What are the themes of East of Eden?
Family, Love, and Loneliness. East of Eden is a novel about families—marriage, parenthood, succession, inheritance, and sibling rivalry make up the bulk of the book’s conflict. Underlying all of these conflicts is the repeated suggestion that there is no love without pain, rejection, and loneliness.
Why was East of Eden banned?
Just like Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden was banned in Kern County, California because it was considered obscene due to his use of profanity; and a character, Cathy, becomes a prostitute.
What is the main point of East of Eden?
Although one of the fundamental ideas in East of Eden is that evil is an innate and inescapable human problem, the novel also sets forth hope that each individual has the freedom to overcome evil by his or her own choice.
Is timshel a theme in East of Eden?
The main theme for East of Eden turns on the correct translation of the Hebrew word timshel, translated differently in various versions of the Bible. ‘ The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin (and you can call sin ignorance).
Why is it called East of Eden?
The Cain and Abel story also gives the novel its title: after disobeying God, Cain is exiled to the land of Nod, which lies “on the east of Eden.” Additionally, the title implies that the novel’s characters, like the first biblical family, have been expelled from moral paradise and are forced to contend with the world …
Who is the protagonist in East of Eden?
Adam
Cal is perhaps the most complex character in East of Eden and the one who embodies the concept of timshel most directly. Whereas Adam is the protagonist of the early parts of novel,the focus shifts to Cal in the later chapters.
What does Adam say at the end of East of Eden?
She instead persuades him to return home. The novel ends with Lee pleading with a bedridden and dying Adam to forgive his only remaining son. Adam responds by forgiving Cal nonverbally and then saying the word timshel, giving Cal the choice to break the cycle and conquer sin.