Is news spreading quickly a positive or negative quality in The Pearl?

The drawback to the gossip is that the family is in danger because everyone wants the pearl.

When we are told that a town is like a colonial animal, this is both a good and bad thing. People all know each other’s troubles, so they can assist as needed. They also know each other’s triumphs. The town gossip mill often means that as soon as something happens, everyone will know it. The gossip is kind...

The drawback to the gossip is that the family is in danger because everyone wants the pearl.

When we are told that a town is like a colonial animal, this is both a good and bad thing. People all know each other’s troubles, so they can assist as needed. They also know each other’s triumphs. The town gossip mill often means that as soon as something happens, everyone will know it. The gossip is kind of like the Twitter feed of yesteryear.

Before Kino and Juana and the other fishers had come to Kino's brush house, the nerves of the town were pulsing and vibrating with the news - Kino had found the Pearl of the World. Before panting little boys could strangle out the words, their mothers knew it. (Ch. 3)

The disadvantage of this is that everyone knows when Kino has the pearl. The pearl is very valuable. Some people are just happy for Kino and his family, and others are just jealous. However, there is the danger that someone will try to steal the pearl. This is what happened to Kino.

The news stirred up something infinitely black and evil in the town; the black distillate was like the scorpion, or like hunger in the smell of food, or like loneliness when love is withheld. The poison sacs of the town began to manufacture venom, and the town swelled and puffed with the pressure of it. (Ch. 3)

Kino and Juana are unaware of the danger that they face until the pearl is almost stolen. Then Kino realizes that the entire family is at risk. He has to kill to protect the family. The pearl-buyers tried to tell him that his pearl was not valuable because it was so big, but in actuality it is still worth a lot. They were just trying to trick him.