The rifle that Kino desires is a symbol of power and violence. He believes it will grant him respect and safety, but in the tragic irony typical of Steinbeck, the only shot fired in the book kills the very thing he wanted to protect. This irony is the heartbeat of the story. Readers looking to understand literary irony often turn to the pearl pdf. The rifle does not bring freedom; it brings death. It challenges the notion that weapons or force can secure a future, suggesting instead that they only invite more tragedy.