As the protagonist, Kino plays the part of a tragic hero: His bravery and love for his family are admirable, but his obsession with the pearl leads him to a devastating outcome. Physically, Kino is “young and strong,” with dark hair and “warm and fierce and bright” eyes that suggest his impulsive (7), passionate nature. As the priest reminds him, Kino is named after a European priest—presumably Eusebio Kino, who, among other things, demonstrated that Baja California is a peninsula, not an island. Like his namesake, Kino tries to navigate Baja California on land after his canoe is broken, but he finds the territory to be just as restrictive as an island would be so long as he holds onto the pearl.

Kino’s transformation through the narrative involves a journey from innocence to experience. As the story opens, Kino leads a peaceful, happy life with his family within a supportive community. As his early morning vigil demonstrates, he is connected with nature. The one blot upon his happiness involves the influence of the nearby city, with its exploitative settlers. When Kino discovers the pearl, he naively thinks that it offers him an escape and a solution to this problem.