A healthy society can’t exist without fairness and equality. Fairness and equality must exist in all aspects of life: skin color, sexual orientation, religion, and culture. In the book “The Pearl”, there is an intangible rule between men and women who were living in the town. The rule of men and women is an important part of the novel. Kino and Juana followed this rule. This rule has three main elements and all of them treat women unequally. Kino and Juana show us that the rule of men and women is unfair by their job division, human rights, and status.

    In the book “The Pearl”, the first element of the rule is that men’s job is outside, women’s job is inside. Men and women have a very clear division. On page 20 “Juana went to the water and waded in. She gathered some seaweed and mad a flat damp poultice of it, and this she applied to the baby’s swollen shoulder, which was as good remedy as any and probably better than the doctor could have done”, show Juana known how to take care of family but Kino didn’t. So that housework and take care of the baby is what women should do and that is women’s job. On page22, “Kino moved cautiously so that the water would not be obscured with mud or sand. He hooked his foot in the loop on his rock and his hands worked quickly, tearing the oysters loose, some singly, others in clusters. He laid them in his basket. In some places the oysters clung to one another so that they came free in lumps.” This clearly shows men of the town were responsible earn money and protect family. When baby was poisoned by scorpion, Kino had no idea about that, it shows Kino didn’t know how to do housework or manage the family things, but what Kino knows is how to earn money and food to support his family. Both of these two examples show us that men’s job is protect and support family, women’s job is take care of families. They have a very clear division of jobs in the book.

    In the novel “The Pearl”, the second elements of the rule is women should obedient men’s opinion. On page 74, “‘Kino,’ she said huskily, ‘I am afraid. A man could be killed. Let us throw the pearl back into the sea.’ ‘Hush,’ he said fiercely. ‘I am a man. Hush.’ And she was silent, for his voice was command.” These sentences show the rule of men and women that women should obey men. Juana worried about her family might been in danger, then she tried to convince Kino throw the pearl back in to sea, but Kino didn’t, he said “hush” and “I am a man” shows Kino wanted to keep the pearl, though his family will took the risk of death. Finally, Juana was obedient for Kino, although she known that will attracted a lot of danger. On page 77 “Although she might be puzzled by these differences between man and woman, she knew them and accept them and needed them.” After Kino beaten Juana, she didn’t be anger or annoyed, but accepted with that. Juana was doing what she thought was right, Kino was doing so, but why Juana should accepted with Kino and do nothing with the beaten. The reason should be the rule of men and women, if a woman who leave her man then she can’t service in this town so they must obey men whatever he is right or not. When something happened about danger, women had to obey with men. Maybe women was right, but things would not be effected by women, because it is the rule, women must obey men.

    Men have higher status than women. On page 77 “Although she might be puzzled by these differences between man and woman, she knew them and accept them and needed them.” In the book “The Pearl”, Juana was beaten by her husband but still forgave and obey with him. This event shows the whole system of the town was unfair to women, because nowadays, if a husband who beats his wife, people will blame him and call this “Family Violence”. Why Juana forgave Kino? The reason is she thought it is her fault, because she knew that the pearl is Kino’s job, she intervened it, so Kino bit her is reasonable. On page 50 “‘it will destroy us all,’ Juana cried. ‘Even our son.’ ‘Hush,’ said Kino ‘Do not speak any more. In the morning we will sell the pearl, and then the evil will be gone, and only the good remain. Now hush, my wife.’”, and on page 74, “‘Kino,’ she said huskily, ‘I am afraid. A man could be killed. Let us throw the pearl back into the sea.’ ‘Hush,’ he said fiercely.” These two paragraph shows the rule is unfair to women by women didn’t have rights to make and follow their own decision. In the book “The Pearl”, Juana was afraid about her family will be destroyed, so she tried to convince Kino through the pearl for twice. They didn’t have a discussion about that, in fact, though they discuss it, Kino still have the last word in any discussion. In a normal society, there should be no reason with a man beats woman. However, Juana thought Kino beats her is reasonable and she forgave him. It clearly shows Juana is living in an unequal society with male chauvinism.

    Juana was beaten by Kino. Juana must obey Kino and agree with his opinion. Juana can’t do any outside jobs and must only take care of the home and their baby. All of these show how unfair and unequal things were to women. The rule of the town was male chauvinism. In Kino’s town the job division, human rights and status place men with all the power. While today we would criticize this town as backward, there are still many places just like Kino’s town throughout the world where people discriminate or even victimize women. Kino’s town has an unequal rule for women, but in reality this place is not exiguous.