Great Novel -- Steinbeck said "It has everything in it I have been able to learn about my craft or profession"[72]]^3]
Biblical accounts abound in this John Steinbeck novel revolving around the turn of the century Californians - on a tale loosely based upon relatives or neighbors of the relatives of the author's heritage.
East of Eden is the quite simply where Cain - of Cain and Abel fame - was exiled. The two stories within this tome are of Adam and Charles Trask, and the sons of Adam - Caleb and Aaron whose names mirror alphabetically Cain and Abel: a theme for both the stories of Adam and Charles (note the initials) and the sons of Adam.
Within the confines of the novel are great parables and stories of the pilgrimages of persons who made the America of today so great. But, the personalities include evil - including the mother of Caleb and Aaron (Aron) - Cathy, later requesting to be called Kate. She is quite simply stealth: "I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents," Steinbeck writes in the novel. "Some you can see, misshapen and horrible, with huge heads or tiny bodies; some are born with no arms, no legs, some with three arms, some with tails or mouths in odd places...And just as there are physical monsters, can there not be mental or psychic monsters born? The face and body may be perfect, but if a twisted gene or malformed egg can produce physical monsters, may not the same process produce a malformed soul?"
This monster belies all human nature when she gives birth to Caleb and Aaron and on same date abandons them. She leaves them to do what she does best - be a woman of ill repute and ridicule men at her trade. "She combines the brains of a businessman, the toughness of a prize fighter, the warmth of a companion, the humor of a tragedian. Myths collect around her . . . "
Amid this novel of human weakness exists strong literature. "Samuel Hamilton rode back home in a night so flooded with moonlight that the hills took on the quality of the white and dusty moon. The trees and earth were moon dry, silent and airless and dead. The shadows were black without shading and the open places white without color."
And, amid this novel arises a person or two of great character. The first is Samuel Hamilton - believed to be based upon the grandfather of the author. Secondly is the protagonist Adam Trask. And, lastly is my favorite, Lee, a China man who aids Adam in raising the twins when his monstrous wife leaves them to raise the two infants. He is more than just a helper. He is a philosopher - a topic to be discussed more thoroughly later. As Adam states, "I don't see how you could cook and raise the boys and take care of me and still do all this."
In the great philosophical dialogue, we return to the Bible - and not surprisingly to the Cain and Abel where Lee discusses how the King James' version differs from the American Standard translation of the Genesis chapter of Cain. To decipher how the difference came about, Lee read the Hebrew version and found a difference in translation in the word timshel. And, this little discourse in the first third of the book cannot be forgotten - as that word and the differences of translation become the focus of the ending. So when you go to the end, and if for any reason you forgot the great philosophical dialogue between Lee and Adam and Hamilton about the word timshel, save yourself time and go to [...] where it is all delivered in a few strokes at the monitor. In effect, it is whether you believe there is fate without choice; or does man have the ability to control destiny by choice.
There are also great anti-war undertones. "There were people who gave everything they had to the war because it was the last war and by winning it we would remove war like a thorn on the flesh of the world and there wouldn't be any more such horrible nonsense."
It has been three decades since I read Steinbeck. And, to be certain, many of the undertones about timshel or the ignorance of youth would probably have been lost upon my younger reader's eyes. Maturity abounds in this novel written in less decorous language, but beautifully painted verse, of the life and times in romantic agrarian northern California when it was truly the land of fruit and plenty.
At this time of my life, when I have read most of this author's works, and all of the acclaimed works, I must claim this to be my favorite. This is a masterpiece. And probably because of its size and occasional rough topics, not the choice for classrooms. Unfortunate choices by the classrooms.
THIS is a classic????
John Steinbeck is considered a great writer and for years I heard this was his masterpiece. I finally picked it up one day because I loved the movie (the version with James Dean). I quickly found out that the movie only covered the last fourth of the book. Still, despite the length (601 pages), I decided to read it anyways. Man--this was a struggle! It's a slow-moving "epic" that follows the Trask family from the Civil War to WW1. There are tons of characters and situations but it's not an easy read. Steinbeck was a good writer--his descriptions of California and Salinas Valley are beautiful. However when it came to characterizations and motivations he was terrible. All the characters are either evil or good--very black and white. No shades of grey. They don't speak--they preach. I don't think anyone ever talked like this in real life. Every single event or twist is oversimplified and talked to death. More than once I got the unpleasant feeling that Steinbeck was talking down to his audience. Also whatever his message was (I'm assuming he had one) it's totally lost as the story just rambles on and on and ON! As for the ending--it's kind of silly and pointless. It doesn't even SEEM like an end. It seems Steinbeck just got tired of writing this and gave up. I got through this hoping there would be some point (or POV) but there wasn't. I'm surprised this was published in 1952. Some of the material (mostly dealing with sex) was pretty explicit. I heard this was not a big hit because it was considered too simplistic and anti-climatic. I agree! The movie simplified it even more (but the Hayes Code was still in effect so they had no choice). So--it's too long, too obvious and just rambles on and on for no rhyme or reason. Skip this one.
Beautiful Classic
One of my top 10 books. It has all the good stuff and brings out a range of emotions.
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