Paradise Lost? Wider Reading 13: East of Eden

Over forty years after his death, Nobel Prize-winner John Steinbeck still remains one of the greatest American writers of all time. His extraordinary talent is showcased here, in an epic tale spanning decades between the American Civil War and the end of World War One. Steinbeck himself considered it to be his "magnum opus," and later stated that "I think everything else I have written has been, in a sense, practice for this." The novel follows the interwoven lives of two families living in the Salinas Valley, California, the Trasks and the Hamiltons. Steinbeck ties many themes within the novel together with direct references and parallels to the poisonous relationship of Cain and Abel and the fall of Adam and Eve, within the Book of Genesis.

The primary theme explored within the novel is the ageless struggle between good and evil. Samuel Hamilton is considered to be the embodiment of goodness, while Cathy Ames, his polar opposite, represents pure evil. Both of these characters have an equal effect on the protagonist Adam Trask, who struggles between love for Cathy as his wife, and his admiration and respect for his mentor, Samuel.

While the theme of "love for the land" may be more prominent within Gone with the Wind, Steinbeck's vividly-described California hills also play a part in the novel, revealing the nature of the two families which reside there. The Trasks are wealthy and live on the most fertile soil, but neglect to cultivate it after their lives have been poisoned by Cathy. In contrast, the Hamiltons settle on a barren patch, but raise nine successful children. Land also continues the theme of good versus evil. The Eden-like Salinas valley is sandwiched between the "good" Gabilan Mountains, which lie to the east and are drenched in sunlight, and the "bad" Santa Lucias Mountains, which are foreboding and shadowed.

The concept of "original sin" is also present within this novel. The "sin" is performed by Cyrus Trask, Adam's father, who lied during the American civil War to attain a high status in office, thus leaving his sons an ill-gotten fortune. Both Adam and his brother Charles seem doomed to a life of misery in penance for this sin, which trickles down through the generations. Cal also makes a small fortune from less-fortunate farmers during the Great War. However, his brother's death enables Cal to choose good over evil, so to speak, and undo the family curse and live a morally upright life.

East of Eden - Identity Quotations