Historical Context
The Development of California
California became the thirty-first state in 1850, with its population exceeding 100,000 due to the gold rush. This population surge included a significant number of Chinese immigrants. By 1852, Chinese residents made up 10 percent of California’s population. After the Civil War, more settlers were drawn westward by the promise of high wages and affordable land. The construction of the first transcontinental railroad, which began in 1863 and was completed in 1869, connected Sacramento to the Eastern states. Numerous Chinese laborers, including the parents of Lee from the novel, were employed to build the railroad through the foothills and the Sierra Nevada mountains. The work was grueling and perilous, resulting in many fatalities. Despite their contributions, the Chinese faced significant prejudice. For instance, a California law passed in 1860 barred Chinese children from attending public schools.
By 1870, California’s population had grown to 560,000. However, the following decade saw an economic depression that led to high unemployment rates. This depression was caused by the influx of inexpensive manufactured goods from well-established East Coast industries, which outcompeted California’s newer manufacturing companies. The situation worsened with the arrival of thousands of European immigrants via the railroad from the East Coast. Some Californians blamed their joblessness on Chinese laborers, who accepted lower wages. In 1871, anti-Chinese riots erupted in Los Angeles, and discriminatory laws were enacted. Chinese individuals were denied U.S. citizenship, preventing them from voting or holding government positions, and they were also prohibited from testifying in court against whites. This prejudice is reflected in East of Eden when Lee explains to Samuel that he speaks in pidgin English because that is what whites expect. If he spoke proper English, revealing his education, whites would not understand him.
Due to the widespread discrimination, many Chinese in California started their own laundry businesses, an area with minimal competition from whites. In East of Eden, when Lee mentions moving to San Francisco, Samuel’s immediate assumption is that Lee plans to open a laundry business.
America’s Industrial Growth
The era depicted in the novel was marked by significant growth across the United States. Between 1860 and 1900, the nation's population surged by 140 percent. There was a substantial increase in the production of coal, petroleum, pig iron, and crude steel. A comprehensive railroad network spanning the country facilitated this industrial boom and enabled westward expansion for farmers and immigrants. By 1890, all major American cities were connected by rail. Remarkably, one-third of the world's railroad tracks were in the United States. This period was also marked by innovation, with 440,400 patents issued between 1860 and 1890. Traditional methods were being replaced by new advancements in every sector. For instance, in Chicago, Gustavus Swift pioneered shipping meat under refrigeration and developed refrigerator cars, an endeavor similar to what Adam attempts, but fails, in East of Eden when he tries to ship lettuce to the East Coast packed in ice.
The years from the 1870s to the 1890s are often referred to as the Gilded Age, characterized by aggressive individualism and a spirit of optimism that drove national and industrial growth through the exploitation of natural resources. There was a widespread belief in inevitable progress. However, the era's leading industrialists earned the moniker “robber barons” due to their ruthless business practices. Figures like Andrew Carnegie in the steel industry and John D. Rockefeller in the oil industry amassed enormous fortunes, while ordinary workers endured harsh conditions, working long hours for meager wages. This period was also particularly harsh for Native Americans, who suffered through two decades of conflicts with white settlers from...
(This entire section contains 686 words.)
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1864 to the mid-1880s. These are the conflicts in which Adam fights as a young man inEast of Eden.
As the new century began, America was emerging as the world’s leading industrial power, and for those who could afford it, a plethora of consumer goods became available. One of the latest innovations was the automobile. In 1900, there were only about 8,000 automobiles in the entire country, and they were a luxury for the wealthy. However, in the following decade, Henry Ford started producing affordable cars, like the one Adam purchases in the novel sometime in the 1910s.
Style and Technique
Symbolism
The conflict between good and evil is hinted at in the third paragraph of the first chapter, where the mountain ranges on either side of the Salinas Valley are described. The Galiban Mountains to the east are linked with light, sun, and warmth, and the narrator connects them to a mother’s affection. In contrast, the Santa Lucia mountains to the west are described as “dark and brooding—unfriendly and dangerous.” During his childhood, the narrator feared the west and adored the east. Thus, the novel’s dualistic framework is symbolically established from the very first page.
