Kino vs. Chris

When faced with life changing struggles, no two people handle problems the exact same way. Kino, from The Pearl, is faced with problems when he finds a giant pearl. The pearl causes strain within his small family. In The Pursuit of Happyness, Chris’s family is divided when they no longer have enough money to live comfortably. Kino and Chris face problems within their family, but the way they handle these conflicts will greatly impact their lives forever.

From the very beginning of The Pearl and The Pursuit of Happyness, it is obvious that there is an abundance of love. Kino starts his days with the “Family Song.” The song represents the love and care he has for his wife and child. It is a song of happiness and joy that radiates from Kino towards his small but beautiful family. Chris also loves his family very much. His love is shown through the interactions between him and his son. He is always playing with Christopher. The love he has for his son can be seen in the way he looks at him. Both Kino and Chris have a love for their family that only a dad could possess.

Although they both love their family, anger can overcome a person very easily when times are tough. Kino has no money, but the pearl could be the thing that saves his family from the trap that society has set up for his people. When the pearl starts to cause problems, his wife wants to get rid of it. Kino and his wife disagree, and he becomes violent. He lashes out at her for trying to help and protect their family. He goes to the extreme when he hits and kicks her. Even when things are at the worst, Chris never hurts his wife. They had their fair share of rough moments, but they were never violent. This shows that Chris has more self-control than Kino. Kino could not control his anger well enough to just walk away to avoid hitting his wife.

Both men care for their family unmeasurably. Kino and Chris just wanted to be able to provide their sons with a better life than they had. Kino wanted his son to be able to go to school and leave the place his family had been for years. Chris wanted his son to be able to go on to do bigger and better things. Chris could only go to highschool. Even though he was the smartest one in his class, he could not go on to college. He wanted his son to have more opportunities than he did. Because of their need to provide for their sons, both men were faced with conflicts. They were both willing to do whatever it took. They didn’t do it for themselves. They did it for their family.

Kino and Chris loved their family deeply, faced conflicts, and their main goal was to provide for their family. Their situations may not have been exactly the same, but it was very clear that family is the most important thing for these men. They were willing to sacrifice everything for their children. Most fathers would agree that no matter what problem or predicament is hurled his way, he will always put his child first.