East of Eden

Chapters 25-32

Vocab1. Inexorable: (Adjective)

o not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped

• "It was their first experience with the inexorable logic of women, which is overwhelming even, or perhaps especially, when it is wrong" (345)

• First seen used in 1542

• Modern day 'relentless'

The sun is inexorable because it

will always set, and always rise.

Vocab2. Queue: (Noun)

o a braid of hair usually worn hanging at the back of the head

• "She was dressed like a man and she had braided her hair in a man's queue" (357)

• First known use was in 1748

• Modern day 'braid'

The Chinese queue is worn by

the Manchus from central Manchuria

and the Chinese in China.

Vocab

3. Magnanimity: (Noun) o the quality of being magnanimous : loftiness of spirit

enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity

• "The truculence went out of the boy and a magnanimity took its place" (366)

• First seen used in the 14th century

• Modern day 'high-mindedness'

Your magnanimity will bring you universal respect.

Vocab4. Cantankerous: (Adjective)

o difficult or irritating to deal with

• " I'm getting old and cantankerous" (376)

• First known use: 1772

• Modern day 'crabby'

The cantankerous old man

slammed the door in the face

of the census taker.

Vocab5. Daguerreotype: (Noun)

o an early photograph produced on a

silver or a silver-covered copper plate

• "He went to his room and returned

and put a faded brown daguerreotype on the table in front of Lee" (376)

• First known use: 1839

• Modern day 'sepia photograph'

a type of photo coloring

He learned about the new daguerreotype process, the first practical method of making photographic portraits.

Who's Who?

Loner: Lee"Please try not to need me. That's the worst

bait of all to a lonely man." (333)o wants to leave the Trasks to open his bookstoreo too late for a wife/children o less lonely with bookstore

Who's Who?

Tempress: Abra"She paused to let her shaft sink in. She saw

opposition, struggle, disappear. Abra had taken control. She was the boss." (345)o Acts shy while inside the houseo Changes once outside "... and there was no hint of

the shyness she had pretended inside the house" (345)

Who's Who?

Shrew: Cathy"I am the mother, yes-but how

do you know you are the father?"

(324)

"It was hard on you" she smiled

at him sweetly "I wasn't too hurt for your brother" (324)o verbally abuses Adamo tries to bring him down when to him, she no longer

can

Who's Who?

Villain: Cal"He was starting to punish Abra for liking his brother, and this was nothing new either" (348)

"If.. Cal came upon the same anthill, he would kick it to pieces and watch while the frantic ants took care of their disaster." (348-349)

o Evil like Charles was to Adam as kidso Complete opposite of Arono "Secret punishment had grown to be almost a

creative thing with him" (348)

Themes• Truth

• Power

• Good vs Evil

• Western vs Eastern Culture

• Timshel

Truth

• Lee: finally tells Adam the truth of his goals and wants, resulting in resentful feelings

• Adam: hides truth of Kate from Cal and Aron, truth about Kate from Samuel sets him free, face the truth of Samuel's death

• Cal: discovers truth about himself from Aron, hides truth about Kate from Aron

Power• Cathy

o Desires power over all Faye, Adam, men in photos

o Loses composure when power is lost "She was not aware that her fists beat softly on

the white oilcloth. But she did know that the square white door was distorted with tears and that her body shook with something that felt like rage and also felt like sorrow" (Steinbeck 385)

• Calebo Desires the same power, enjoys being in control

"Out of revenge Cal extracted a fluid of power, and out of power, joy" (349)

Power• Cathy / Adam

o As Cathy loses power of Adam, Adam gains power as a father figure

o "I'm free. I don't have to worry anymore. I'm free. She's gone! She's out of me." (330)

o "It was at the supper table that the boys discovered the change in their father....He was a could of a father...Adam listened to them and asked questions, looked at them and saw them."

• Adam is developing a stronger relationship with his boys as he lets go of Cathy

• Adam buys a car, writes to Charles (reviving their relationship)

• Adam finally sees Cathy as evil

Good vs Evil• Adam confronts Cathy

o Overcomes evil: Good triumphs for once

• Light vs darko Samuel and Cathy

• Aron vs Calo Constantly disagreeing and fightingo Cal enjoys inflicting pain on his brother

"Cal felt pleasantly excited. He had found another implement, another secret tool, to use for any purpose he needed" (Steinbeck 338)

o Aron does not understand Cal's intentions "You're always at something. I just wonder why

you do it. I wonder what's it good for" (375)

Western vs. Eastern Culture

• Lee explains how a Chinese funeral works

• "My people bury them with drums and scatter papers to confuse the devils and put roast pigs instead of flowers on the grave...But our devils aren't very bright. We can outthink them. That's some progress." (330)

• Joss paper o used in funerals or weddingso burned as an offeringo Western culture

Timshel

• Adam is determined to become a better father, writes to charles, and buys a car

• Attempt to become anything but his father Cyrus

• Doesn't want to make same mistakes as Cyrus

"I seemed to come out of a sleep" said Adam "In some strange way my eyes have cleared. A weight is off me." (331)

