John Steinbeck's Book East of Eden Gathers Essay

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John Steinbeck's book East of Eden gathers under the pages of a beautifully written literary work the deep concerns of a troubled mind. Steinbeck appears to be haunted by those eternal questions human being must have asked himself or herself ever since any form of religion even existed. The conflict between good and evil and the meaning of the "truth" as well as the theme of the original sin and that of the atonement are main themes that Steinbeck borrows from Christianity to create his story and its characters.

The big question, the question that makes all the myriad of related questions arise from, is the one questioning God's existence. As St. Anselm of Canterbury explains in his Proslogion, God's existence cannot be questioned since God is the greatest thing for those who believe in Him as well as for those who deny his existence. Steinbeck creates Cathy as something essentially evil, but human nonetheless. The symbolism of the devil in this female character is representing the duality of the human existence. God has merely created beings whose paths are traced from beginning to the end, as his creators the choice Anselm of Canterbury shows in his works. Humans were left with the possibility to choose sides.

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With the exception of having given birth to her twin boys, Cal and Aron, the narrator presents Cathy in the worst light possible. She is absolutely on the dark side judging by her actions. Her original sin, the murder of her own parents does not allow her any place for redemption anyway. Religion, Christianity in particular, cannot exist without contrast. There must a clash between good and bad in order for the Christian God to be able to exist in religion and philosophy. Opposites as basics of the material world are present in most of the main religious philosophies.

Steinbeck ponders on duality of the constant duality of the human existence and finds the best way to express his thoughts in a literary form that not only enlightens the readers, but also leaves way to interpretation. Adam and Eve, the biblical characters, were living in Eden, a perfect world created entirely for the purpose of their existence. On the other side, even the Eden was not perfect. The snake's presence is enough to explain an original duality of the world. In his book, Steinbeck starts from the conclusion that good cannot exist without….....

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