East of Eden (Magill Book Reviews)
At a glance:
- Author: John Steinbeck
- First Published: 1952
- Type of Work: Historical Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Regional fiction
- Subjects: North America or North Americans, Suffering, United States or Americans, Parents and children, Murder or homicide, Nineteenth century, Betrayal, 1910’s, California, West, U.S., Brothers, Farms, farmers, or farming, Fathers, Good and evil, Fate or fatalism
- Locales: Salinas Valley, CA
The story is told by an intrusive narrator, the son of one of Samuel Hamilton’s daughters, who lyrically describes the Salinas Valley during the early 20th century. The primary themes are those of jealousy and betrayal as well as loyalty and love set in the contexts of familial relationships. Steinbeck is particularly interested in the Cain and Abel myth, as he explores the interactions between two sets of brothers, Adam and Charles Trask and Adam’s twin sons, Cal and Aron.
The novel begins with the difficult relationship between Adam and Charles, who grow up on a farm in...
[The entire page is 660 words long]
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See Also:
- - East of Eden summary and study guide in the eNotes.
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