This symbolism is expanded through numerous biblical references (an allusion is a reference to a well-known historical event or person, or to a literary work—in this case, the Bible). Besides the story of Cain and Abel, biblical symbolism is also tied to two major characters. The first is Adam, who initially represents Abel in the Cain and Abel story, but after moving to the Salinas Valley, he becomes akin to Adam, the first man in Genesis. In his innocence, he aspires to create an Eden-like garden on his land. Unfortunately, he is married to Cathy, who in this part of the novel plays the role of Eve, who introduced sin into the world by succumbing to the devil's temptations, symbolized by a serpent. The serpent imagery in Cathy’s physical description is unmistakable. She has wide-set eyes with drooping upper eyelids, giving her a mysterious, sleepy look. Samuel remarks that her eyes are not human. Cathy’s ears are tiny, merely “thin flaps” pressed close to her head, and “Her feet were small and round and stubby, with fat insteps almost like little hoofs.” The scar on Cathy’s forehead after she is beaten by Edwards parallels the bruise on the serpent's head mentioned in Genesis, chapter 3. Additionally, when Cathy has to drag herself along the ground to the Trask farm, she resembles the cursed serpent that crawls on its belly, as described in Genesis.
Allegory
The theme of good versus evil, along with the biblical symbolism, operates within the framework of an allegory. An allegory is similar to a metaphor where characters in a narrative are equated with meanings or other characters that are not directly present in the story. In East of Eden, for instance, many main characters are allegorically linked to the Cain and Abel story in the Bible. Thus, Cathy embodies the abstract concept of evil, associated with Cain in the biblical tale. This way, the actions of the characters in the novel gain deeper significance and intrigue because they are connected to themes found in interpretations of the Cain and Abel story.
Compare and Contrast
1860s: The American Civil War occurs, concluding in 1865 with a death toll of 620,000 soldiers.
1910s: World War I takes place. From April 1917 to November 1918, 116,708 American soldiers lose their lives.
Today: The United States engages in anti-terrorism conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. These modern wars employ advanced tactics and technology in weaponry and defense, resulting in fewer American casualties.
1860s: Major railroads are constructed across the United States.
1910s: The era of aviation begins. In 1919, the first transatlantic flight occurs, spanning from Newfoundland to Ireland and lasting sixteen hours and twenty-two minutes.
Today: Commercial airplanes have become the preferred mode of travel between cities within the United States. Unlike Europe, which has a robust rail network, the use of railroads in the U.S. is declining.
1860s: Significant numbers of Chinese and French Canadian immigrants arrive in the United States during this period.
1910s: This decade represents the middle of peak immigration years in the U.S. The pattern of immigration shifts, with most newcomers arriving from eastern and southern Europe. The first significant wave of Mexican immigrants also arrives during this time.
Today: Immigration trends shift once again. The majority of new immigrants now come from Asia and Latin America, rather than Europe.
Setting
The Salinas Valley serves as a rich and symbolic backdrop in John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden." Reflecting the dualities of human nature, this setting embodies light and darkness, good and evil, where lush landscapes meet arid expanses. Through this geographical tapestry, Steinbeck explores the complex relationships and biblical allegories that define the lives of his characters.
The Salinas Valley: A Landscape of Duality
Salinas Valley stretches like a verdant canvas between Northern California’s Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountain ranges. This long, narrow depression is traversed by the winding Salinas River, which eventually spills into Monterey Bay. To the east, the Gabilan Mountains are described as "lovely and full of light," casting a warm and inviting presence upon the valley. In stark contrast, the Santa Lucia Mountains to the west stand as dark sentinels, brooding and perilous, between the valley and the sea. This geographical dichotomy underscores the novel’s central conflict: the struggle between light and dark, good and evil, and the biblical parallels of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. These themes are poignantly articulated when Samuel Hamilton reads the first sixteen verses of Genesis 4 to Adam Trask, bringing the symbolic weight of the setting to the forefront.
The Trask Ranch: A Fallen Eden
At the heart of the Salinas Valley lies the Trask ranch, a microcosm of abundance set in the valley’s lushest part. This fertile land, symbolic of potential and prosperity, mirrors the biblical Garden of Eden. However, beneath the surface, it harbors its own serpents. Adam Trask's wife, Cathy, epitomizes the novel's exploration of inherent evil, as she rebels against her domestic confines, eventually resorting to violence by shooting Adam. This act precipitates a decline in the ranch's fortunes, culminating in Adam's failed attempt to transport lettuce across the country, which ends in disaster. The house and its surroundings fall into disrepair, mirroring the Trasks' metaphorical expulsion from paradise. In contrast, the Hamilton farm, initially arid and barren, undergoes transformation with the introduction of a windmill, turning wasteland into productivity. This juxtaposition further highlights the novel’s exploration of human struggle and redemption.
Salinas: A Town of Change and Complexity
Beyond the rural confines, the town of Salinas presents a bustling urban landscape rich in detail and history. Originally settled by Mexicans, it evolves through waves of Eastern Americans and later, Irish and Chinese immigrants, reflecting a constantly changing social fabric. This dynamic town witnesses the introduction of transformative technologies like the windmill, motorcar, and refrigeration, which alter its economic and cultural landscape. World War I further impacts Salinas, reshaping its community character and fortunes. It is within this vibrant yet turbulent milieu that Cathy Trask, after abandoning Adam and their sons, reinvents herself as Kate, the prosperous owner of a notorious brothel. Her rise within Salinas underscores the town’s complexities and its role as a crucible for transformation and moral ambiguity.
