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East Of Eden Theme Essay

528 Words3 Pages

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

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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.

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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.

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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).

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In East of Eden Steinbeck turns back to the ideals of the bible through some of his characters. A Lot of the bible ideas come with Adam Trask and the timshel he carries throughout the story. Adam's virtue comes into to help free his son Cal. In the story the Men view themselves as part of the natural world. Cal, felt since his mother was bad he had to follow her steps.

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Which shows an unfair balance system coming from the father because he expects so much of the child that isn't his but nothing of the one that is. Similar to in the biblical story Cain and Abel where both children were hoping that there offering to god meant that he would allow them to live yet only one of them were granted their wish. Now as the book continues the effects of the different parenting starts to show more and more. For example, while John spends most of his nights considering whether or not he wants to be a preacher Roy spends his nights “doing it with the girls down the street.”

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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.

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In East of Eden, Adam Trask makes the choice to let go of his conspiring wife, and to give love to his young sons. However, when the choice takes a turn in the opposite direction and far more care is given to one son then the other, the story becomes a tragic one. A young son causes the death of his brother, and the father of the two boys nearly perishes with grief as he is faced with the decision to forgive his son, or to die without him. With Of Mice and Men Steinbeck tells another dismal ending, that also ends with the demise of a foremost character. Lennie and George have traveled together for years.

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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.

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“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.

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