The Pearl Women

Women’s niche in society has evolved and morphed over time. Juana’s role changed throughout Jonathan Steinbeck’s The Pearl as her life and the people surrounding her shifted. Juana filled three main positions throughout The Pearl: as a mother, wife, and finally becoming an equal. Events in her life helped her to transition from role to role. The biggest role Juana executed is to help shape the views created by other characters. The Pearl is a reflection of the dynamic between a husband and wife, how events in someone’s life can inspire alterations, as well as how one character can help form views about another. How would someone feel not being an equal in a partnership? For instance, in Jonathan Steinbeck’s The Pearl, “When
When Juana has her son, Coyotito, her role in her marriage changes. Now, not only is she responsible for the upkeep of Kino and herself, but also her son. In the order of hierarchy, Juana moves down another notch. In that time, circumstances might have been different if she had a daughter. However, since males are held in a higher regard than females, Juana becomes her own last priority. While having her son influenced her one way, losing him swings her back to the other end of the pendulum. When Coyotito is killed, it changes Juana and Kino in a way not shown previously in the story. Instead of accepting being regarded as less than Kino, Juana makes her voice heard. For example, Juana eventually tells Kino no, and stands by her word. When Steinbeck says, “He looked then for weakness in her face, for fear or irresolution, and there was none.”(Steinbeck 78) he shows the transition Juana has made. She went from being beneath Kino to being able to express her opinion and be understood. By accepting her decision, Kino demonstrates how he has evolved as
Steinbeck uses positioning to show another transformation in their relationship in regards to Juana’s role when he says, “The two came from the rutted country road into the city, and they were not walking in single file, Kino ahead and Juana behind, as usual, but side by side.” ( Steinbeck 88) Walking beside Kino, shows that Juana is no longer his follower. Instead she has become his equal. She change her husband has made in accepting her as someone he can look to as opposed to looking down upon. Changes in Juana’s demeanor forced her husband to accept her as an equal