East of eden

East of Eden is a novel by John Steinbeck, a nobel prize winner, published in the fall of 1952.



Author Biographical Information
John was born in California in 1902. He worked on ranches as a younger man and got much of his inspiration in his books from the land and people he worked with. His father was in the government while his mother, a schoolteacher. After high school, john went to Stanford. However, he left later to become a reporter in New York. A year later returning to California to support his writing with an income from manual labor. With a slow start, john went on to have great success with several novels, including East of Eden and the Grapes of Wrath. He died in New York City in 1968.

Setting: Historical Information
The setting takes place in Salinas, California during World War I. Economy was down which is how Caleb made such a profit with his beans.

Genre
MWDS SECTIONS THAT GO HERE: Characteristics of the genre

Plot Summary
In the late 1800’s a man named Samuel Hamilton moves to Salinas, California from Ireland. Living here they manage to raise nine children. While Adam and Cathy Trask move into the valley with one on the way. Cathy doesn’t want to have the baby since she believes it could belong to Adams brother, Charles. She tries to have an abortion and fails. Soon, Cathy has the baby but there are twins, Aron and Caleb. Cathy ends up shooting Adam to escape the secure mother life and become a prostitute again. Cathy soon becomes in charge of the local brothel. Samuel and Adams house keeper don’t tell Adam or the boys to protect them. Until the boys are older Samuel finally tells Adam the truth about Cathy and Samuel dies soon afterward. Adam visits Cathy and feels better when he sees how poorly she’s doing and that he doesn’t need her. While the twins strive to please their father, Aron succeeds, yet Caleb blames his mother for his dark side. Caleb attempts to set the records straight and help his father with his failed investment. During this time Aron is at college and Adam misses him. Making profit from beans, Caleb comes up with thousands of dollars. Yet when he tells Aron and his father, Aron accuses him of stealing. Caleb get mad and tells him what happened to their mother. When Cathy sees Aron’s reaction of this being true, she’s so sad she kills herself, leaving a large fortune to Aron. Aron goes to fight in WWI and dies. Adam has a stroke upon hearing this and on his death bed gives his blessing to Caleb.

Characters

 * Adam Trask- Good hearted man that falls in love with a very bad woman,Cathy Ames, and the father of Cal and Aron
 * Aron Trask- son of adam and cathy and cal's twin brother,very innocent you could say, and an all around good guy
 * Caleb Trask- Arons twin brother, cal is a manipulative young man jealous of his more likable brother Aron.
 * Cathy Ames- Adams wife and a very evil woman, she leaves adam to become a prostitute.

Author's Style
The style of this novel resembles the story of Cain and Able in the bible. For example, Cain felt like God loved Able more so Cain killed Able. Just as Caleb believed Adam loved Aron more and indirectly caused Aron’s death.

Setting
Salinas, California. Around the late 1800's

Themes

 * Narrator suggests that the struggles between good and evil are a recuring theme in East of Eden
 * Also that you can always change your ways, just like caleb was given his fathers blessing in the end of the story and finally felt accepted.

Symbols
The scar Charles gets when he tries to remove a rock with a crow bar. Charles mentions the scar to his brother as a mark, suggesting he is similar to Cain in the biblical sense.

Significance of the Opening/Closing Scenes

 * opening scene- Describes the setting of California’s Salinas Valley.
 * closing scene-Adam blessing cal as he dies is relieving for both of them so Cal can move beyond his guilt filled life into a better one with Abra. While Adam makes up for the hurt he caused Caleb for liking Aron more and they’re each redeemed.

Memorable Quotes
“No, I don’t,” said Cal. “He hasn’t been home for two nights. Where is he?” “How do I know?” said Cal. “Am I supposed to look after him?”
 * “I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents. Some you can see, misshapen and horrible, with huge heads or tiny bodies. . . . And just as there are physical monsters, can there not be mental or psychic monsters born?”
 * Adam, “Do you know where your brother is?”