Symbols

• Green

• Hands

• Names

• Flowers

• Rabbit

Green• Means growth, new beginnings, balance,

mix of blue and yellow, between hot and cold

• Seen in association with Kate and her office

• New beginnings for Adam

• New life since Faye's death

• "Some men can't see the color green, but they may never know they can't" (Steinbeck 385)

• Sees what is living and what is not in Kate, part of her is inhuman

Hands

• "...her hands grew lean and wrinkled" (Steinbeck 316)o Kate's hands have aged, causing pain to hero Strength is diminishing as she loses control to

inflict pain on others

• "Cal protected his hands" (336)o Never used his hands in fights or to inflict paino Wanted his hands clean and strong

• Timshel

Names

• Cathy = Kate: pureo Pure: simple, clearo Evilo Charles, Caleb

• Abra: example, lessono Adam, Arono Goodness

• Roy: regal, king, redo Joe

Flowers• White violets: death too soon, spiritual

wisdom, faithfulnesso "Adam stood up, shivered and walked slowly over

the white violets and past the new grave" (Steinbeck 312)

• Carnations: pride and beautyo Pink: love of woman or mothero Yellow: disdain, rejection, disappointmento "A great big goddam wreath of carnations" (380)

• Everlastings: daisies, sunflowers, can last in color and structure forever when driedo "Adam had sent a fine pillow of everlastings" (386)

Rabbit• Cal and Adam go hunting, one of them

shoots the rabbit

• Killing a rabbit is also seen in another Steinbeck book: _________?

• symbolize dreams, hopes

• Caleb dreams of wanting to changeo Lennie wants to changeo They cannot change: Caleb is born evil, Lennie is

born aggressive

• Death of the rabbit symbolizes the inability to change

Conflicts• Lee vs his duties to Adam

o Wanted to have a wife and kidso Wants to own a bookstore of his own and die thereo "My wish isn't as strong as it once was. I'm afraid I

could be talked out of it or, what would be worse, I could be held back just by being needed" (Steinbeck 333)

• Cal vs Himselfo Recognizes the evil within himo Purposefully antagonizes Aron and Abrao "A pain pierced Cal's heart. His planning suddenly

seemed mean and dirty to him" (375)

Conflicts• Aron vs Cal

o Brotherly relationship: constant bickeringo Aron's belief in Adam's lie vs Cal's suspicion of his

mother's deatho Good vs Evil

Aron = Abel: loved by everyone, "...come upon an anthill...he would lie on his stomach and watch..." (348)

Cal = Cain: resented Aron, longs for love, "...came upon the same anthill, he would kick it to pieces and watch..." (348)

Biblical Connections

Prostitutiono Adam confronts Kate in at the brothelo "For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow

well. Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men." (Proverbs 23:27-28) Kate is still Adam's wife, thus she is a "wayward wife" and

corrupts other men ("multiplying the unfaithful") that sleep with her

o "For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell" Kate's appearance vs. reality She is an attractive woman but her personality is "bitter as

wormwood"

Biblical Connections

• Wives/marriage

• "You know, Mr. Trask, once I had a wife. I made her up just as you did, only mine had no life outside my mind. She was good company in my little room. I would talk and she would listen, and then she would talk, would tell me all the happenings of a woman's afternoon. She was very and she made coquettish little jokes." (332)

Lee explains his relationship with his wife Proverbs 31:10-31 Does Cathy fit the Bible's description? According to

Adam?

Biblical connections - Prayer

• Cal prays to God, asking for him to be more like his brother:

" 'Dear Lord,...let me be like Aron. Don't make me mean. I don't want it to be...I'll give you anything in the world, and if I haven't got it, why, I'll go for

to get it...For Jesus' sake, Amen.' Slow warm tears were running down his cheeks."(379-380)

• Matthew 21:22 - If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

• Cal is truly wishing to be good, he is crying for change

• Brings up the question: Will Cal be a static or dynamic character?

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/244695/East-of-Eden-Movie-Clip-I-Hate-Her-.html

video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUmDxXcEtns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=HOL7BoZ7lMQ

Who Said This?

"I expected you for a long time, and when you didn't come I guess I forgot

you"

Kate!

"I'm beginning to think you're a twisted human or no human at all"

Who Said This?

Adam!

"Let's go to the old house and play there. It leaks a little but it's nice"

Who Said This?

Aron!

Who Said This?

"When i read the terms of your brother's will it struck me that he might have been a man with a

particularly brutal sense of play. Did he like you?"

Lee!

Who Said This?

"Polly, if you don't watch your language, I'll thrash you."

Liza!

Who Said This?

"What's the shape of a fried egg? How would you color the fat and lean of a

strip of bacon?"

Dessie!

Works Cited

"Flower Meanings." The Flower Expert. Gifting Inc., 18 May 2013. Web. 18 May 2013.

Johnson, S. "Meaning of Violet Flowers." GardenGuides. Demand Media, 2010. Web. 18 May 2013.

Merriam-Webster.com Staff. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated 2013. m-w.com 18 May 2013

Steinbeck, John. East of Eden. United States of America: Penguin, 1992. Print.

TheBestNotes.com Staff. "TheBestNotes on East of Eden". TheBestNotes.com. 18 May 2013. 11 May 2008

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. "Joss Paper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 15 May 2013. Web. 19 May 2013.

Good News Bible. American Bible Society. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Print.