East of Eden Essay: Man's Creation of God Exposed

Man's Creation of God Exposed in East of Eden

"It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils, since we invented them" (133). What would also be absurd would be if we chose to believe in them. The Bible is written like any modern day novel, it is written as though it is real. Of course, in a novel coming from a shepherding people, the all-powerful God character prefers sheep to fruit of the land. John Steinbeck's East of Eden-a retelling of the Cain and Abel story-helps explain many of the reasons why backwards religious ideas are clung to and the faults behind them. Through his characters, Steinbeck explores human nature to reveal the emotional need for religion and the situations in society that foster it.

In society, people cling to conformity. It's an easy way to avoid trouble or ridicule. Cyrus explains this to Adam when he's describing life in the army: "you'll do things because the others do them. You'll feel the danger in any difference whatever-a danger to the whole crowd of like-thinking, like-acting men." And what happens when someone doesn't conform? "The whole machine devotes itself coldly to the destruction of his difference." (25)

For many people it's much easier for them to not think for themselves. They let the group, society, or their leaders think for them. One example of this is the massive following religious leaders have. People are taught to have faith, that believing is seeing and not the other way around.

When Adam finds out that his father-a character who represents God to Charles and Adam-was a fraud he chooses to not believe it: "I believe in the war he did just what he said he did and was just where he said he was." What about the proof-the papers? "I believe they are wrong. I believe in my father" (70). So Adam chooses to believe in his father, even though there is proof that his father was a fraud, a lie, and refuses to even look at the papers.

But why not look at the papers? What keeps Adam from facing facts? It is because "papers are no match at all for [his] faith in [his] father" (71). He has faith to protect him, closing your eyes to reason and looking with your heart instead. But this is beyond faith; this is blind faith-believing without seeing, trusting without reason.