In the novel, East of Eden, the author John Steinbeck displays the struggle between good and evil as he characterizes two brothers, Adam and Charles. Steinbeck depicts Charles to be violent and manipulative while Adam is sensitive and kind. The two brothers can be alluded to the story of Cain and Abel from the bible. Like Charles, Cain is morbid and evil, while Abel represents goodness like Adam. Charles feels rejected and unloved by his father, Cyrus. He is extremely jealous of the relationship that Adam and Cyrus have. For instance, Charles spent six-bits on German knife for his father 's birthday and all he said was “Thanks” while Adam picked up a puppy from the woodlot and gave it to him(Steinbeck 29). Adams present was favored which
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.
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.
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.
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
John Steinbeck’s renown allegory East of Eden explores the characteristics of human nature, including the potent principle of free will. Steinbeck’s use of rhetorical strategies throughout the passage enables him to illustrate his message, emphasizing the significance of creativity in the essence of humanity and the threats against it. Steinbeck utilizes various elements of vivid language, rhetorical appeal, and style to elucidate his argument, urging individuals to fight for their free will and to assert their individuality. Steinbeck’s use of metaphor in the first paragraph depicts the extent of the significance of free will through his vivid comparison of individuality to the “glory [that] lights up the mind of a man.” (Steinbeck 1)
Cal, the son of Adam Trask, struggles with the idea that he inherited his mother, Cathy’s, evil. Cal displays this evil by taking advantage of the Post-World War One economy, and stealing beans from hardworking farmers so that he can sell them for cheaper prices. “East of Eden” ends with Adam forgiving Cal of his wrongdoings. However, this happy ending is followed by the haunting idea that future generations will make the same mistakes, and follow the same path of good and evil, that Cal and his ancestors have.
John Steinbeck’s novel “East of Eden,” is a retelling of the biblical story of brothers, Cain and Abel, from the book of Genesis, with a few subtle differences, including redemption for the “evil brother.” This epic tale of the Trask family is set mostly in the Salinas Valley of California at the turn of the twentieth century and during World War I. Adam Trask favors his son Aron over his son Cal, just as God approved of Abel’s sacrifice over that of Cain’s. Steinbeck uses the allusion of biblical brothers, Cain and Abel, to create characters with familiar good and evil archetypes, then allows the evil brother to find redemption, yet their evil mother is not redeemed, thus supporting the Hebrew idea of tishmel as evidence that every soul can choose their
There are many judgments in the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Throughout the story, Lennie has been judged mainly for his strength and indifference. You can tell right away in the story that Lennie is different from others. He loves touching delicate objects, but his strength often leads to bad outcomes. The last location they were at forced them to leave because Lennie insisted on touching a woman’s dress and wouldn't let go.
“Of mice and men” by John Steinbeck is an example of an Honest dilemma in which someone has to choose between good and bad. In this case, George chooses between shooting Lennie or letting him face justice for unintentionally killing curley's wife. George’s choice to kill Lennie was wrong, despite the purpose behind his action. All throughout our lives, we are challenged with many tough questions. Each question shows us with an ethical predicament in which we must choose between good or bad.
In this thesis, I tried to analyze the Biblical allusions in John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. The aim of this work was to prove that John Steinbeck used many Biblical allusions, notably the allusions referring to the Biblical story in the fourth chapter of the book Genesis, which is the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, to show the inseparability of the good and the evil and the importance of man’s free will in his life and in the case of overcoming the evil. I found out, that although the readers may acknowledge many similarities and the Biblical allusions in East of Eden, there are also many important differences which essentially outline the message of Steinbeck’s “Big Book”. The allusions begin from the title of the book, East of Eden and
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.
Anyway, this research will focus only on three aspects - conscience crisis, violence, and fate and destiny. These aspects will be discussed in three separate chapters under the umbrella of the selected novels of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men(1937) , The Grapes of Wrath(1939) , and The Pearl (1947) and Cormac McCarthy ’s Blood Meridian (1985) , No country for old men( 2005) , and The Road (2006) . The investigator has adopted the sociological methodology throughout the thesis. Furthermore , the second chapter - conscience crisis, will be divided into two parts ( man’s inhumanity to man and greed ). “The phrase (Man 's inhumanity to man) is first documented in the Robert Burns poem called Man Was Made to Mourn, Samuel Von Pufendorf also wrote in 1673, More inhumanity has been done by man himself than any other of nature 's causes.”
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.
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.
“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.