Both of these characters are so unsympathetically portrayed that they function only on a symbolic level. The doctor is the representative of another way of life — a way of life connected with the pearl buyers and with foreign elements. He has no redeeming qualities, and his actions show him to be the most despicable, heartless individual that one could encounter.
The mere mention of his name among the villagers creates an aura of fear and awe. He has never made an appearance in the village. Thus, later when he does come to see Coyotito, it is with utmost suspicion that Kino allows him to see his son.
When we first meet the doctor, it is in a rather decadent setting. He is lounging in a silk robe and is being served chocolate on a silver service amidst lush flowers. He is dreaming of a woman with whom he once lived in Paris. Everything about him suggests a person who over-indulges himself and cares nothing about the welfare of anyone else. For example, the contrast between Kino's simple breakfast and the opulence of the doctor's breakfast is one more parallel to contrast the two human beings.
