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Evil Characters In John Steinbeck's East Of Eden

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There are contrasting opinions about Cathy Ames within the characters from Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden, some of which are her neighbors whom she left them behind with "a scent of sweetness” (Steinbeck; Ch. 8); then there are other characters who thought of her as an inhuman monster who manipulates to do evil and destroy someone’s life. Her beauty does not reflect her actions, making her an innocent illusion, sugar coated, with despicable sprinkles, and poisonous filling. She mostly has evil intentions behind every - even good - action. Cathy can be nice and do good actions, but only with a selfish reason behind it, which shows how Steinbeck portrayed distorted evil in a woman and how this façade is all revealed and hated. Catherine Ames, is a peculiar case of one of John Steinbeck’s most evil characters. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ames, Cathy is introduced to the readers as an individual that came to this …show more content…

Sarah Appleton Aguiar also agrees saying: "she marries Adam for protection" on p. 147. He took her in and provided all the care she needed to heal from the beating from Mr. Edwards. He falls in love not with who she is, but with an idealized form of Cathy and does not see her true self "Perhaps Adam did not see Cathy at all, so lighted was she by his eyes" claimed Steinbeck, on Ch. 13. He idealized her, therefore he did not take her objections and thoughts into consideration "Adam never comes close to seeing Cathy as she really is. He idealizes her, projecting onto her an unreal image of sweetness that he never questions. When Cathy indicates that she does not want to move to California, Adam does not listen; he does not take her objections seriously" (Aubrey). He takes long to get over her even after she shoots him on his shoulder "Cathy shots him with cool indifference" (Aguiar; p.

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