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My thoughts on East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Masterclass in Characterization
Steinbeck manages to write a book that somehow feels simple and concise in description but delves into the human psyche in such a way that the reader feels bared and exposed in the process. For example, the larger-than-life character of Samuel Hamilton is written in such a convincing manner that I could predict how he would act based upon my in depth understanding of his character, moral framework and temperament. For example, I knew in my bones that when his children contrived a scheme behind his back (to get him to take a holiday for his mental health) that he wouldn’t reprimand them or call them out. No, I knew he would merely see their good motives and go along with their plan, despite knowing the real intentions behind their actions. Steinbeck fleshes each character out in such an exhaustive yet enthralling way, I felt as if I’d looked each one in the eyes and had them tell me their greatest joys as well as their greatest terrors. To go deeper, I even knew the things they couldn’t tell because they didn’t understand them about themselves. To make matters even more fascinating, it’s not told from a single point of view, but it shifts from first to third and from peripheral to omniscient. Thus, we’re given an outsider’s perspective in an incredibly personal and intimate way.
“A kind of light spread out from her. And everything changed color. And the world opened out. And a day was good to awaken to. And there were no limits to anything. And the people of the world were good and handsome. And I was not afraid any more.” — East of Eden
"I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one... Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?” — East of Eden
Autobiographical in Nature
Shockingly, there also doesn’t appear to be a “main character,” but the story transpires in a sweeping multi-generational and multi-family saga that is truly staggering in scope. As a writer and author, I can’t even begin to fathom how he executed this effectively, but as a reader it was a rare treat. I felt often that Steinbeck was adding characters just because he wanted to and because he wanted us to understand who they were as a collective, not just individuals. I also got the impression that he delighted in his characters and wouldn’t tire telling us about them. I don’t believe you can fake that type of interest. Oddly enough, I felt as though I got to know Steinbeck better than any other character. In this novel, he plays himself as the narrator and spills himself into the characters, the historical timeline and the moral tensions of the story. After doing a bit of digging, I’ve discovered that Steinback was born in Salinas, California— the place where the novel takes place. This book is closely connected to the land, people, and history of his home state, harkening to his extensive experience as a hired farm hand throughout the valley in his youth. It also captures his memories of the war era, and his relatives, many of whom are secondary characters in the novel. For example, Samuel Hamilton was based on his grandfather, Olive Hamilton was based on Steinbeck’s mother, and Aron Trask’s gloomy experience at Stanford University is to some degree based on Steinbeck’s own unsatisfying years there. Thus, East of Eden doesn’t feel like fiction because it is full of real life. It seems to transcend the genre all together and becomes something else entirely. Perhaps, that’s the mark of truly good fiction.
Good vs. Evil
I don’t think I’ve shuddered over evil nor exalted over goodness that mere mortals are capable of than while reading this novel. Yet shockingly, Steinbeck was able to explore the pits of hell without being gratuitous. This truly is an art form in itself and I stopped and marveled several times how he so artfully handled situations he could have easily spelled out for the purpose of shock-value or verbosity. He leaves much to the readers imagination. For a vast majority of this novel explores the contrived horrors of prostitution and the vileness of human nature that is bound to evil. Yet he spends time there without showing us what it looked like, but merely how it felt from an emotional and spiritual standpoint. I’ve NEVER seen this done with more tact, yet while remaining truthful to the heart of the story.
Which brings us to the villain of the story. This individual is pegged from the moment her character enters the page and is labeled as a “monster,” thus both effectively foreshadowing and throwing all of the proverbial cards on the table. I’ve never seen this type of direct characterization used before, especially in the generation I belong to which likes to paint “morally grey” and “not so bad villains.” This villain is so very “other,” we cringe and hide from the depths of her horror. Yet, she is human, so very human in the way she lives her life, conducts her business and climbs the ladder. Which makes me think of C.S. Lewis who wrote (in the Great Divorce): “there is but one Good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from him.” Which serves as a testament to the depravity and sadness that is capable in a character that habitually turns from Good.
Don’t let me deter you, however, the good in this story is dazzling. I think it’s dazzling because it resonates with the reader on such a deep level that they are moved by a desire to reach for good and to keep reaching. Without giving away any spoilers, I believe the entirety of this novel hinges on a conversation between Samuel Hamilton, Aron Trask and Lee. Imagine that! The crucible of this mammoth of a novel is not a shocking plot twist or sensational revelation, but a conversation that three men have about the proper translation of a biblical passage and man’s search for deeper meaning to the existence of life. I think that’s why this book has such depth, because it’s deeply philosophical in nature and pursuit.
“We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.”
“But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.”
Biblical Parallels
I feel I can share this without giving away spoilers, since it’s on the back cover, but this novel draws largely from a biblical narrative. For example, the story is a type of Cain and Able parallel, following the duality and tension between twin brothers who have very different proclivities. I also can’t stop thinking about Lee, who is my favorite character in the novel (followed closely by Samuel Hamilton). If it weren’t for who he was, not what he did, Lee would be easily forgotten. You see, he is the servant who does the lowly tasks few are remembered for, yet he was a king among men. He was the driving force of the entire novel. He possessed wisdom and tenacity that is contagious and challenging. He asked daring questions and went to the edge of convivence to get at the truth. I want to be like Lee and I too, want to be charged with “beautiful thinking.”
Is this a “Christian novel?” I would say no. It’s not Christian in common terminology, scope and intent, as Jesus is not mentioned. Yet I can’t help but have the feeling it was going towards truth, not away from it. Towards the good, towards God and towards ultimate truth in the only way one can: by wrestling, by asking questions, by resisting the fallen nature and by believing that we were made to transcend.
All in all, I can say that East of Eden has not only lived up to the hype but exceeded it by leaps and bounds. I’ve come to discover that Steinbeck himself regarded East of Eden as his greatest novel. He wrote that he believed “he had imbued East of Eden with everything he knew about writing and everything he knew about good and evil in the human condition.” While it’s a masterclass in characterization, it also is autobiographical in nature and Biblical in scope, exploring complex themes such as good and evil to great extent. While this was my first time through, I can’t believe it will be my last as I’m sure I’m just scratching the surface on all the gems it has to mine.
