What does the town's reaction to the discovery of the pearl show you about people and the world?

Juana is shown in the beginning to be a wonderful mother and wife; she tries to support Kino in everything. She has a sense that people do not act appropriately and she fears trying to be someone that she and her husband have not been because they are members of the oppressed race. The town reacts as we might expect; those of the white race work to cheat Kino out of what he has rightfully earned. Those of his own race act as downtrodden and poor might - they try to rob him and make him act in a way that is untypical of his day-to-day behavior. Even Kino's reaction is fraught with fear mixed with hope; he wishes to improve the life of his family, but he does not know how to deal with the pearl buyers.