The Theme Of Love In John Steinbeck's East Of Eden

John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men highlights the adventures of two best friends that stimulate modern issues such as white males dominating the world. There are many themes in the book, but one that is the most eye catching is the theme of people with differences being ostracized by society. This theme of society ostracizing different people is shown through Lennie’s disability, and Crooks’ color of skin.

Steinbeck describes Cathy from her early childhood. He writes that she was always a strange and fascinating child. She was born as an only child to the Ames family. She was always a liar, but not like many other children lie, her lies “were not innocent” and, unlike others, “she never forgot her lies” (East of Eden 98). She also at a very young age learnt the power of sexuality and there was one incident, when she is ten years old, in which she locks herself and ties herself in the barn with two fourteen year old boys. It seems that they are performing some sexual acts, until her mother, Mrs. Ames, catches them. Since the boys say that Cathy made them pay her some money and even tied her own hands, nobody believes them and they are sent away to the house of correction (East of Eden 100-102). Presumably, their

Everyone knows that they have a choice a choice of whether to do good or evil. As Steinbeck said himself “As for that struggle between good and evil in human history, there is no other story.” Within John Steinbeck’s book East of Eden the main theme which is really pronounced is the choice between good and evil. Mr. Steinbeck conveys this theme by using various literary devices.

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 John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Cathy Ames is presented as a monster. She is the most evil character in the novel, and rightfully so. Cathy manipulates other characters into doing her bidding by tapping into their weaknesses and trusting natures. Physically speaking, Cathy had a face of innocence, formed in the shape of a heart, which contrasts with her morally culpable, sinful behaviors. Cathy was born a Catherine, the name meaning “pure” which she is shown not to be from the very beginning. She is described to go from “a pretty child” to a “pretty woman,” oozing innocence and delicacy. However, even as a child Cathy produced a “disturbance she distributed so subtly” (73). Her immorality becomes clear to the reader when it is said that “Cathy learned that by the manipulation and use of this one part of people she could gain and keep power over nearly anyone” (75). Here we see that Cathy, even at a young age, is able to see within people and use their weaknesses against them. She is quickly dismissed as a monster by the narrator, but right before Cathy Ames ends her life, we are shown a broken little girl. However, this does not gain her sympathy because she made the choice to live her

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. Cain ended up murdering Abel out of envy of his favorable position, and that conflict is reflected through Charles and Adam Trask, and later Adam’s children Caleb and Aaron. The characters struggle with the notions of good and evil. Timshel is a repeating theme. The concept is the biblical depiction of the internal strife between good and evil that lies in each character.

From the publication of East of Eden to today the rights and empowerment of women have escalated exponentially. Women are no longer obligated to follow the nurturing mother ideal; they can be independent and strong. Then, in the novel, East of Eden, some believe the author oversimplifies his female characters by filing them into either traditional, caring mothers or heinous villains. However, Steinbeck utilizes their simple, one-dimensional archetypes to show how complex his female roles truly are through subtle details.

It was an early December morning. The roads were slick with a thin layer of ice. The air was crisp with a winter chill and there was a slight drizzle falling from the sky. I was riding in my dad’s truck to my grandma’s, who babysat me while my parents were at work. My little brother Kaden was also with us. At the time I was four and Kaden (my brother) was 4 months. The day started off normal, Kaden was sleeping as usually and I was looking out the window watching raindrops race each other. At that moment I remember feeling happy and content just ready to drift off to sleep, when Suddenly the tires started Squealing. My mind was then cast into a sea of darkness that seem to have no escape.

Not any one person or character has a single characteristic. Personality is made up of a multitude of different things, good and bad. This holds true in John Steinbeck’s, East of Eden, because even though Cal makes immoral decisions he is still human with other admirable attributes.

Our choices come from our own opinions and the ideas of them come from our surrounding elders. When we are young are parents teach us what is right and wrong. When we are making choices the thoughts and ideas are parents taught us are always in the back of our minds. And as we become older and more mature to make are own choices we usually forget your parents ideas and use yours that are what come from your own heart.

Every once in awhile a horrible situation occurs expecting the worst to happen when in reality something good comes out of it, such as the events in the Walls family in the Glass Castle by author Jeannette Walls. An event that would of turned terrible but went another direction was when Rex and Rose couldn’t buy christmas gifts for the kids (pg.39). During that period the Walls were pretty poor and couldn’t afford to get each other gifts during the holiday’s. The result of this could 've ended in sadness and disappointment, but to spare that Rose and Rex told the kids the truth where Santa wasn’t real. Telling the kids that Santa wasn’t real made them feel apart of a secret other kids didn’t know, which made them feel special. Instead

In John Steinbeck´s Of Mice and Men, the ideas of companionship and friendship are addressed greatly. George and Lennie are companions who have traveled alongside each other for a long time. They have to keep moving because Lennie causes trouble, and essentially strains their relationship. Although they have issues, they have a deep connection which benefits each of them. Steinbeck´s Of Mice and Men uses motifs and characterization to show that companionship is beneficial to individuals.

Every Christmas Eve my family reunites with a platter of food, all the children wear the pajamas and we all bake Christmas cookies and watch a Christmas, usually animated since the toddlers are watching. An hour before midnight, we organize the journey that Maria and Jose experienced

“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. In the novel East of Eden, contrary to Fontenrose’s criticism, Steinbeck portrays the relationship between good and evil as an inherent part of the human condition, shown through his characters as they struggle with their choices and ultimate path, providing an understanding of humanity within the biblical struggle generation after generation must face.

“His whispered word seemed to hang in the air: ‘Timshel’’’ (Steinbeck 602). In East of Eden by John Steinbeck, Adam Trask says one word to forgive Caleb and free him from feeling rejected. Adam shows that he is honorable through his actions and feelings. He is against violence, he serves his time, and he pays his debts. He feels remorse for sending men into the army and will not accept money earned from war. The people around him like him for his personality and behavior. His plans for his future cause him to be well received in his new home. He is naive in that he sees the best in people. He does not see the negatives in people or his ideas. Despite the fact that Adam Trask neglects his children for most of their lives, he demonstrates his selfless and good-hearted characteristics by being naive, honorable and likable.