In his thought-provoking novel, East of Eden, John Steinbeck illustrates the stages of Adam Trask’s life to prove that human beings have the God-given power to choose light over darkness. Although Adam doesn’t utter “Timshel!” until the final page of the novel, Chapter 31 reveals that Trask was strong enough to shake off his personal demons long before Aron’s death. Simultaneously, the chapter provides insight into Cathy’s character and quells the questions: What is a monster, and does Cathy constitute one? These revelations are collectively vital to the text’s thematic development.