A theme is a unifying or dominant idea in a literary work. Steinbeck described the competition of good versus evil as the story of mankind itself. He believes that every generation to come since Adam and Eve will now be immersed with the struggle of good and evil due to Eve’s curiosity that led to sin, eventually banning both her and Adam from the Garden of Eden. In East of Eden, Steinbeck makes the contest of good versus evil apparent through his contrasting description of the setting, the characters’ opposing personalities, and society’s changing morals.
To show that man is surrounded by good and evil no matter where they are, Steinbeck describes the setting in a contrasting way to represent the good side and the bad side of nature. He begins the book by describing two mountain ranges. The first he describes are the Gabilan Mountains. These mountains were located to the east, welcoming the beginning of a new day every morning. They “were light gay mountains full of sun and loveliness” (Steinbeck 3). To the west are the Santa Lucias Mountains. They “kept the valley from the open sea, and they were dark and brooding – unfriendly and dangerous” (Steinbeck 3). No matter where a person lived in the valley, they were always surrounded by a “dread of west and a love of east” because of these two mountain ranges (Steinbeck 3). Also, Steinbeck uses a river to describe the theme of good versus evil. During the winter of wet years, the river would often overflow the banks, destroying farms and houses near it, bringing turmoil and devastation. When spring came, however, the river would contract to the confines of its banks, leaving the land fertile and full of new life (Steinbeck 3-4). In the valley, there were two types of years: dry yea...
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Every book has a theme, a main idea that is carried throughout the story, and most novels have more than one. Main ideas are threads that weave the story together. Ideas like friendship or love often are used to tell the story. Witness by Karen Hesse has an obvious theme of racism; however, love, hate, and sacrifice are woven into the plot with sacrifice being the most important.
"God saw that all he had created was very good. You are part of gods creation, and he is pleased with how he made you. If at times you feel worthless or of little value, remember that god made you for a good reason. You are valuable to him." ( Genesis 1:31) I believe that all things created are at first good. The Bible gives pages upon pages of quotes and stories on the battle of good versus evil, but in the story East of Eden we are given what might be the greatest question of it all, and that is if the main character Cathy a.k.a. Kate was born good or evil.
An idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art of literature can be referred to as a “Theme”. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and may be implied rather than stated explicitly. Theme is an important part of fictional stories. Several themes are presented in the novel to kill a mocking bird. One of the reoccurring themes in to kill a mockingbird is courage.
The author’s incorporation of “weakness” and “wickedness” conveys the unavoidable flaws of humans. In the process, he adequately establishes a pessimistic tone. This becomes truly evident as he quickly follows it with describing man as using “his special knowledge to warp men.” John Steinbeck is able to show the endless struggle of evil that bears a burden to mankind. Steinbeck’s creation of Cathy Ames demonstrate this stereotype as she used her sexuality to manipulate and seduce others into consistently trick and trap others into her corrupt path. Similarly, Cyrus Trask also displays the characteristic when he deceives many about his false “heroic” tales that gave him powerful position in the Army administration. His usage of alliteration enables the reader to recognize the author’s view of the troubled clash between good and evil. The reader is able to comprehend Steinbeck’s feelings from far beyond a fundamental
East of Eden is an epic novel about individual ethics - whether men and women have the power to choose between good and evil.
Hayashi, Tetsumaro. A New Study Guide to Steinbeck's Major Works, with Critical Explications. Scarecrow Press, Jan 1, 1993
Noble, Donald R. ed. The Steinbeck Question: New Essays in Criticism. Troy, New York, 1993.
Theme is the subject of talk, a topic, or morals that the author is trying to get readers to comprehend. When reading an excerpt, the theme is not directly stated in the text, so you must dig deeper into the context to understand the matter trying to be portrayed. In both Angela's Ashes and The Street, we can distinguish a like theme of struggling through life’s complications. After reading the two different stories, we could select the theme from using character, events, and the setting.
“Earth people will beat out any other intelligent life-form in any and all competitions” is a theme, but “good always beats evil” is one too. “Once upon a time . . . ” stories have themes too, except they are more one-dimensional. For example,... ...
Steinbeck begins the story by creating a serene mood when describing the setting. He illustrates how the Salinas River looks, and stating that “the water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees—willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool” (1). Steinbeck’s word choice alone (“twinkling,” “golden,” and “fresh and green”) makes the setting appealing to the reader. The peaceful mood is created through the way he closely describes every detail; the images that the reader follows are animated and picturesque. He uses such a long sentence with semi-colons, commas, and dashes to make the passage flow smoothly, as opposed to choppy. The run-on like syntax he uses creates a comfortable feeling, showing that the Salinas River and everything surrounding it is an undisturbed area; the...
John Steinbeck and Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK Jr.) have both gone down in American literature as some of the most influential authors, but why? Steinbeck was an influential author throughout the 20th century with pieces in many genres. On the flip side is Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights leader in the fight against racial discrimination. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the style of these two authors, it is necessary to compare them on the bases of repetition, tone, and purpose.
John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California. Between 1919 and 1925 Steinbeck was acknowledged as a special student at Stanford University. According to Peter Lisac, “Variously employed as a had-carrier, fruit-picker, apprentice printer, laboratory assistant, caretaker, surveyor, reporter, writer, and foreign correspondent let him acquire knowledge in many areas.” (1) Even in his youth, Steinbeck developed a love of the natural world and diverse cultures. Steinbeck produced two children from his second wife, Elaine Scott. The early 1930’s became a struggle for Steinbeck, both in his
In his earlier books, works like "To a God Unknown" and "In dubious Battle", Steinbeck delved into the man driven by ideology. Anything but "down-to earth", the characters in these books were motivated by what could be. As creatures of speculation, they were driven by the mind's eye. While Joseph lived for the earth, he never managed to be of it, (at least in the manner of your everyday farmer.) Like any man who have walked through the halls of formal education, Steinbeck himself was a man of...
For an abundance of authors, the driving force that aids them in creation of a novel is the theme or number of themes implemented throughout the novel. Often times the author doesn’t consciously identify the theme they’re trying to present. Usually a theme is a concept, principle or belief that is significant to an author. Not only does the theme create the backbone of the story, but it also guides the author by controlling the events that happen in a story, what emotions are dispersed, what are the actions of characters, and what emotions are presented within each environment to engage the readers in many