is known for his many great novels, for example East of Eden. East of Eden is a novel based off of the bible story of Cain and Abel. The main character, Caleb Trask also known as Cal, represents Cain in the bible and his brother, Aaron Trask, represents Abel. This novel takes place in Salinas Valley, California where Adam Trask, father of Caleb and Aaron, moves for a better life. Adam marries Cathy Ames, who beneath her charming face, is a evil woman who manipulates people for her own amusement.
In East of Eden, John Steinbeck, through Caleb Trask’s inner-battle with his own past, portrays how no person is destined to be good or evil, as they do have a choice. Caleb Trask was born to Cathy Ames, a woman who “was full of hatred. . . her hatred wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t angry. It was heartless” (Steinbeck 448). However, as Cathy abandons Caleb’s father, Adam, soon after he’s born, Caleb never knows who Cathy was, just what she was like. When he finally found out that she became the owner
Hawaiian Culture written by Haunani Kay Trask was written in 1993. Trask wrote this paper to inform Americans about what she thinks of tourism, a “colonial imposition” towards the Hawaiian culture. Trask incorporates ethos, pathos and logos throughout her essay to show how tourism effects these three points in the Hawaiian culture: The homeland, the language and dance of the culture and the familial relationships. In the essay Lovely Hula Hands, Trask shares her emotions and thoughts with the
As a kid, I remember reading National Geographic in awe. Every picture captured a different story that depicted a certain idea about the culture being displayed. While as a child, I did not know any better, I was contributing to the marginalization and misrepresentation of people and their cultures. This concept is also know as “Anthro-Lite” in which people tend to focus in on the more “desirable” parts of the humanity of cultures, rather than the raw truth. Books such as Reading National Geographic
Throughout the novel, Caleb Trask carries the important role of embodying timshel. However, in the movie, the main focus is not around timshel, but more of a portrayal of romance between Cal and Abra. The depiction of East of Eden through the novel and film are significantly parallel in the portrayal of Caleb Trask, however diverge at the characterization of Abra Bacon and Kate Ames. In the film, Caleb Trask is depicted very closely to the his character in the novel. Caleb is misunderstood and craves
significance of timshel through the introduction of free will, the internal conflict of Caleb, and the blessing of Adam. Steinbeck portrays the significance of timshel through the introduction of free will, which plays an important role in the theme of Cain and Abel and provides the interpretation of Steinbeck. Timshel is brought in by Lee who is the servant of the Trask family and discussed by both Samuel Hamilton, and Adam Trask. In chapter 24 Lee discusses the idea of timshel by showing the different interpretations
husband, Adam, to take care of their children, Caleb and Aron. Adam stuck around with the twins, but he was there for them mentally leaving them with their housekeeper Lee. This caused the boys to endure the pain of having parents not around for them during their childhood. At a first glance, Cathy’s actions were obviously more terrifying and vicious than what Adam had done, but this does not mean they were more violent. Adam’s lack of presence in Caleb and Aron’s lives led to more devastating long
Steinbeck provokes both virtues in the East of Eden, taking place in Salinas Valley, California in the 1900’s. The theme that is subtly circling all over the book is the meaning of the word “timshel” which revolves around the characters Cathy, Adam, and Caleb. To begin with, a central theme in the story is the Hebrew word “timshel.” There are several philosophical analyses involving this word throughout the book. Steinbeck brought it up through the character Lee as he explained that the “American Standard
representing Cain and Abel. Both pairs are similar to Cain and Abel in the way they go about winning their fathers’ favors. All four give gifts to their fathers, and the fathers dismiss the gifts of Charles and Caleb, the Cain representations (Marks, Jay Lester. p.121). Caleb and Charles Trask are obviously the more malignant brothers. They are also the more loving towards their father. Steinbeck’s purpose in this is to illustrate the need of the Cain character in
evil. Throughout East of Eden, the story of Cain and Abel is repeated generation after generation in the Trask family. The idea of a predetermined fate is tested by the modern version of Cain known in the novel as Caleb, when he figures out that he is presumably evil due to his mother, who not-so-coincidentally represents the devil. Steinbeck