In literature, conflict is usually necessary to create suspense and excitement. There are many different types of conflict that occur in the novel, The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Two particular types of conflict that occurred were person vs. culture, and person vs. person. .
A major type of conflict that arose in the novel, The Pearl was person vs. culture. Kino vs. his culture is an important conflict that occurred. Before Kino found the pearl he lead a peaceful life and lived in harmony with his family and by his culture. Kino and the people of his culture weren't materialistic and only had things they could not survive without. Nor did they long for anything else. However, when Kino found the pearl of the world he went against his culture and all his morals and beliefs. He began dreaming and wanting things he never even imagined for him and his family. Suddenly money and material items began to matter as appose to before. This is clearly shown in this passage:.
"In the pearl he saw how they were dressed- Juana in a shawl stiff with newness and a new skirt and from under the long skirt Kino could see that she wore shoes. I was in the pearl- the picture glowing there. He himself was dressed in new white clothes, and he carried a new hat-not of straw but in fine black felt- and he too wore shoes- not sandals but shoes that laced. But Coyotito- he was the one- he wore a blue sailor suit from the U.S and a little yachting cap such as Kino had seen once when a pleasure boat put into the estuary. All of these things Kino saw in lucent pearl and he sad "we will have new clothes".".
The conflict of Kino vs. his culture is resolved when Kino finally throws the pearl back to the water and let it go. This is because he is no longer a rich man and can no longer have the materialistic things he was dreaming of. Once this happened, Kino and Juana went back to their culture and tried to live life the way it was before the pearl disrupted their lives.
