East of Eden
by John Steinbeck
Format: select
When I read, I ask a LOT of questions. Here’s some stuff I searched or wondered about while reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
From my review:
I absolutely adore books that are filled with allusions. They feel like buried treasure for those who want to find them. The story is wonderful on it’s own, but there’s a treasure hunt if you want to go on it. And East of Eden was just brimming with allusions.
John Steinbeck has completely mastered the art of showing instead of telling. Nothing is a joy to read more than a story you figure out on your own. Plus I loved how he said things. I think I highlighted half of this book… Read more
Places
Photo Credit: Loco Steve
Salinas Valley
I loved that East of Eden was set in Salinas Valley where John Steinbeck really grew up. Setting was so important in this novel that I printed out this map from Oprah’s website and used it for my bookmark. (Oprah also has a really great Reading Guide for this book.)
I remember that the Galiban Mountains to the east of the valley were light gay mountains full of sun and loveliness and a kind of invitation so that you wanted to climb into their warm foothills almost as you want to climb into the lap of a beloved mother.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 3
Image Source: sgrace
Galiban Mountains
I also loved this picture of two trees taken on Galiban Mountain (click the link to see it – I can’t share it here). I think it fits really well with the Eden theme. And it looks like paradise!!
The Santa Lucias stood up against the sky to the west and kept the valley from the open sea, and they were dark and brooding–unfriendly and dangerous.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 3
Image Source: rvr
Santa Lucias
I found this great list of Steinbeck things to do in Salinas Valley that I want to do next time I’m in California. They have an entire Steinbeck museum there called the National Steinbeck Center.
Joe was off to college–to that school Leland Stanford had built on his farm near Palo Alto.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 251
Image Source
Stanford University, 1891
The history of Stanford was really neat. They were one of the first co-ed colleges. People back east were sure no one would go to college there.
Adam stops by Niagara Falls when he is wandering the country (see pg 47). The first thing I think of when a book mentions a place I’ve been is to look up old pictures. I’m the one on the right.
My family and me and Niagara Falls.
Plants
Then there were harebells, tiny lanterns, cream white and almost sinful looking, and these were so rare and magical that a child, finding one, felt singled out and special all day long.
– John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 5
Image Source: _foxy
Harebell
The smell of azaleas wand the sleepy smell of sun working with chlorophyll filled the air.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 589
Image Source: dmott9
Azaleas
Azaleas were important to Abra and Cal throughout the novel.
Characters
Cathy was a perverse version of Eve. Cathy embodied temptation and giving in to it. And she totally reminded me of Saffron from Firefly – she seems all innocent, but is one manipulative woman who uses temptation to get what she wants. That might also be because I was reading this book and watching Firefly while I was recovering from surgery.
I also thought it was interesting that Steinbeck included the Hamilton family that were probably based on his real genealogy but they weren’t the main characters – the Trasks were.
Music
That Saturday night he took the chain off the piano strings and played something he had been remembering and practicing in the morning, something called “Moonlight,” a piece by Beethoven.
– John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 243
This was one of my favorite songs to play on the piano in high school.
Favorite Quotes
Her faith is a mountain, and you, my son, haven’t even got a shovel yet.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 251
They called him a comical genius and carried his stories carefully home, and they wondered at how the stories spilled out on the way, for they never sounded the same repeated in their own kitchens.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 10
Objects
Every bit of really first-grade leather was taken for officers’ boots and for Sam Browne belts. These belts were handsome and only officers could wear them.
-John Steinbeck, East of Eden pg 514
Sam Browne belt
Books
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- Alice in Wonderland (pg 549)
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- The Winning of Barbara Worth (pg 552)
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- Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (pg 577)
The books above are all mentioned in East of Eden. And then on pg 595 it says “I’ve got some dirty stories written by a french queen.” What book is that??
About John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck III was an American writer. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939 and the novella Of Mice and Men, published in 1937. In all, he wrote twenty-five books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and several collections of short stories.
In 1962 Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Steinbeck grew up in the Salinas Valley region of California, a culturally diverse place of rich migratory and immigrant history. This upbringing imparted a regionalistic flavor to his writing, giving many of his works a distinct sense of place.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
Ooooh. I am curious about what that book of dirty stories is too. It sounds quite juicy! :)
I read East of Eden for one of my college classes. I ended up like it as well. Timshel really made an impact.
One of the things that my class and I talked about is how Cathy may not have been Eve at all. She may have been Lilith. In some religions, especially Judaism, Lilith was Adam’s first wife and didn’t quite cut it. I’m not exactly sure what happened to her, but somehow Eve came along and was perfect for Adam. It’s really an interesting legend. I recommend you read up on it. It’s actually what Cassandra Clare bases the children of Lilith on, if you’ve read any of her books.
Oooh – that’s a really cool theory. I’m only familiar with the very basic story of Lilith. I don’t know what happens to her either. The only reason I even know of her is from Cassandra Clare’s books. I think I will read up on it. Thanks for your nice comment :)