East of Eden (Oprah's Book Club) Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 1, 2003

Is is possible that Netflix may boost literacy? I just did a Netflix mini-retrospective look at James Dean's films: "Rebel Without a Cause," "Giant" and "East of Eden." Watching the complex story of "East of Eden," reminded me that I had never read the Steinbeck novel from which the film was adapted. This came as a surprise to me, since I am a huge fan of Steinbeck's writings and have long considered "The Grapes of Wrath" among my favorite novels. So, I embarked on reading the novel. I was expecting it to be good; I was unprepared for the depth of the writing and the brilliant insight into human nature that marked Steinbeck's writing at this stage of his career. In my opinion, if he had never written another novel besides "East of Eden," he would have been worthy of the Nobel Prize that he won in 1962.The story is a complex and very moving modern setting of the Cain and Abel story told at multiple levels through several generations of the Trask family. Adam and Charles Trask lay the groundwork for the narrative by vying for the affection of their father, an ersatz Civil War hero who carved out a reputation and a fortune by misrepresenting the role that he played in key battles of the War Between the States. The saga continues into its main section with Adam's two sons - Cal and Aron - struggling to please him. Adam is raising them as a single father - with the not inconsiderable help from Lee, the live-in Chinese cook - after his wife abandoned the family shortly after giving birth to the twins.The most profound musings that stand as the intellectual and spiritual center of the novel are found exactly halfway through the narrative. The setting is that Lee, the Chinese cook, is having a theological discussion with a neighbor, Samuel. The crux of the discussion bears on varying translations of Genesis 4:7, in which God addresses Cain and implores him to overcome the temptation to sin. Lee describes the result of two years' of study by elders in the Chinese community who had undertaken to understand the issue in all of its subtleties:"After two years we felt we could approach your sixteen verses of the fourth chapter of Genesis. My old gentlemen felt that these words were very important too - 'Thou shalt not' and 'Do thou.' And this was the gold from our mining: 'Thou mayest.' 'Thou mayest rule over sin.' The old gentlemen smiled and nodded and felt the years were well spent. It brought them out of their Chinese shells, too, and right now they are studying Greek.Samuel said: 'It is a fantastic story. And I've tried to follow and maybe I've missed somewhere. Why is this word so important?'Lee's hand shook as he filled the delicate cups. He drank his down in one gulp. 'Don't you see?' he cried. 'The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in "Thou shalt not." meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. 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.""Yes, I see. I do see. But you do not believe this is divine law. Why do you feel its importance?""Ah!" said Lee. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and am well prepared. Any writing which has influenced the thinking and the lives of innumerable people is important. Now, there are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, then gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he still has the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win." Lee's voice was a chant of triumph.Adam said, "Do you believe that, Lee?""Yes, I do. Yes, I do. It is easy out of laziness, out of weakness, to throw oneself into the lap of deity, saying, 'I couldn't help it; the way was set.' But think of the glory of the choice! That makes a man a man. A cat has no choice, a bee must make honey. There's no godliness there. And do you know, those old gentlemen who were sliding gently down to death are too interested to die now?" (Pages 301-2)Steinbeck's argument reminded me of the exquisite Grand Inquisitor passage in Dostoevsky's magnum opus, "The Brothers Karamazov." The Inquisitor confronts a Christ who has returned to earth during the Spanish Inquisition and excoriates him for having condemned mankind to freedom of choice. Both Steinbeck and Dostoevsky are delving into levels that represent the quantum physics of the soul. This is great literature - writing that combines story telling as an art form with profound examination of the human condition.Even in the age of Netflix and Grand Theft Auto IV, there is still room for great writing - and great reading.Enjoy!Al

East of Eden is an immaculate American narrative that spans decades in the lives of the Hamiltons and the Trasks in California's Salinas Valley. Steinbeck considered this novel to be his magnum opus, capturing the totality of his talents and efforts throughout his career. It was one of his final novels, and he received the Nobel Prize in Literature a decade after publishing it.The mythological scope that Stenbeck achieves in the book takes on an almost biblical scale – a grand, mystical and allegorical examination of several major aspects of humanity. He identifies the struggle of sculpting a personal existence and identity in the face of uncertainty – what is the difference between the internal and the external, and what does this mean in the context of families and relationships? He also examines time as a cyclical burden, as if its trajectory is that of a spinning arrow. We are ultimately tied to this track no matter how we fight against it, and sometimes it is the very fight against it that can cost us more dearly, or at least sooner, than if we accepted that we have no control over it. Some lose a freight car of produce, and others lose their lives. Finally, and perhaps the most notable of all of the thematic examinations that Steinbeck explores, the persistent question of what it truly means to be good or evil. Throughout the novel, we are presented with choices that characters need to make, and these choices are often difficult since there is a spectrum of consequences and victims to all choices. Additionally, these choices are complicated by their place on the character’s alignment like in Dungeons and Dragons - where Catherine is Chaotic Evil, Lee is Lawful Neutral, et al.These thematic ideas lead to the central point of the novel discussed several times: Timshel. That we all have our own power to choose our ideas of good and bad. To choose our destiny. That we have one go at it. It is philosophically revisited over and over again in the novel both literally (in conversations between Lee and others) and symbolically (through situational actions and reactions). In the end, Timshel is the only answer: that our destiny is in our hands, and we alone are responsible.I absolutely loved this book. Steinbeck is a master storyteller, and he is most masterful with is his sweeping portraits of characters and locales. This book is captured in vivid time and a place. What I found to be a bit surprising was that this was his third-to-last novel, simply by its length compared to his other novels save Grapes of Wrath. Many writers tend to try to say the most they can using the least amount of words, but in the case of this novel, we are treated to an epic and sprawling modern romance of the highest order... I just wondered quite often whether everything in the novel was necessary and if it was as long as it needed to be with some scenes that I simply didn’t understand having any gravity or importance... Still, easily one of the most immersive reading experiences I have ever had, and look forward to treating myself to many times more in this lifetime. A pure and striking examination of existence, good and evil, the nature of humanity, the nature of identity, and how our choices and lives are entirely within our control even when the consequences aren’t. A beautiful, beautiful novel.You can read about my Timshel tattoo in an article I wrote for Assignment Magazine by googling "assignment magazine timshel" since I can't post a link here.

A must read for everyone! So many important themes and messages about life!

I really liked the story but there were so many characters and so much time in between it became difficult to follow. It could be because I waited too long to get back to the story. From about 50% until the end it became more interesting.I wouldn't say its my favorite of Steinbeck's but certainly worth reading. Just don't let weeks go by between readings like I did.I was also reading his "Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters" at the same time.