When you finish a book that will stick with you for the rest of your life, one that forever changes your perspective, you are sometimes overcome with emotion and enlightenment to the point that you need some time to describe your feelings about it. With East of Eden, which now holds the top spot of my list of favorite books, I will try to bring together my thoughts and analysis in this post to share the wonder that I experienced throughout this novel of the human condition.
East of Eden has been described by Steinbeck as "the first book" and by others as the creation story of humankind. I could not agree more— it summarizes our humanity in a journey that you cannot tear yourself away from. In one book, you will explore relationships, emotions, pain, knowledge, philosophy, reflection, and the human soul, abstract terms that become tangible and concrete through Steinbeck's artful descriptions. The unreachable and vague ideas that float behind every character in every book, and in our own real lives for that matter, come to the forefront of East of Eden, which maps out the elements which compose our lives as humans.
No character is two-dimensional or simple; they are complex. They change their minds, try to understand their own impulses, and become influenced by other characters as their views of the world evolve. You will identify with some of them, feel repulsed by others, and perhaps even switch your thinking halfway through the book. Part of this review will be to provide a brief description of each character, since their lives represent different approaches that one can take through the journey of life.
While the book's setting will initially seem distant or outdated at the beginning, you will see a change in society, an understanding that customs and traditions need to change. You will transition from the 19th to 20th century while following two families that take different paths, each member pursuing a destination based on their varying philosophies. Along the way, your heart will ring in pain during tragic moments, you will feel relief when someone you are attached to makes a fortunate decision or reaches a stage of enlightenment based on a transformative experience, and you will hear Steinbeck whisper his thoughtful commentary between certain scenes.
In short, this book is a masterpiece when Steinbeck builds on his own life to construct a story that reaches every human being and uses a stunning cast of characters to act out the various personalities that make up our species.
I'll offer a snapshot of each one of these characters and hope that you build out a similar list once you read the book, since I think that they each reveal a certain part of the human condition.
Adam Trask: Complicated down to the core, myopic in his approach to others, and arguably never gets over the loss that he feels at the beginning of the book despite the way that he evolves under the guidance of Sam Hamilton.
Charles Trask: Considered within the entirety of the book, he plays a smaller role despite being the obvious "Cain" metaphor at the start. He is frightening, violent— and his influence lingers through blood and Adam's mind.
Cathy: Steinbeck's descriptions of her as a monster are enough to convey this point without need of repeating it, but it remains striking nonetheless. Her villainous personality is so well conceived and her desire to break free from Adam is relatable, though elevated to a degree of monstrosity. She is the bad that we carry as humans, which can be called original sin if you stick with biblical terms.
Samuel Hamilton: A tongue of pure music and wisdom. A mind that grows and absorbs the world around him, seeking to spread this growth to those he becomes close with, like Adam. His steady, strong marriage with Liza gives him a comprehensive worldview (she is a stable character with a rigid and unquestioning theosophy that complements Sam's imaginative mind) that takes on the form of knowledge and exploration.
Lee: Your instinct will be to shy away from this book when you are first introduced to Lee, but he is not a stereotype or a flat character. In fact, I find Lee to be one of the most wholesome characters in this entire book who, up to the very last page, creates an unspoken bridge between the people who surround him. Strong and decisive, he is the calm within the storm of crazed emotions that we sometimes feel as humans, with unparalleled wisdom and potential for healing others.
Aron Trask - While I loved him as a child, Steinbeck lets us know through his participation in the church and frigid letters to Abra that his innocence is blinding, an obstacle that ultimately kills him.
Cal Trask - The character I most identified with, and I am relieved by his ending. He understood his own malice and sought to reconcile the harm he caused to others, though he would constantly succumb back to the same cycle. He is the most human of all the characters— he recognizes what is bad within himself and tries to pull himself away from it, working with Lee to achieve a state of deeper understanding about his personality. I was intrigued by his childhood and his sharp eyes.
Abra: Learns the difference between the two boys above and eventually settles on, obviously, Cal. She ends up holding more parallels to him and goes through a similar journey as he does, recognizing her own and her parents' faults.
Will Hamilton, Sheriff Quinn, and Joe Valery are all equally amazing, but minor characters who act as the backbone behind some of the major characters' actions. The first shows an attachment to riches that we constantly see in our daily lives, the second is cunning due to his experience in a profession that is built around identifying the inner fears of others, and the third can be defined by manipulation and greed.
In the next post, I will discuss my favorite passages from the book that would be simply impossible to omit from this blog. Hopefully this post has inspired you to pick up this book— trust me, you will not be the same person on the other end. You will feel as if you have dived into the core of humanity through a book that explains it all. My words may seem grandiose, but it's the best explanation I can provide for such a moving work.
For this reason, I can say that East of Eden is a masterpiece that will be hard to rival on my site. Please let me know your thoughts and see you over the weekend!
11/11/20