Origins in the East: Foundations of Conflict
The story of "East of Eden" begins far from California, on a Connecticut farm where Adam and his half-brother Charles come of age. This farm, located on the periphery of a small town near a larger city, serves as the initial stage for familial conflict and unrest. Adam's relationship with his father is fraught, marked by resentment and a desire to escape. Meanwhile, Charles harbors a fervent, albeit twisted, loyalty to their father, setting the stage for future discord. These early tensions, rooted in New England soil, reflect the broader themes of familial strife and the quest for new beginnings that Adam seeks in California.
Massachusetts: The Birth of a Villain
In a nondescript Massachusetts town, Cathy Ames, Adam's future wife, cultivates her dark nature. Behind a facade of innocence lies a manipulative sociopath capable of murder and deceit. After her parents thwart her plans to leave, Cathy orchestrates a fire that consumes their home, killing them and enabling her escape. She then becomes entwined with a Bostonian brothel owner before ensnaring the unsuspecting Adam. Her character, as both a corrupting Eve and a serpentine presence, infuses the Salinas Valley with a malevolent energy that disrupts the supposed Edenic tranquility. Cathy’s journey from Massachusetts to California epitomizes the pervasive theme of hidden malevolence within outward beauty, further enriching the narrative's intricate examination of good versus evil.
Adaptations
East of Eden was adapted into a film by Elia Kazan in 1954. This movie stars James Dean as Caleb, marking Dean’s debut in a leading role.
In 1981, East of Eden was transformed into a miniseries featuring Timothy Bottoms as Adam Trask, Jane Seymour as Cathy Ames, and Bruce Boxleitner as Charles Trask.
Bibliography
Sources
Gurko, Leo, “Steinbeck’s Later Fiction,” in John Steinbeck: The Contemporary Reviews, edited by Joseph R. McElrath Jr., Jesse S. Crisler, and Susan Shillinglaw, Cambridge University Press, 1996, pp. 385–86; originally published in Nation, September 20, 1952.
Levant, Howard, The Novels of John Steinbeck: A Critical Study, University of Missouri Press, 1974, pp. 234–58.
Prescott, Orville, “Books of the Times,” in John Steinbeck: The Contemporary Reviews, edited by Joseph R. McElrath Jr., Jesse S. Crisler, and Susan Shillinglaw, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 383; originally published in New York Times, September 19, 1952.
Schorer, Mark, “A Dark and Violent Steinbeck Novel,” in John Steinbeck: The Contemporary Reviews, edited by Joseph R. McElrath Jr., Jesse S. Crisler, and Susan Shillinglaw, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 391; originally published in New York Times Book Review, September 21, 1952.
Steinbeck, John, Journal of a Novel: The “East of Eden” Letters, Viking Press, 1969, pp. 4, 112, 115–16, 132, 146.
West, Anthony, “California Moonshine,” in John Steinbeck: The Contemporary Reviews, edited by Joseph R. McElrath Jr., Jesse S. Crisler, and Susan Shillinglaw, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 389; originally published in New Yorker, September 20, 1952.
Further Reading
French, Warren, John Steinbeck, 2nd ed., Twayne’s United States Authors Series, No. 2, Twayne Publishers, 1975. French discusses the novel in terms of Steinbeck’s goal to explore the evolution of a higher consciousness. The author argues that Steinbeck was not successful in this endeavor because he remained fundamentally a naturalistic writer.
Lisca, Peter, John Steinbeck: Nature and Myth, Thomas Y. Crowell, 1978. Lisca offers a generally negative evaluation of the novel, criticizing it for its lack of strong characterization, originality, style, and discipline. Lisca also points out contradictions in Steinbeck's theme of good versus evil.
Owens, Louis, “East of Eden,” in A New Study Guide to Steinbeck’s Major Works, with Critical Explications, edited by Tetsumaro Hayashi, Scarecrow Press, 1993, pp. 66–89. This work includes a background section, a summary of the novel, and a critical analysis in which Owens describes the novel as one of the most misunderstood of all Steinbeck’s works, arguing that the true subject is not the biblical allegory but the creative consciousness.
Timmerman, John H., John Steinbeck’s Fiction: The Aesthetics of the Road Taken, University of Oklahoma Press, 1986. Timmerman investigates Cathy’s role as the structural and thematic core of the novel, considering her interactions with various other characters (Horace Quinn, Charles, Caleb, Lee, and Samuel Hamilton) regarding the theme of good and evil.
