Many authors use literary devices in order to enhance their writing.For example, Sophoclean Irony is a literary device in which the reader thinks something will turn out well, but it turns out badly instead.This device is used skillfully throughout The Pearl by John Steinbeck.This novel is about a Mexican Indian named Kino who finds a very valuable pearl.He wants to buy things for his family, but tragedy occurs instead.The author uses Sophoclean Irony to help convey his theme that greed leads to tragedy.
First of all, one example of Sophoclean Irony is that Kino expects a good price for his pearl, but instead the buyers try to cheat him.Kino found a great pearl and was expecting a lot of money for it.He wanted to buy many things for his family.As he tried to sell the buyers he tried to sell to all made up excuses why he should not get the right amount of money he wanted.Such as one of the buyers said it was to big that it had to be fake.Others just said it was fake because they wanted to make a profit off of Kino's pearl. This happened because of the greed of the buyers.
Another example ofSophoclean Irony is that Kino expects to use the pearl to show his love for Juana, his wife, but instead it weakens their relationship.Kino wants a wedding with his wife from the moneyhe gets from the pearl.For example, he describes her clothes for the wedding “Juana in a shawl stiff with newness and a new skirt ,andfrom under the long skirt Kino could see that she wore shoes.”(34)Kino also wants the wedding because it would mean so much to Juana to be married in their church.However,instead the pearl causes Kino to abuse his wife, whom he loved so much.Juana tried to throw the pearl in the water because she does not like what the pearl as done to Kino.As Juana tries to throw the pearl in the water Kino hits her knocking her to the ground.This shows that the pearl has weakened their relationship.
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