The Pearl Family Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

And Kino said, "Oh, my brother, an insult has been put on me that is deeper than my life. For on the beach my canoe is broken, my house is burned, and in the brush a dead man lies. Every escape is cut off. You must hide us, my brother." (5.32)

When Kino can trust no one else, he can still turn to his family for help.

Quote #8

In Kino's ears the Song of the Family was as fierce as a cry. He was immune and terrible, and his song had become a battle cry. They trudged past the burned square where their house had been without even looking at it. They cleared the brush that edged the beach and picked their way down the shore toward the water. And they did not look toward Kino's broken canoe. (6.102)

Just as the Song of the Family changes, so does responsibility to his family. At times the melody is soft, and Kino is expected to be loving and kind. But the fierce melody we see here reflects a second duty: that of a protector.