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East of Eden

John Steinbeck

Start date: September 1, 2025

Finish date: December 31, 2025

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Nov 25, 2023 ForestGardenGal rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-historical-fiction, genre-fiction, location-california, location-connecticut, 1914-1918-wwi, 1800-1900-victorian-colonialism, classics-published-50-years-ago

Many people have made a big deal about this story's relationship to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. I respectfully disagree with those who interpret Steinbeck's book as a simple modern retelling. The inspiration is obvious, explicitly stated in fact, and yet this book really has only a very superficial relationship to the biblical story. Yes, both stories are tales of familial rejection, reaction, and cruelty. Cain is to Abel as Charles is to Adam and as Cal is to Aron. Also maybe as Cathy Many people have made a big deal about this story's relationship to the biblical story of Cain and Abel. I respectfully disagree with those who interpret Steinbeck's book as a simple modern retelling. The inspiration is obvious, explicitly stated in fact, and yet this book really has only a very superficial relationship to the biblical story. Yes, both stories are tales of familial rejection, reaction, and cruelty. Cain is to Abel as Charles is to Adam and as Cal is to Aron. Also maybe as Cathy is to Adam. Not super subtle.

However, Steinbeck's book inspires additional philosophical questions not generated by the biblical story such as whether a malevolent character is an inborn nature or caused by poor nurturing, whether malevolent impulses are driven by fate or can be controlled or otherwise overcome, and if past bad deeds can be overwritten by later compensatory acts. It also asks one to consider whether the nature of wrongdoings are static or can be altered by perspective, context, or mitigating factors.

Steinbeck's characters Lee and Hamilton have a lovely conversation about the various translations of the Bible story. It asks the reader to consider whether Jehovah says:
a) that he (Cain/man) is promised he will sin no more (Do thou)
b) that he is ordered to sin no more (Thou shalt)
c) that he has the choice to sin no more (Thou mayest)

You may find it interesting that there is a fourth option; apparently Steinbeck made a tiny Hebrew transcription error- the word timshel (Thou mayest) should have actually been timshol (Thou mayest rule over). It sounds to me like instead of man choosing not to sin, man is given the choice not to be controlled by sin? However, I'm neither a Hebrew speaker nor a biblical scholar, so I honestly can't tell you if that is correct or even if that actually makes any difference. I find it is interesting either way.

Here's the article:

Levin, Daniel. “John Steinbeck and the Missing Kamatz in East of Eden: How Steinbeck Found a Hebrew Word but Muddled Some Vowels.” The Steinbeck Review, vol. 12, no. 2, 2015, pp. 190–98. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.5325/steinbeckrevi... . Accessed 25 Nov. 2023.

It was strange to see the Author insert himself, his family, and his ancestors into this fictional story. I didn't research whether the entire Trask scenario was inspired by a real family they may have known, but stranger things have happened.

I personally found the book maybe unnecessarily long but easy to read and fairly engaging. There were several chapters which drag a bit, but they were used by the Author to advance the reader from one time period to another, so they were tiresome but understandable. I do recommend this book, and I plan to read it again. It asks some interesting questions that are worth contemplation.

PG13 for violence and sexual content. No language. ...more

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Sep 12, 2021 adele rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-shelf, ehrtbm-book-group, 5star

Immediately a favorite book. Immediately my newest favorite author. Didn’t think that this would be my thing (farmers, family saga, dense classic that I had only peripherally head of) but MY GOODNESS did this blow me away. I get it why Steinbeck called this his magnum opus because SIR, he did THAT. Recommending this to everyone I can until the day I die, thank you very much.

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