This idea of choice is a key theme in East of Eden, and the symbolic pillars of Samson become Adam’s sons in Steinbeck’s novel. As the pillars in Samson’s story freed him and gave his life a meaning, Adam’s sons Cal and Aron allowed Adam to find purpose and free himself from the memories of Cathy. Manipulation, downfall, and redemption as symbolized in the Bible and portrayed in romantic relationships reveals Steinbeck’s larger message that conflict is a consequence of romantic attachment, and though there may be suffering, there is also opportunity for personal growth. Steinbeck connects the symbolism of the biblical story Samson and Delilah to the relationship between Adam and Cathy to analyze the ignorance and deception that that can stem …show more content…
God is referred to as “the Father” over one-hundred-and-fifty times throughout the course of the Bible, and this title allows people to connect the idea of God with a physical person. This emphasis on family roles and family in general is of great use to Steinbeck, who employs setting to examine the role dissension plays in parent-child relationships. The families in the novel are deeply connected to the land they live on, but discord is also deep-rooted. Much like how sin pervades the paradise of the Garden of Eden, corruption finds its way into Salinas Valley and the families that reside there. The Garden of Eden parallels the Salinas Valley in a multitude of ways, but a prominent example is how childbirth defines both settings. Eve and Cathy, who reside in their respective Edens, are both subject to painful births as a result of their sin; the suffering that comes with bringing a child into the world represents Steinbeck's larger message that parent and child may always be in conflict, “I will greatly multiply our pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth childbirth…” (Genesis