By Narayan Saimbi
There are few American authors who are more renowned or celebrated than that of John Steinbeck. Most of us know him from classic works such as Of Mice and Men or even the critically acclaimed Grapes of Wrath. However, I want to talk about a novel that is arguably, in my eyes, Steinbeck’s magnum opus. I present to you: East of Eden.
East of Eden follows two American families: the Hamiltons and the Trasks. The Hamiltons settled in the Salinas Valley in America after Samuel Hamilton crossed the Atlantic from Ireland. Adam Trask arrives in Salinas with his wife Cathy after falling out with his brother Charles. Both Samuel and Adam’s paths cross when Adam arrives in Salinas- thus the parallel stories are established. However, whilst both families take different turns in life, there are two biblical allegories that are ever-present in their lives. The story of Cain and Abel and, to a similar but less overt extent, the story of Adam and Eve. Steinbeck’s magnum opus is filled to the brim with biblical iconography but in my opinion, these are two allegories that are the most utilised throughout the entire novel.
Cain and Abel
Arguably the more overt of the two allegories, the story of Cain and Abel recounts the lives of the two sons of Adam and Eve. Both offer a sacrifice to God, yet God only favours Abel’s offering and has little regard for Cain. In retaliation, Cain murders Abel and settles in the Land of Nod (aptly located “East of Eden”), building his own city and raising his own children there.
“Cain and Abel” (Titian)
In terms of Steinbeck’s East of Eden, these events play out practically word for word in front of our very eyes. Caleb and Aron, twin sons of Adam and Cathy, are polar opposites. Caleb, the dark and angry, opposes Aron, who is more calm and peaceful- this mirrors Cain’s role as the tiller of land and Abel’s role as a shepherd. Both brothers also offer a “gift” to Adam as well. Aron’s “gift” is his return home for holidays from university, whereas Caleb’s is a large sum of money to give to his father, after Adam’s business ventures prove unsuccessful. Adam is practically overjoyed to see Aron, but is absolutely horrified by Caleb’s gift and denounces it completely, believing Caleb has somehow stolen it.
Caleb is both devastated and furious at his father’s reaction, prompting him to take Aron to where their mother resides- a person who Aron had believed was dead for his entire life. Cathy, now going by Kate, runs the most depraved brothel in Salinas. Upon finding this out, Aron’s world view is completely shattered and decides to abandon his studies to join the Army. From this action, and Aron’s death in World War 1, Caleb takes this as him having “murdered” his brother and is torn apart by guilt over it. Calen then decides to leave Salinas with his partner Abra, after receiving redemption via a blessing from Adam on his deathbed (through the Hebrew word “timshel”). This is the most overt retelling of Cain and Abel in East of Eden and is executed with perfection.
The allegory also asserts itself earlier in the book, notably between the dynamic of Adam and his brother Charles. Charles is portrayed as the darker and more cynical of the two brothers, whereas Adam is kinder and idealistic. The two brothers never see eye-to-eye, but tensions erupt between the two after Adam begins a relationship with Cathy. Charles dislikes her heavily and this sentiment causes both brothers to separate from each other and ultimately prompts Adam to move to Salinas. Whilst neither brother does not perish from this interaction, it is clear the separation mirrors that of Cain and Abel’s in Genesis. However, Cain and Abel is not the only allegory that is present in this interaction.
Adam and Eve (and “Original Sin”)
The more subtle of the two stories, the story of Adam and Eve recounts humanity’s fall from God, the departure from Eden and ultimately the rise of “original sin”. In East of Eden, this is best portrayed by Adam and Cathy’s departure from Charles and their settlement in Salinas.
Upon Adam and Cathy’s settlement, Cathy is adamant to escape. She expresses these ideas to Adam but he brushes them off, disregarding these notions in their entirety. After a failed abortion, Cathy gives birth to Caleb and Aron. However, after recovering, she shoots Adam in the stomach and flees the property in Salinas. She takes up a job as a prostitute in a local brothel, eventually owning the place (after murdering the old host). This departure from Adam’s estate in Salinas, and the decision to embark on a morally dubious life, certainly represents the character of Eve; namely, the departure from the spiritual “Eden” and the embrace of sin.
Original sin is a constant theme that haunts Caleb’s life. Whether it is his internal questioning about his dark nature, the discovering of his mother’s whereabouts and nefarious deeds or his “murder” of Aron, Caleb is constantly wracking his mind with the idea that he is inherently evil, and that he is void of any chance of redemption.
This theme also manifests itself concerning the wealth of the Trask family. Adam and Charles’ father, Cyrus Trask, left his fortune to the two brothers- a fortune which was found out to have been acquired on corruption and lies. Even before the falling out of this version of Cain and Abel, they had already inherited “sin” from their father- that is, in the form of ill-gotten gains.
In terms of the Hamiltons, however, their lines of inheritance are expressed as almost an antonym to the Trasks’ “original sin”. Samuel Hamilton stands as a stark contrast to Cyrus Trask, who passed down to his children a legacy of love and understanding as opposed to corrupted gains and a stolen fortune. Whilst the Hamilton family does practically implode after Samuel passes (almost a metaphor for a departure from Eden), Samuel Hamilton’s prophetic and kind nature serves as the antithesis for every sin that the Trask family stands for. It is actually through Samuel Hamilton that Adam Trask becomes free from “sin”, so to speak. After he is shot by Cathy, Adam has no idea where she has gone and is mentally wrecked as a result. Years pass, but towards the close of Samuel’s life, he tells Adam where Cathy is. After Adam pays her a visit, he finally receives closure and is free from the evil that Cathy has plagued on his mind after all of those years. Through Samuel Hamilton, Adam is free of sin.
That’s East of Eden for you. Of course, a novel of this depth cannot be simply summarised in this short article. I hope this serves as an introduction to Steinbeck’s magnum opus and I hope that, after reading this article, you consider giving it a read yourself. Bible-bashing isn’t fun. But Steinbeck makes these stories and characters come to life in a way only a good novelist can.
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