In the novel “East ofela Eden,” the author John Steinbeck uses a biblical reference forshadowing the fate of each charicter. Notably, the reacurring names that starts with “A” and “C”, referring to Cain and Abel from the bible, the sons of Adam and Eve. Additionallt, Cain out of spite kills Abel because God accepts Abel’s offering rather than Cains. In the novel the charicters who are sinful have names that begin with C-Caleb, Cathy, Charles, and Cyrus and the “good” charicaters have names start start with A such as Adam, Aron, and Abra. Furthermore the relationship bewteen Cain and Abel is quite similar to Charles and Adam becuase Charles once tries to kill Adam.
In the novel, East of Eden by John Steinbeck, rhetorical devices are used to illustrate the characters throughout the book to be either be good or evil by the usage of diction, connotation and denotation as well as other rhetorical devices. By using rhetorical devices it allows the audience to gain a better deeper comprehension of the book. The rhetorical devices allow Steinbeck to describe the characteristics of each character to define them as either good or evil which allows the reader to analyze the parallels between one another. In addition, rhetorical devices for example metaphor, tone, diction, simile, imagery, analogy, allegory, and paradox contribute to the author’s style which creates an image for readers to comprehend. Steinbeck uses word choice, tone, anaphora to highlight the juxtaposition between Cathy Ames and Abra Bacon to illustrate how evil and goodness change the perspective about their inherent point.
Throughout Lee’s interactions with characters in the novel, his personality develops and progresses in a way that highlights him coming to terms with his inner struggles, and adapting to the way he presents himself. The novel’s undertones of the evils of racism are practically unprecedented in mainstream classic American literature, making East of Eden revolutionary. Many of Steinbeck’s criticisms of American racism still hold today, with communities being alienated and having to code switch constantly. Better understanding the racism prevalent in East of Eden will foster a better understanding of prejudice still harbored in today’s
The second part, chapter 22, of East of Eden by John Steinbeck is most notable for the naming ceremony that takes place; which marks a significant change in the character of Adam and the relationship between him and his twin boys. This plays upon popular themes within the book; the plight of man, paternal relationships, and the relationship between brothers. Up until this point, Adams twins remain nameless and Adam is caught in a spiral of depression. By the (somewhat violent) hands of Samuel, Adam is convinced to change this and discuss possible names for the twins among Samuel and Lee. When Cathy left Adam “saw the world through gray water” (Steinbeck 252).
It is far better to know, to see than to be blind. Yet, ignorance is bliss right? In East of Eden, John Steinbeck explores the attributes that result from personal blindness, compared to personal awareness. Written in 1951, East of Eden is jam packed with examples of these two conditions. However, none illustrated in more depth than in the characters of Cal and Aron.
Steinbeck describes Cathy from her early childhood. He writes that she was always a strange and fascinating child. She was born as an only child to the Ames family. She was always a liar, but not like many other children lie, her lies “were not innocent” and, unlike others, “she never forgot her lies” (East of Eden 98). She also at a very young age learnt the power of sexuality and there was one incident, when she is ten years old, in which she locks herself and ties herself in the barn with two fourteen year old boys.
From a young age, Steinbeck had encountered many hardships. Based off a few of his hardships, he created his novel East of Eden. It is told through the eyes of Olivia Hamilton’s son, who is as everyone comes to realize, John Steinbeck himself. Through Steinbeck’s experiences, the reader learns about two generations who deal with evil goodness within their families.
East of Eden, by John Steinbeck, reflects the complexities in father/son relationships. The connection between a father and his son is vital to their development. The novel explores the impact of these relations is immense. The central allusion of the novel is comparing several characters to Cain and Abel, who were formed through their attempted relationship with their father-like figure, God. They struggled and vied for the attention, love, and respect of God, which subconsciously influenced their actions and thoughts.
East of Eden is considered by its author, John Steinbeck, as his masterpiece, a culmination of all his previous writings. The novel details the lives and interactions of the members of two families: the Trasks and the Hamiltons. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck uses characters and setting to convey the theme of good versus evil. In John Steinbeck: An Introduction and Interpretation, Fontenrose argues that the reader of East of Eden is “never clear about the relation of good to evil in this novel” (Fontenrose) because the theme of good and evil is presented inconsistently. Fontenrose is correct in his assertion that good and evil are not portrayed consistently in East of Eden, but Steinbeck’s purpose for this inconsistent presentation is to
Once upon a time, there were a set of twins born into a corrupt household. One of the twins was secretly jealous of the other, which resulted him taking his own brother’s life. This tragedy occurs in the novel, East of Eden, written by John Steinbeck. East of Eden is about several families being brought together and having love-hate relationships. The characters in the novel are separated into two different name groups, C and A.
Nature versus nurture—hereditary factors versus the way in which someone is raised—is a long-held debate within the field of psychology. In John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Lee, a Chinese servant in America, a western society, hails from a lineage which instills the values of their ancestral land throughout his childhood, influencing the way he responds to various situations and relates to other individuals. Although a skilled social interpreter, Lee chooses to defy against societal stigmas of choppy English and a stereotypical Chinese hairstyle, while continuing to practice and recognize the values of his ancestors. Through his comprehensive dedication to cultural studies, Lee encounters a group of Chinese philosophers whom he seeks assistance from in order to solve a task that troubles him: how to define the word timshel. After several years of solitary investigation and two additional years with expert guidance, timshel receives a concise meaning, and Lee begins to share this optimistic and omnipresent principle with those who yearn his advice.
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). John Steinbeck’s work, East of Eden, is the one he considered to be his greatest, with all novels before leading up to it. Indeed, it grandly recounts the stories of the human race as told by the Bible, including Adam and Eve, but most prominently that of Cain and Abel. It touches upon both Steinbeck’s own family and a fictional family in a depiction of “man 's capacity for both good and evil” (Fontenrose). Joseph Fontenrose, however, criticizes Steinbeck’s message as contradictory and convoluted, with no clear relationship between good and evil.
The majority of characters in East of Eden believe in destiny, believe in the so called ‘acceptable’ answers, believe in no other notion than evil and good. They are trapped in an
The most prominent themes in John Steinbeck’s epic, East of Eden, is good and evil and the concept of free will. He tells the story of two main families, the Hamiltons and their patriarch, Samuel, who are the epitome of good, and the Trasks who juxtapose the Hamiltons’ goodness. Throughout the novel, the stories of the two families come together, and then fade apart as the Trasks take center stage and the Hamiltons begin to fade with the death of their patriarch. But one thing which does not fade is the existence of good and evil, and free will. These two themes weave together and become a presence throughout the whole novel.
Big Mama could also be described as a cat on a hot tin roof; she is an older version of Maggie (more hysterical, sloppy, needy). She is a short and vulgar, but a sincere woman who wears expensive, flashy gems. Much of this is an attempt to cover up the indignity she feels at her dejection of Big Daddy’s cruel jokes. She loves her husband in spite of his cold attitude to her. Despite the adversity she faces, Big Mama tries to keep her family together.
