Canoe

Kino possesses a canoe inherited from his grandfather, originally brought from Nayarit.
Canoe's significance lies in its generational legacy and its role in food gathering and pearl hunting, essential for the family's survival.

Creation of Pearls

Pearls form when sand irritates an oyster's flesh; the oyster coats the irritant with layers of nacre, resulting in a smooth pearl.

Kino's Pearl Diving Technique

Begins with a canoe, securing a basket with ropes to a heavy stone.
Jumps overboard with the rock tied to his ankle, allowing him to stay underwater.
Collects oysters quickly, storing them in the basket before floating back up once finished.
Opens oysters; if no pearl is found, the oyster is discarded.

Significance of Songs in Kino's Culture

Songs represent both hope and strength, sung in times of struggle or joy, reflecting the villagers' emotional states.
An example includes "the pearl that might be," expressing hope for a valuable find in the basket.

Kino's Superstitious Beliefs

Kino decides to save one particular oyster for last, believing he glimpsed something pearl-like.
He refrains from excessive optimism to preserve luck, aware that it may be merely a reflection.

Transformation of Coyotito

After Kino's discovery of the great pearl, Coyotito's shoulder swelling diminishes.
Juana perceives this improvement as a miracle, hinting at the intersection of hope and spiritual beliefs in their lives.

Description

Test your understanding of Chapter 2 of 'The Pearl' by John Steinbeck. Explore the details about the town and the villagers' lifestyle through thought-provoking questions. This quiz will help reinforce key themes and ideas presented in the chapter.