I think East of Eden by John Steinbeck was the best book I’ve ever read for school, and definitely one of my new favorites. Steinbeck seems to have a way of drawing his reader in, especially with his use of imagery. My favorite passage was when describing Salinas Valley in full bloom on page four, because it gave the feeling of really being there and gave the ability to escape from real life to sit under one of those “live oaks” and watch his world go by. I thought Steinbeck still obtained a unique story, even though basing it off the story of Adam and Eve and their sons. It gave it a creative new twist, and although readers could predict what would happen, you can’t help but become so in love with the characters that you hope it will turn out differently. Cathy, however unlovable she is, however, was my favorite character. She seemed to epitomize all evil characteristics of a woman, and got her way so seemingly easy. Although I would hate how she could just use sweet men like Adam to get what she wanted, it proved that she would always go after what she wanted rather than being hesitant and waiting for the world to do everything for her. She definitely had one of the stronger personalities in the novel, and I think that by leaving Adam, as awful as it was, helped him to improve and better himself, since he seemed to be the kind of character who would never make decisions, whether it was choosing to float in the middle as a hobo when trying to decide to go back home or reenlist in the army or deciding whether he should buy the Sanchez land before getting everyone’s opinion. This novel has become one of my favorites, and I cannot wait to read more of John Steinbeck’s work.
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I felt very much the same way about the novel and I especially enjoyed Steinbecks accurate descriptions about the setting and each of the characters. Though, unlike you, I did not have a favorable opinion of Cathy, she had many qualities which i felt can be related of the qualities which many people currently express. I also felt that she had many qualities which were similar to those of the serpant in the biblical story of Adam and Eve and their fall from the Garden of Eden. I can thourghouly appreciate why Steinbeck gave her these almost unlikeable qualities which gave the novel a new and interesting aspect when compared to the biblical story off which it was based. East of Eden has also become one of my favorite novels and I, too, am interested in reading more novels by Steinbeck. Good review!
ReplyDeleteThanks! And of course, although I don't like Cathy quite as in the way of who she is, but as in her character! She was just so well thought out, and gave an interesting twist to the story. It was interesting to see how she affected everyone's lives in the story, a lot like the serpent, as you said.
ReplyDeleteI too often find that generally the antagonists in novels have much more substance to them than heroes, and Cathy is not exception. It might be a stretch, but if there were any clear protagonists in the story, I would say that Adam (and certainly Aron, Samuel, Lee, etc.) was among them. It is frustrating to "witness" the novel play out and see him sit back and take the undeserved cruelty dealt to him by Cathy. Like Aron's idealistic vision of Abra, the Adam refuses to see Cathy as the monster she truly is until much later, when he is roused from his dream-like stupor by Samuel. When he does fully comprehend the extent of Cathy's malevolence Adam fails to truly act upon it, and continues to love her as can be inferred when, upon hearing the news of her death, "he gave up and put his face down in his hands and wept"(561). It also appears that Steinbeck took more care in crafting Cathy- throughout the story I could picture her clearly in my mind thanks to the abundance of descriptions and passages devoted solely to her, "her hair [sic] gold and lovely; wide-set hazel eyes... her nose was delicate and thin... ears very little... [like] thin flaps sealed against her head"(72), while there is scant prose concerning Adam.
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